Despite some promising signs in both the Test and T20 versions of the sport, the team Windies have continued to accumulate indifferent results in 50-over cricket. Currently ranked at 9th in the world, the team has won just 4 of the last 10 games and won only one against a team in the top 10.
In their last encounter, the team struggled to come to grips with Pakistan in a 3-0 loss after a convincing win against the Netherlands prior to that. Recently appointed Pooran, however, believes the team is still trying to find its legs.
“There are a lot of new guys on the team and we need to learn to play together as a group. You just have to be patient, the ODI format is between the Test and the T20, and the mindset is changing. We just need to get the right mindset, the right template, and just stick with it for a bit, I am really looking forward to the Bangladesh game,” Pooran said.
The West Indies will play Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series, beginning in Guyana tomorrow.
The win was not just the Irish team’s first triumph over the West Indies in an ODI series, but the come-from-behind victory was only the second over a full member team. Prior to that, the team defeated Zimbabwe at home in 2019.
After dismissing the West Indies for just 212, the Irish survived a late-game wobble but still had enough to get over the line after getting to 214-8 in the 45th over.
The effort was anchored by half-centuries from Andy McBrine and Harry Tector.
Earlier, the West Indies were off to a fast with Shai Hope cracking 53 from just 39 balls at the top of the innings, as he did the majority of the scoring in an opening stand of 72 in 11 overs with Justin Greaves. However, things fell apart when he and Greaves were caught off the bowling of Craig Young in quick succession. The hosts went on to lose the next three wickets for just four runs as the middle order collapsed when Nicholas Pooran, Shamarh Brooks, and skipper Kieron Pollard all spent very little time at the crease.
Jason Holder ensured at least a competitive score with an impressive 44 but was run out, with West Indies all out for 212. Odean Smith remained unbeaten on 20 from 10 balls.
With the return of veteran batsman Chris Gayle and pace bowler Fidel Edwards, along with the likes of Dwayne Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Jason Holder, and Pollard himself, to call upon, the West Indies has plenty of firepower to begin the series against Sri Lanka and build-up to the ICC World Cup, which will be held in India, in October.
With many of the above players forming parts of World Cup-winning teams, in the case of Simmons, Bravo, and Gayle on multiple occasions, the team has an unrivaled amount of title-winning know-how.
Added to the firepower of a younger generation, led by the likes of the explosive Nicholas Pooran, Fabian Allen, and Andre Fletcher the two-time World Champions could have the perfect ingredients for another powder keg. With Gayle being the oldest members of the squad to face Sri Lanka, at 41, and Kevin Sinclair the youngest at 21, the average age of the squad is around 30.
“We’re excited to have certain individuals back. We excited as well to have the younger players trying to get an opportunity as well. I think the way to go forward is having that sort of mix,” Pollard told members of the media via a Zoom press conference on Tuesday.
“In the team, we have youth and experience. The youthful guys can learn from the experienced guys. These are some of the things that have been missing throughout, from 2016 till now, can we say we have put out our best T20 team to go to any series or anything like that. There was always different things happening in the midst of it.”
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Desmond McKenzie confirmed that both the St Catherine and 12 Dunrobin Avenue locations of Russell's T20 Restaurant and Sports Bar were issued with orders to immediately close on Wednesday.
Night clubs across the island were ordered closed in March, in a bid to arrest the spread of the Covid-19 virus. According to McKenzie, however, some of the locations across the island have been operating as restaurants in an apparent bid to circumvent the regulations. In addition to that, however, McKenzie also claimed some of the establishments were not licensed to operate in the manner in which they were.
“There are two locations that we have decided to take actions against, immediate actions. They are facilities that are owned by a prominent sports individual,” Mckenzie told Nationwide Radio.
“I’m talking about Russell’s T20, the one on Dunrobin and the one in Old Harbour. The KSMEC and the St Catherine Municipal have never received an application for an amusement license or permit for the operations of these facilities."
Russell opened the Old Harbour branch of the restaurant in 2017, the Kingston location was opened earlier this month.
The day-night matches will be played on Monday 5 June, Wednesday 7 June and Friday 9 June. Both teams will depart for Zimbabwe at the end of the series for their World Cup qualifying campaign which begins on 18 June. The all-important tournament will confirm the remaining spots for the 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, India.
