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• Bangladesh completes dominant 101-run second Test victory over West Indies at Sabina Park; secures first Test win in Caribbean since 2009

  Bangladesh completed their first Test match win in the Caribbean in 15 years with a dominant 101-run victory over the West Indies at Sabina Park to draw their two-match series 1-1 on Tuesday.

  The tourists started Tuesday’s play in a strong position, 193-5 in 41.4 overs, leading by 211 in their second innings with Jaker Ali and Taijul Islam in the middle on 29 and 9, respectively.

  Islam added a further five runs before becoming the first batsman dismissed on the day, caught by Kavem Hodge off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph in the 50^th over if the innings.

  The wicket of Mominul Haque followed soon after for a duck, leaving Bangladesh 211-7 in the 51^st over and giving the hosts hope of wrapping up the innings in quick time to try and secure a series win with the bat.

  Ali had other ideas, however, scoring rapidly in the midst of the falling wickets at the other end due to some adventurous stroke making, entertaining the small Sabina Park crowd.

  Hasan Mahmud (3) and Taskin Ahmed (0) came and went during Ali’s onslaught that saw Bangladesh make it all the way to 268 all out off 59.5 overs.

  Ali, in just his third Test match, was the last man dismissed for a crucial 91 off just 106 balls including eight fours and five sixes.

  

  Kemar Roach finished with 3-36 off 10 overs while Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph also had good spells with 3-77 and 2-80 off 15.5 and 12 overs, respectively.

  Set 287 to win, West Indian openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis set out to first ensure that they got to the lunch break without the loss of a wicket.

  Unfortunately, even that task proved too much as, in the fifth over of the innings and final one before lunch, Louis (6) played a full delivery from left arm spinner Taijul Islam onto his foot which then lobbed in the air to be caught by Shahadat Hossain fielding at short leg, leaving the West Indies 23-1 off 4.2 overs at lunch.

  

  The post lunch session started with Brathwaite and new batsman Keacy Carty attempting to get stuck into some disciplined Bangladesh bowling.

  Almost ten overs into the session, however, Carty played at one to many, edging behind to Litton Das off the bowling of Taijul Islam for 14 leaving the hosts 57-2, needing a further 230 to win.

  35 runs later, Brathwaite got a beauty from Islam producing an edge that was parried off the gloves of Das into the arms of the diving Mahmudul Hasan Joy at first slip. Brathwaite made an uncharacteristic 63-ball 43 including two fours and a six.

  Three quickly became four as Islam struck once again, this time breaching the defense of Alick Athanaze for five to leave the hosts 106-4 in the 27^th over with hopes of a win looking dimmer by the second.

  Kavem Hodge and Justin Greaves tried to steady proceedings with a 37-run fifth wicket partnership, which lasted through the tea break.

  During that partnership, Hodge brought up his third Test fifty before being dismissed not long after, trapped in front for 55 by Islam with the score on 143 in the 39^th over.

  

  The wickets of Justin Greaves (20) in the 43^rd over and Joshua Da Silva (12) in the 46^th over basically ended all hope for what already looked like an improbable victory. Da Silva’s wicket brought up Islam’s 15^th five wicket haul in Tests.

  Fast bowlers Hasan Mahmud and first innings hero Nahid Rana combined with the wickets of Alzarri Joseph (5), Kemar Roach (8) and Shamar Joseph (8) to bowl out the West Indies for 185 in 50 overs and secure Bangladesh’s first win in the Caribbean since 2009.

  Islam’s final figures were 5-50 off 17 overs while Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed took 2-20 from six overs and 2-45 from 10 overs, respectively.

  Full Scores:

  Bangladesh 164 off 71.5 overs (Shadman Islam 64, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 36, Jayden Seales 4-5, Shamar Joseph 3-49, Kemar Roach 2-45) & 268 off 59.5 overs (Jaker Ali 91, Shadman Islam 46, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 42, Kemar Roach 2-36, Alzarri Joseph 3-77, Shamar Joseph 2-80)

  West Indies 146 off 65 overs (Keacy Carty 40, Kraigg Brathwaite 39, Nahid Rana 5-61, Hasan Mahmud 2-19) & 185 off 50 overs (Kavem Hodge 55, Kraigg Brathwaite 43, Taijul Islam 5-50, Hasan Mahmud 2-20, Taskin Ahmed 2-45).

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• ‘It would mean everything’: T&T’s Kaile Auvray and Cavalier FC hungry for Caribbean Cup glory

  Cavalier FC midfielder Kaile Auvray is fully aware of the significance of the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup Final for both himself and his Jamaican club.

  As Cavalier prepare for Tuesday’s decisive second leg against Cibao FC in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, Auvray is embracing the magnitude of the moment and the opportunity to etch his team’s name in the annals of Caribbean football history.

  “Being part of such an exciting match, such as the Caribbean Cup final, it's really an honor,” said the Trinidad and Tobago native, who has been a pivotal figure for Cavalier throughout the competition.

  “I think this title would mean everything, honestly. I know that last year we came close to winning it, so this year, [we] just want to go one step further and bring it home,” he added.

