England ended day two of the second Test versus Sri Lanka with a commanding 256-run lead, having skittled the tourists for 196 off the back of Gus Atkinson's century.
Joe Root's record-equalling 33rd red-ball century had ensured England ended a difficult opening day with a chance to build a commanding lead, and they did just that early on as Atkinson took centre-stage.
Resuming at 74 not out, Atkinson brought up his maiden Test century with a fine drive past mid-on shortly before lunch, eventually ending his knock with 14 fours and four sixes.
He would later fall for 118 to the outstanding Asitha Fernando, who then completed a five-for by removing Olly Stone to wrap up the England innings at 427 all out.
Any hopes Sri Lanka had of making an early dent in that target were frustrated, however, as England shared the wickets around in a brilliant team bowling performance.
Chris Woakes and Stone, who removed Dimuth Karunaratne and Pathum Nissanka within the space of five balls – left the tourists teetering at 35-3 by the end of the 10th over, and there was little help to come from the middle order.
Matthew Potts took the ball and sent stumps flying to account for Angelo Matthews and Dhananjaya de Silva in the 21st over, with Woakes, Stone and Atkinson later also doubling up as the tourists collapsed.
Kamindu Mendis' steady knock of 74 off 120 balls brought some respite for Sri Lanka, but he edged Atkinson's delivery into the palms of Woakes for the final wicket, failing to match his ton from the first Test at Old Trafford on a miserable day for the visitors.
England then avoided any drama when taking up the bat for seven overs before stumps, and Ben Duckett (15) and Pope (2) will resume at the crease on Saturday, hoping to make their handsome lead an unassailable one.
Data Debrief: Atkinson's big moment
While Root's heroics put England in a decent position ahead of Friday's play, Atkinson's brilliant 118 – coming off 115 balls – could prove the difference in this Test, allowing England to build a strong lead despite a lack of support from the lower order.
Atkinson's previous best red-ball knock was a score of 21 not out versus West Indies at Trent Bridge in July.
Patriots edge Falcons as Republic Bank CPL opens with a thriller in Antigua
A thrilling final ball victory for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots over Antigua & Barbuda Falcons kicked off the twelfth iteration of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua on Thursday night.
Patriots captain Andre Fletcher called the coin correctly and elected to field first and South African pace merchant Anrich Nortje, who would play a crucial cameo with the bat later in the game, skittled Falcons opener Teddy Bishop for just 1. Fakhar Zaman then opened his muscular shoulders, hitting five fours and two sixes in making 43 off 32 balls with Kofi James ably supporting with a 22 off 24.
England’s Sam Billings was spectacularly caught on the boundary rope at deep midwicket, Odean Smith showcasing pristine footwork and clear thinking in juggling the catch to himself on the boundary edge.
The star of the Falcons innings though was 17-year-old Jewel Andrew, who showed maturity beyond his years and an eye-catching talent by striking 50 off just 30 balls to post a challenging target of 163-4 for the Patriots to chase.
An ebb and flow of runs and wickets followed as a dramatic match headed down to the final over and then the final delivery. Nortje held his nerve to get the single needed off Roshon Primus to give the Patriots a last gasp win, they equal their win tally of last year’s tournament after just one game.
Kyle Mayers was awarded Player of the Match for a crucial 39 off 24 balls from number three but when he was dismissed by Mohammad Amir in the 16th over it left the Patriots on 133-6 and with plenty still to do. Despite wickets falling steadily, including two in the final over, the Patriots lower order managed to get over the line and chalk up a win to kick off their campaign.
“I’m happy we won this game” Patriots captain Andre Fletcher reflected in the moments after victory. “I want us to be positive but at the same time, we have to be smart about it. Enjoy the cricket as much as possible, enjoy each other's success and stick together as a team. Once we do that, we have the personnel to do well.”
The 2024 CPL is up and running and the opening match well and truly whetted the appetite for the next five weeks of action.
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.
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