“We are delighted to host a former World Champion side like the West Indies ahead of the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe. In recent months, our team has produced some sensational performances in the ODI format which have helped raise UAE cricket’s profile,” said General Secretary of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), Mubashshir Usmani.
“Our qualification for the tournament in Zimbabwe is a testament of our recent achievements. We want to ensure we provide the best possible preparation to our team and this series will most certainly help in achieving the goal. We look forward to welcoming the West Indian team. We want to thank Cricket West Indies for their continuous support towards cricket development in the UAE”.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Adams, Director of Cricket for Cricket West Indies said the tour will prove valuable for several reasons.
“This is our first ever bilateral tour against the UAE and we are pleased to have agreed this historic three-match ODI Series as it will provide a good opportunity for our players to get some preparation ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers,” he said.
“It will also allow those players not going to Zimbabwe to get some valuable experience at the international level in foreign conditions, which would be hugely beneficial to their growth and development. We are happy to work closely with the ECB to arrange the three matches and we see this as a partnership which can grow in the future.”
UAE vs West Indies ODI series
5 June – UAE vs West Indies, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
7 June – UAE vs West Indies, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
9 June – UAE vs West Indies, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
The one-day matches will be the final bilateral series West Indies will play before the Caribbean side and all the top thirteen teams participate in newly formed ICC ODI league that runs from May 2020 - March 31, 2022.
In this new limited-overs cycle, under the 2019 - 2023 Future Tours Programme (FTP) established by the ICC to bring greater context to international cricket fixtures, the seven highest-ranked teams apart from India, who gained automatically entry as tournament hosts, will qualify for the 2023 World Cup.Following the 3- 0 ODI series clean sweeps against Afghanistan and Ireland, the West Indies currently sit in 9th position with 80 points with Sri Lanka in 8th place on 81 points.
A series win for West Indies will move them into 8th position ahead of Sri Lanka in the official ICC ODI Team Rankings, ahead of the first ODI league matches at home in July against current number three ODI ranked team, New Zealand.
The T20Is provide West Indies the opportunity to win their first T20I rubber since the 2-1 series victory over Bangladesh in December 2018 as they continue to build momentum ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia in October 2020, a country where the team won their first T20 World Cup title in 2012.
Director of Cricket Jimmy Adams said the series was important as the team sought to continue steady preparations for the World Cup.
“The Sri Lanka series allows us to continue the process of building towards this year’s T20 World Cup in Australia as well as the longer term goal of automatic qualification for the next ICC Cricket World Cup in 2023. Playing in unfamiliar conditions should be a good test for both of our squads.”
The inconsistency of the batting unit has been a sore point for the Caribbean team for the past several years, particularly the top order, who are often accused of not spending enough time at the crease.
As expected, the performance of the top order has been crucial to the outcome of matches against England in recent outings. In the last two series, the top order has averaged somewhere around 158, in wins for the West Indies, and around 66 in losses.
“We’re missing some key players right now, so it’s very important for us as top-order batters to get those runs on the board, see off the new ball and make it easier for batters coming down the line,” Hope told members of the media.
“As soon as we get those starts, we have to capitalise and go big for the side,” he added.
“It’s the first series back for us, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to showcase our skills and win the series.”
Hope and Kraigg Brathwaite were two of the standout performers for the regional team on their last tour of England. In the only Test match that the team won, Hope, scored 147 and 118 while opening batsman Brathwaite made 134 and 95.
The West Indies were scheduled to start a three-Test duel with England at T/he Oval, Edgbaston, and Lord’s on June 4 until the rapid spread of COVID-19 across Europe threatened to derail those plans.
The ECB and Cricket West Indies have been trying to come up with solutions to keep what is expected to be a lucrative series alive.
According to reports, the ECB is stepping up plans to resume cricket in June, but with no spectators, but that broadcasting would still go ahead since that was safer and that is where the majority of money to be earned from the series would be in any case.
The approach, ECB Director of Special Projects, Steve Elworthy, explained that any approach involving re-starting cricket in England would mean creating a sterile environment, safe for players and staff.
The trio, Darren Bravo, Keemo Paul, and Shimron Hetmyer all respectfully declined to be part of a 25-man squad picked to tour England next month. With eyes firmly on the coronavirus epidemic, the three-Test series will be played in empty stadiums and players placed in a quarantined bio-secure environment as soon as they arrive in the UK. In addition, the players will be brought in on a private flight.