  The two clubs were evenly matched in the opening leg in Kingston, Jamaica, where Cavalier claimed a narrow 1-0 victory. Shaquille Stein’s decisive strike extended his tournament-leading tally to eight goals, setting the stage for a tantalizing conclusion at Cibao FC Stadium.

  Auvray has played an instrumental role in Cavalier’s road to the final, notably contributing in the semifinals with a multi-goal performance alongside Stein. His creativity and attacking instincts will be critical as Cavalier aim to protect their slender advantage and secure the club’s first Concacaf Caribbean Cup title.

  Despite the first-leg setback, Cibao FC remains confident in its ability to overturn the deficit in front of its passionate home crowd.

  The Dominican club had been unbeaten in the competition until the loss in Kingston and will look to its leading scorer, Rivaldo Correa, to inspire a comeback.

  Correa, who has netted five goals in the tournament, led Cibao’s charge in the first leg with seven shots on goal. His determination to deliver for the home fans was evident in his pre-match comments.

  “We are going to give our all. The team's spirit is that we are very focused, that we are going to turn it around, that we are going to do things in the best way. We are going to be very concentrated to turn this match around and take us to the championship.”

  With the aggregate winner set to be crowned 2024 champions, every moment of the second leg promises to be high-stakes.

  Should Cibao win 1-0, the match would proceed to extra time and potentially penalties to determine the victor. Away goals serve as the first tiebreaker, adding another layer of intrigue to the contest.

  For Auvray and Cavalier, this is a chance to solidify the club’s place among the Caribbean elite and bring a sense of pride to their supporters.

  “This is about going one step further. We’re ready to give it everything we’ve got,” Auvray emphasized.

• Hubert Busby aims to build on positives after Reggae Girlz two-match triumph over South Africa

  Jamaica’s Head coach, Hubert Busby, took heart from a successful two-match friendly series against South Africa, as he intends to use the victories as a foundation to sharpen his Reggae Girlz ahead of critical future competitions.

  The Reggae Girlz, who dominated the first match with a 3-0 win last Friday, followed up with a hard-fought 3-2 victory in the second match on Monday at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall.

  Goals from Vyan Sampson (58th), Drew Spence (63rd), and substitute Kayla McKenna (76th) overturned Linda Motlhalo’s 19th-minute opener and rendered Amogeland Motau’s added-time strike inconsequential.

  For Busby, the series wasn’t just about securing wins but about testing the squad in challenging scenarios.

  This, as he pointed out that the quick turnaround between matches posed a physical challenge for both teams, but in the same breath, stressed the importance of resilience and adaptability, particularly after a lackluster first half in the second game.

  

  “Yeah, I mean, look, the quick turnaround for both teams was always going to be a little bit tedious. You could see that a little bit in the first half—us trying to find our legs a bit. Credit to the medical and high-performance staff for getting the players ready,” Busby said post-match.

  “These games are why we play them. We're going to be put in stressful situations; I wouldn't like it to be as stressful in the 90th minute, but that's football, you know, and credit to the team for how they responded and were worthy winners in the end,” he added.

  Busby credited late adjustments for the team’s second-half resurgence after a lukewarm first half. They struggled to find rhythm and squandered a few half chances against a more confident-looking South African outfit that moved the ball well on this occasion.

  “We recognized how they were building their play, so we spoke about it at halftime and showed the players what we wanted to do in terms of pressing higher. They responded really well, and those adjustments and then the impetus of players to carry out those instructions is really why we were able to turn around the game in the second half,” he explained.

  Despite the team’s offensive prowess, Busby admitted disappointment at failing to maintain a clean sheet.

  “Keeping a clean sheet is about the whole team and shows a good defensive performance. Overall, I still think we played well, but football is about moments. We have to manage those moments better because quality opposition at this level will punish you if we don’t. So it’s another chance for us to learn, grow, and take it into the next window,” he said.

  

  The tactician also addressed the absence of veteran Tiffany Cameron, explaining that the decision allowed younger players to gain valuable experience as they aim to balance development and performance.

  “Everybody here is ready. This camp was about evaluating players and seeing how they handle stressful situations. Tiffany is a veteran, so we know what she brings. But it’s also about embedding younger players into the group because it is us building a programme so that we can go to this 2027 World Cup and consecutive World Cups thereafter,” he stated.

  With the February international window next in their line of sight, Busby is already planning for tougher tests to further prepare the team for the World Cup qualifiers.

  “Plans are already in place to get an opposition. We’ve had conversations with different federations, and we’ll confirm that in the next four to five weeks. Another quality opposition that is going to test us in a stressful environment will make us better for World Cup qualifiers,” he ended.

  Meanwhile, 19-year-old goalkeeper Liya Brooks, who earned her first two caps during the series, welcomed the opportunity.

  “For me, it was kind of like a weight lifted off my shoulders. I knew the team had my back, and that made it easier. I'll say that I feel like my communication with my team is quite solid, and I feel like that's probably the most important thing.

  “Moving forward, it’s about getting comfortable and learning my teammates individually. Also to make sure that I'm locked in and focused for every ball played back, and just making sure that I take time to breathe and live in the moment and also ensure that I'm confident in what I'm doing,” Brooks shared.