BRATHWAITE...We need to end this year strong, especially with a lot of Test cricket coming next year.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite is relishing the opportunity to lead the Caribbean side into his 86th-consecutive Test match as they aim to complete a clean sweep of the two-match series against Bangladesh in Jamaica.
With the hosts 1-0 up following a 201-run win in Antigua, the stakes are high heading into the second Test at Sabina Park, and Brathwaite emphasized the importance of ending the year on a positive note, both for the team and himself as a batsman.
“Obviously, a completely different ground, and the surface has a bit of grass, which is good to see. Obviously, a lot of moisture around, a lot of rain. So we got to start fresh this game,” he said in an interview ahead of Saturday’s first day.
The Sabina Park pitch, known for its pace and bounce, offers a fresh challenge for Brathwaite’s bowlers, who excelled in Antigua, as the five-prong pace attack ran amok through Bangladesh’s batting line-up. He believes it is another opportunity for his pacers to shine, but stressed the need for discipline across all departments.
Spinner Jomel Warrican has been added to the squad, giving the team a 12-man roster to choose from for the final eleven.
“I have full confidence in all the fast bowlers we have. All these guys have different attributes, and I’m really excited about what the future holds for this bowling group,” Brathwaite said.
“As I said, the covering of the grass on the surface is good. But at the end of the day, it is not just the surface. You got to go out there and bowl well, take the catches, and bat well to put runs on the board,” he noted.
Brathwaite, who has fond memories of leading the West Indies to victory against Pakistan at Sabina Park in 2021, described the venue as a special place for him and the team.
“Jamaica is a place that I love, and personally, as a West Indies group, we love to play here. I remember, obviously, a great partnership to win us the game against Pakistan, but the bowlers really enjoy bowling here as well,” Brathwaite shared.
The West Indies have not won a Test series all year, and Brathwaite is determined to end 2024 on a high note. The West Indies currently sit in eighth position on the ICC Test Championship standings, just above Bangladesh and behind seventh-placed Pakistan, whom they will cross swords with next.
“It’s very important. You can’t ever take any Test match or Test series for granted. We need to end this year strong, especially with a lot of Test cricket coming next year. The first Test is history; we’ve got to come and start right back over as a bowling unit and a batting unit,” the captain stressed.
That said, the Barbadian also views this series as an opportunity to recapture his best form with the bat, especially as he celebrates the significant milestone of 86 consecutive Test matches for the West Indies, the most by any player in the team’s history.
“It’s very important for me. My role is to set that foundation and make it easier for the guys to come in. That’s always the aim,” he said.
“I’m very honoured and privileged to be here. Very thankful. It’s an opportunity I’ve had for over 10 years, and I’m very thankful for it. To be the most is good. I just want to be an example for guys to follow, and I’m really excited about it,” Brathwaite ended.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Rangpur Riders dominate Victoria to win inaugural Global Super League title
Rangpur Riders dominated Cricket Victoria to win by 56 runs and become the inaugural ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) champions on Friday at Providence Stadium in Guyana.
The Bangladeshi outfit put in a near flawless performance in the final and carried on where they left off after Thursday’s victory over the Lahore Qalandars that saw them finish second in the standings on net run rate.
Victoria had looked the team to beat all tournament and Riders duly did put in an impressive all-round performance.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Riders captain Nurul Hassan couldn’t have dreamed of a better start to the evening as his Steven Taylor and Soumya Sarkar hit the ground running, showcasing some quality batting to put together a towering 124-run partnership for the first wicket.
Both Taylor and Sarkar hit half centuries, with the former eventually falling for 68.
Sarkar carried on despite losing his partner, smiting seven fours and five sixes to make 86* runs off 54 deliveries, a player of the match performance in the final that saw him help Riders post an imposing 178-3 off their 20 overs.
Victoria had looked confident all tournament but wilted in the final in the face of such a lofty target.
Joe Clarke offered the most resistance for the Australian outfit with 40 off 22 deliveries but a procession of wickets saw Victoria bowled out in the 18th over for 122 as Riders capped off a superlative evening with both bat and ball.
The wickets were shared around by Riders’ bowlers but Harmeet Singh’s slow left arm tweak was the standout, he collected 3-19 off his four overs to challenge Sarkar for player of the match and secure Rangpur Riders grasp on the GSL trophy.
South Africa pull away from Sri Lanka on day three
South Africa ended day three of the second Test against Sri Lanka with a 221-run lead, with Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs combining to put the hosts in the ascendency.
Sri Lanka resumed at 242-3 but lost their final six wickets for just 67 runs as the Proteas took a slim 30-run lead from the first innings.
Marco Jansen dismissed Angelo Matthews (44) and Kamindu Mendis (48) in quick succession to get the ball rolling for the Proteas, with Dane Paterson then proceeding to tear through the Sri Lanka tail.
He added four more wickets to Friday's dismissal of Dinesh Chandimal to bring up his first five-for in Test cricket, with three of them coming in a terrific 89th over.
Tony de Zorzi put on a 55-run first-wicket stand when the Proteas took up the bat, before spinner Prabath Jayasuriya beat him all ends up with a full delivery.
Aiden Markram also made 55 before falling victim to a sensational one-handed catch from the diving Kusal Mendis, with Ryan Rickelton (24) following as South Africa slipped to 109-3.
However, Bavuma and Stubbs restored calm, sharing 84 runs in an orderly stand that took South Africa to stumps without further loss. They will resume at 191-3 on Sunday, knowing no team has ever completed a chase of more than 271 runs at St George's Oval.
Data Debrief: Bavuma and Stubbs show the way
South Africa were teetering somewhat at 109-3, but some watchful batting from Bavuma and Stubbs ensured they would enter day four in a commanding position.
Bavuma (48*) is now closing in on his fourth straight half-century of the series, while Stubbs (36*) hit the best score of his Test career (122) in South Africa's second innings of the first Test. Anything close to that knock would surely put the contest beyond Sri Lanka.
West Indies 2025 home Test series against Australia expanded from two to three games
Australia will play three Tests during their 2025 tour of the West Indies after Cricket Australia (CA) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) agreed to expand the original schedule of two Test matches which is set to take place in June-July.
The series will be part of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, which asks for a minimum of two Tests between participating teams.
Australia’s previous Test series in the Caribbean took place in 2015, where the Michael Clarke-led side dominated with victories in Dominica and Jamaica. Since then, Australia has toured every Test playing nation except the West Indies.
This upcoming tour will be the first time the teams have played a three-match series in the West Indies since 2012, when Australia secured a 2-0 victory.
The most recent clash between the sides, held in Australia earlier this year, ended in a 1-1 draw. The highlight of the series was West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph’s heroics at the Gabba, where he guided a rare Test win over Australia, breaking a 21-year drought.
After taking a five-wicket haul on debut at the Adelaide Oval, Joseph backed it up with a famous second innings haul of 7-68 in Brisbane to spearhead the tourists to an eight-run win.
While the exact venues are yet to be confirmed, according to ESPNCricinfo reports, Barbados, Grenada, and Jamaica are potential hosts.
The tour will also feature three ODIs and three T20Is. Meanwhile, Australia is eyeing a place in this year’s WTC final at Lord’s and will aim to carry momentum into the next cycle.
For the West Indies, the series is a significant opportunity to play against one of the world’s strongest Test teams on their home turf.
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