The precautions were, however, not enough to assuage the fears of the players. With 283,311 cases and 40,261 deaths, the UK recently took over from Italy as the European country most badly affected by the coronavirus. In declining Bravo, Paul and Hetmyer wrote to the CWI authorities and cited concerns for themselves and their families.
“Keemo Paul is the sole breadwinner in his entire household and wider family. He was really concerned if something happened to him how his family would cope,” CWI CEO Grave told ESPNCricinfo.
“He wrote passionately about how hard a decision it was for him and how much he loves playing for West Indies, but after with consultation with his family he doesn’t feel he can leave them and doesn’t want to go on the tour,” he added.
Grave went on to reveal that in a similar email from Hetmyer, he explained that he “didn’t feel comfortable from a safety point of view, leaving his home, leaving his family and heading over to England.”
The CEO had earlier insisted the decision will not be held against any of the players.
This was the second agonizing one-wicket defeat in the series, following a similar result on the second Youth ODI in Beckenham.
Left-arm quick Gordon, who claimed 3 for 37, stood out bowling with good pace and swing, highlighted by his dismissal of England opener William Luxton, clean bowled in the first over. He was well supported by his right-arm pace duo compatriots Layne, 3 for 40, and Isai Thorne, 2 for 40, as they kept West Indies in the contest by regularly taking wickets.
When Layne dismissed tail end batters Nathan Barnwell caught behind and Joshua Boyden comprehensively bowled in the space of two overs, West Indies were on the verge of pulling off a thrilling fightback win with England still needing 12 runs. However, George Bell, who had an unbeaten half-century of 60 from 115 balls, held his nerve alongside the number 11 batter Sonny Baker to take the home side over the line.
Earlier, Matthew Nandu (51) became the second West Indies batsman to score a half-century on tour alongside Teddy Bishop. His 57-run third-wicket partnership with Ackeem Auguste 32 had West Indies solidly placed at one stage on 101 for 2. But the innings never kicked on, with captain on the day Giovonte Depeiza (34) being the only other major contributor.
The two teams will return to the same venue on Friday for the series finale. First ball is 10:30 am (5:30 Eastern Caribbean/4:30 am Jamaica).
The U-19 Windies, who won the title in 2016, are off to a strong start at the current edition of the tournament after notching wins over Australia, England, and Nigeria. The team’s latest win, a dominant 246 runs win over their African opponents, ensured that the Windies were top of group B.
According to the CWI president, the team’s strong showing, which has taken many by surprise, is no accident.
“This administration promised that we would invest more seriously and in a more focussed and strategic way on our youth cricket and this Under-19 team is an example of what we set about to do immediately – to give them the best possible preparation going into this World Cup,” Skerritt said recently.
“They have achieved already way beyond the expectations of most people. They beat Australia, they beat England. We are going to hope and pray that they continue on the path of improvement and performing at their best and whatever the end result of this World Cup is for them they would have made the Caribbean people extremely proud.”
After being set a challenging target of 279 to win, the young Windies struggled to 170 all out in just 43 overs. The team got off to a solid enough start when openers Matthew Nandu and Shaqkere Parris put on 30 in the opening overs. Parris was, however, the first to go after being dismissed by fast bowler Garv Sangwan. The other batters, unfortunately, followed in quick succession, with Teddy Bishop being dismissed ten balls later, and Sangwan going lbw with the score on 35.
Nandu managed another 30 with Jordan Johnson (10) before falling to the spin of Manav Parakh in the 18th over, with the total at 65 for three.
Windies skipper Akeem Auguste went for a duck after also being bowled by Parakh, Rivaldo Clarke (11), and vice-captain Giovonte Depeiza (10) were also gone midway through the innings.
Nandu eventually departed in the 33rd over with a top-score of 52 off 101 balls, after being a victim of left-arm spinner Aneeshwar Gautam, caught by Kaushal Tambe. Off-spinner Tambe then wrapped up the innings with the wickets of Carlon Bowen-Tuckett (20), Anderson Mahase (1), and an attacking Johann Layne.
