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• Kingston Wharves hosts groundbreaking Special Skills Workshop for U15 cricket captains

  In a pioneering effort to prepare the next generation of cricket leaders, title sponsor Kingston Wharves hosted a comprehensive workshop for the captains of the teams that competing in the 2024 Kingston Wharves Under-15 Cricket Competition. The all-day workshop, held on Thursday at Kingston Wharves’ New Port West offices, brought together young captains from across the island, just ahead of the competition’s final between Kensington and Westmoreland at the Ultimate Cricket Ground in St. Ann on Friday.

  The workshop was designed to go beyond the boundaries of the cricket field, focusing on essential life skills such as conflict resolution, effective communication, and media interview techniques. These skills are crucial for the development of young cricketers as they progress in their careers and face the demands of modern sports, both on and off the field. The day concluded with a guided tour of the Kingston Wharves port, which was met with enthusiasm by the young participants.

  Mark Williams, CEO of Kingston Wharves, emphasized the broader vision behind the initiative. "It's more than just playing the game. Cricket is now a business, and we need to ensure that these young athletes are fully prepared for the world. This means speaking well, having confidence in who they are, and, most importantly, understanding conflict resolution. We may not always agree with an umpire's decision, but we must respect it. Today's workshop is about building leaders and instilling good values in these young cricketers."

  

  The first session, led by Dr. Jayson Downer, a forensic psychologist and founder of Men of God Against Violence and Abuse, centered on conflict resolution. Dr. Downer highlighted the importance of understanding and managing conflict, not just in cricket but in everyday life. "Conflict is a part of daily life, and it's crucial for these young men to learn how to handle it effectively. Whether on the field or in their daily routines, the skills they’ve learned today will be essential as they navigate challenges, including those they may encounter in school."

  Ryan Littleton, captain of the Westmoreland cricket team, found the session particularly valuable. "If there's any argument or issue, we can address it within the team. If I can't resolve it, I know I can talk to the coach or manager," he said.

  Abraham Waugh, captain of Kensington, who will lead his team against Westmoreland in Friday’s final, echoed Littleton's sentiments. "The workshop really taught me to understand my teammates' perspectives and consider their thoughts, which will be crucial for Friday's match."

  The communication and media training session, conducted by well-known media personality Paula Ann Porter-Jones, was lively and interactive, providing the captains with practical skills to manage their interactions with the media confidently.

  Oneil Cruickshank, the cricket operations and development manager at the Jamaica Cricket Association, spoke about the workshop's objectives and its future role in the competition. "Ideally, we would have loved to conduct this training for all team levels, but this is a start. We've identified the captains to participate in this workshop as part of our effort to build leadership in these young athletes. The skills they learn here—conflict management, communication, media presentations—are vital and have nothing to do with play. This workshop is timely, and I can confidently say it will become a feature of our pathways program going forward."

  The success of this inaugural workshop marks a significant step in the holistic development of Jamaica’s young cricketers, equipping them with the tools necessary for success on and off the field.

• Ja's Penn, Cuban duo fall short in triple jump final on medalless day for Caribbean; Hill, Douglas, Hodge among six through to respective finals

  Jamaica’s Chavez Penn and Cuban duo Gian Baxter and Anthony Martinez failed to make the podium in the men’s triple jump final at the World Under-20 Championships on what was another topsy-turvy day for Caribbean athletes in Lima, Peru.

  With only the three women’s 100m medals credited to the Caribbean so far at the five-day championships, there were slight hopes that the tally might have been increased on Thursday’s third day of action, but it was not to be.

  Martinez (15.00m) and Penn (14.71m) struggled for rhythm in the hop, skip, and jump event and, as such, placed 10th and 11th, respectively, while Baxter, who got into the final eight, placed sixth with a best leap of 16.58m.

  Prior to that, only Jamaica’s Kerrica Hill and Cuba’s Jocelyn Echazabal progressed in the women’s 100m hurdles final, and it will also be a Jamaica-Cuba combination for the men’s 110m hurdles final, as only Richard Hall and Yander Herrera safely navigated the semi-final round.

  Echazabal (13.31s) booked her spot in the final with a second-place finish in semi-final one, while Jamaica’s Habiba Harris (13.64s) placed

  Hill continued her charge towards the gold medal, as she won semi-final two in a flat 13.00s, while Maya Rollins (13.96s) of Barbados finished down the track.

  On the men’s side, Jamaica’s Daniel Beckford (13.80s) missed out, as he placed sixth in his semi-final.

  Cuba’s Herrera placed fourth in his semi-final, but his 13.62s was good enough for one of the two non-automatic qualifying spots, while Jamaican Hall (13.44s) placed second in semi-final three, behind American Ja’Kobe Tharp, who clocked a World Under-20 leading mark of 13.11s.

  The sprint hurdles finals are scheduled for 5:05pm and 5:25pm Jamaica time on Friday.

  Meanwhile, Adaejah Hodge of British Virgin Islands and Jamaica’s Shanoya Douglas will be present in the women’s 200m final, while Carlos Brown of the Bahamas will be the sole Caribbean representative in the men’s event.

  Hodge, the 100m silver medallist, topped semi-final two in an easy 23.18s, while Jamaica’s Sabrina Dockery (23.75s) placed fourth and missed out.

  Douglas (23.34s) placed second in the third semi-final to secure her spot in the medal event.

  Guyana’s Jackson Clarke (21.88s), Jamaica’s Romario Hines (21.68s) and Barbadian Aragorn Straker (21.30s), finished seventh, fourth and fifth in their respective semi-finals and missed out, as Brown Jr (21.19s) placed third and booked one of the fastest non-automatic qualifying spots.

  The 200m finals are scheduled for 6:35pm Jamaica time also on Friday.

• Royals successfully defend WCPL title with four-wicket win over Knight Riders in Tarouba

  The Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) trophy will once again reside in Barbados as the Royals won their second consecutive title with a four-wicket win over the Trinbago Knight Riders in the final at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on Thursday.

  After winning the toss and choosing to bowl first, the Royals bowlers made use of some good conditions with the early wickets of TKR captain Deandra Dottin for six and ace Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues for two.

  With the loss of their two premier batters, the Knight Riders never recovered, eventually crawling to 93-8 from their 20 overs.

  Shikha Pandey (28) and Jannilea Glasgow (24) were the main contributors with the bat as Aaliyah Alleyne bowled beautifully on her way to 4-21 from her four overs.

  Captain Hayley Matthews took 2-13 from her four overs in support.

  The Royals then made tough work of what should’ve been an easy chase, eventually reaching 94-6 with five overs to spare.

  Chamari Athapaththu led the way with a patient 39* off 47 balls including seven fours.

  The Royals were, at one point, cruising at 66-1 in the 11^th over before losing five wickets for just 19 runs before Athapaththu and Afy Fletcher brought them over the line.

  16-year-old Samara Ramnath bowled well for the Knight Riders with 2-18 from her four overs.