Earlier in the innings, the team set a furious pace after skipper Yash Dhull won the toss. Things did not start well, however, as the team found themselves at 18 for two in the seventh after excellent work from Layne got rid of openers Harnoor Singh and Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
Dhull, however, led a strong revival with 52 off 67 balls and put on 85 for the third wicket with Shaik Rasheed. Aradhya Yadav attacked the bowling and added 82 for the fifth wicket with top-scorer Nishant Sindhu, who lashed seven fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 78 off 76 balls, effectively putting the match out of reach.
Scores
India U-19s 278-6, 50 overs (Nishant Sindhu 78 n.o., Yash Dhull 52, Aradhya Yadav 42; Johann Layne 3/51)
WI U-19s 170 all out, 43 overs (Matthew Nandu 52; Kaushal Tambe 3/30, Manav Parakh 3/34, Garv Sangwan 2/18, Aneeshwar Gautam 2/37). --India U-19s won by 108 runs.
The 28-year-old gloveman often failed to get things right to start the decisive Test, with a day characterised by fumbles and being wrong-footed. The Windies managed some control, bar a late run from England, but Dowrich never really look at ease behind the wicket.
In defense of his teammate, however, Brathwaite was adamant that things were not as easy as they looked and was confident the player would be much improved for the second day.
“He had a tough day but he’s a strong guy so I know he’ll be looking to bounce back,” Brathwaite told members of the media, via a Zoom Press Conference, in assessing the players performance.
“I’m looking for him to improve, it has to be up from here. We just have to keep supporting him. Obviously, the ball was swinging quite late so it wasn’t easy but tomorrow he will be better,” he added.
Dowrich has also had a difficult time with the bat for the series, with the exception of a solid 61 in the first innings of the first Test. The player was dismissed, without scoring, in both innings of the second Test, which England won by 113 runs.
The Proteas have been tentatively scheduled to tour the Caribbean in June of this year, most likely in Trinidad and Tobago, but a dispute between Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the government could lead to its cancellation.
The issue stems from the government's request that Cricket South Africa (CSA) adopt a new constitution for cricket administration in the country. In a recent meeting, however, CSA voted against adopting the measure. The country’s sports minister is as a result said to be considering taking serious measures against the board.
One option could be to take away the body’s right to designate itself as the official national representative of the country. As such, CSA could not then select a national team for the tour of the Caribbean.
South Africa is one of several countries that are lined up to tour the Caribbean this year, as the region looks to recover from the financial setback of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sri Lanka toured the region last month and Australia and Pakistan are also expected to tour the Caribbean later this year. The South Africa series was previously reported to consist of two Tests and five T20s.
The 37-year-old Trinidadian who last played Test cricket for the West Indies against Australia in January 2016, made his debut against Sri Lanka in July 2005. In 74 Tests, he scored 2898 runs r.that included four centuries and 15 half-centuries, at an average of 25.87. He took 205 catches and 12 stumpings in his Test career.
He made his decision known on Instagram on Friday.
“It is with great pleasure that I announce my retirement from international cricket,” said Ramdin, who last donned West Indies colours in a T20 match against India in December 2019.
“The past 14 years have been a dream come true. I fulfilled my childhood dreams by playing cricket for Trinidad and Tobago and the West Indies.
“My career afforded me the opportunity to see the world, make friends from different cultures and still be able to appreciate where I came from.”
Notwithstanding his retirement from international cricket, Ramdin said he will still be playing franchise cricket.
Ramdin played 139 ODIs for the West Indies scoring 2200 runs with two centuries and eight half centuries, averaging 25.00. he also had completed 181 catches and seven stumpings.
He also played 71 T20I in which he scored 636 runs. In those matches he took 43 catches and pulled off 20 stumpings.
West Indies batsman Haley Matthews has targeted putting together a string of consistent performances, with the ICC Women’s World Cup qualifiers just on the horizon.
Matthews has had a strong showing in the recently concluded tour of Pakistan, scoring 132 runs in three games, with an average of 44. In addition to that, however, she also made a healthy contribution with the ball after snaring seven wickets.
The 24-year-old has, however, managed to put together standout performances before. Her career-best score of 117, in 2018, was for instance followed by scores of 17, 17, 6, 26, and 16 in subsequent One Day Internationals, before improving again to make 49 and 100 not out.
On the back of her recent performances in Pakistan, the player is hoping to maintain her current run of consistency heading into the World Cup qualifiers and beyond.
“I think for me it’s going to come down to consistency. I feel like for a lot of tours I have one big score or two big scores and then I’m probably dry for the rest of the season,” Matthews told SportsMax.Tv’s InCaseYouMissedIT.
“Here in Pakistan and moving into Zimbabwe my key focus is going to be putting down good performances more consistently. I don’t want these games to be just the entire series, I want it to be the start of something really big for me. Hopefully, I can take this form into the World Cup qualifiers as well.”
The player has been enjoying a new position in the team’s batting line-up, coming in at the 5th in the middle order as opposed to her traditional position of opener. She, however, remains unsure as to whether the change will be a permanent or temporary one but insists she remains ready to assist the team in any capacity.
“It’s a good role change I’m not exactly sure how long I’ll be playing this role for but at the same time I’m just trying to do as much as I can for the team as possible and if me batting at five is what the team needs from me right now…then it’s exactly what I’ll do.”
England triumphed in the match by a massive 142 runs after amassing 307 in addition to the loss, however, the ICC match referees imposed the sanction after the West Indies were found to be two overs short of the target after time after allowances were taken into consideration.
West Indies Women’s team captain Hayley Matthews pleaded no contest to the charges and as such there will be no need for a formal hearing.
Based on Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined 20 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.
Electing to bat first the Windies Women complied just 125 with the DLS further reducing the target to 110. Pakistan were 103 for 6 when the rain stopped the match.
The West Indies effort was built on the backbone of Chedean Nation and Kycia Knight, who put together a 32-run stand from 26 balls for the fifth wicket. The batsmen were 28 and 30 not out respectively, after forming the partnership at 69 for 4 in the 14th over.
In pursuit, Pakistan got off to a tough start after the top three were sent back to the pavilion with just 25 runs on the board. Pakistan had five run-outs, with Nida Dar top-scoring with 28. West Indies Women coach Courtney Walsh admits he is hoping for a clean sweep.
“I don’t expect any complacency to set in. Winning is a habit to have and I want us to go out and focus on us winning the series comprehensively,” Walsh said, following the match.
Ahead of its three-team series, the Windies Women will be bolstered by the return of former captain and star all-rounder Stafanie Taylor, bowler’s Shamilia Connell, Shakera Selman and Britney Cooper. Cooper was not injured, but the experienced middle order batsman will be playing in the team for the first time since 2021.
Taylor, in the meantime, has not featured for the team since the second ODI against New Zealand in September. It’s safe to say Matthews has noticed the absence of the team’s more experienced players.
The Windies have struggled to make an impact at the crease, recently, losing 3-0 last month in their ODI series against England, and 5-0 in the T20 format.
“It’s really good to have a lot of our players back. We had a couple of injuries over the past couple months which at the same time would have given some of the younger players really good opportunity,” Matthews told members of the media.
“But to have the senior core back, really gives us a strong team coming into a series like this. We’re thankful to have her (Taylor) back and know she’s been the gel of this team for quite some time now and has so much experience and knowledge on the game,” she added.
“Hopefully she gets an opportunity to go out there and get things rolling before the World Cup comes up.”
With the Women’s T20 World Cup set to begin next month, the team will play at least four matches in the upcoming series, playing two matches each against South Africa and India. The two top teams will then play each other in the Tri-Series final on February 2.
The Windies and Aussies have become fierce competitors over the last two editions of the tournament. The regional team made international headlines after stunning the heavily favoured Australians at the 2016 edition in India, to claim their first world title.
The Australians, however, returned the favour by beating the West Indies in the semifinals of the tournament, in the Caribbean in 2018, before going on to claim a fourth title. In five days’ time, the Australians will begin a campaign they hope will culminate in them claiming a fifth on their home soil. Mohammed believes it is the perfect opportunity for the Windies to play spoilers.
"We've come to win this World Cup and take it back from Australia," Mohammed, whose 118 wickets makes her the most successful T20I bowler of all time, told ICC Cricket.
"It would be nice to spoil the party. They spoiled ours, so it would be nice to return the favour,” she added.
"Australia have been doing really well. They recently played in the tri-series and came out on top, but we've been working hard ourselves.”
The Windies will begin the tournament against Thailand on Saturday, with defending champions Australia bowling things off on the previous day.
