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• Webster hits 95* as defending champions Red Force move to two wins from two with seven-wicket victory over Volcanoes at Brian Lara Cricket Academy

  Hosts and defending champions Trinidad & Tobago Red Force comfortably defeated the Windward Islands Volcanoes by seven wickets at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Friday to move to two wins out of two this season.

  The Red Force first restricted the Volcanoes to 182 all out off 45 overs after winning the toss and bowling first.

  Joshua James, Yannic Cariah and Anderson Phillip all took two-wicket hauls for the Red Force while Jeremy Solozano and Sunil Ambris each made 47 for the Volcanoes.

  The Red Force then needed only 38 overs to reach 186-3 and secure their second win in as many games this season.

  Tion Webster led the way with the bat with 95* off 115 balls including 14 fours and one six while Amir Jangoo hit 31.

  Captain Joshua Da Silva finished 21* alongside Webster.

  Full Scores:

  Windward Islands Volcanoes 182 off 45 overs (Sunil Ambris 47, Jeremy Solozano 47, Joshua James 2-15, Anderson Phillip 2-21, Yannic Cariah 2-35)

  Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 186-3 off 38 overs (Tion Webster 95*, Amir Jangoo 31)

  The Red Force will next play the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the same venue on Sunday while the Volcanoes will next play the Jamaica Scorpions at the Queen’s Park Oval on Tuesday.

   

• In-form Evin Lewis eyes consistency as Windies seek series clinch against England

  After a commanding match-winning 94 in the first ODI against England, West Indies opener Evin Lewis is riding high on momentum and aiming to carry his form into Saturday’s second game in North Sound, Antigua.

  Lewis’ knock, punctuated by blistering drives and calculated power hitting, laid the foundation for the Caribbean side’s eight-wicket victory, which handed them a valuable 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

  Reflecting on his performance, Lewis credited his partnership with fellow opener Brandon King (30) as crucial to setting the tone for the chase after the West Indies bowlers did their part in dismissing England for 209.

  The pair’s composed 118-run opening stand gave the West Indies early control over the game, leaving captain Shai Hope and Keacy Carty, who were unbeaten on six and 19, respectively, with a relatively straightforward path to victory, as they easily got to their revised target of 157 with 55 balls to spare.

  “With the new ball, [Brandon] King and I always say once we see what the new ball does, it becomes so much easier scoring deep into the innings. So I just tried to be positive after the powerplay and bat as deep as possible,” Lewis said in an interview with CWI media.

  “It is very nice to bat with Brandon King; he is also a positive player like me, and we feed off each other. We have some good partnerships going so far and are looking forward to continuing that going forward,” he added.

  Lewis, known for his aggressive style, struck 94 off just 69 balls, including eight sixes and five fours, giving the Antiguan crowd much to celebrate as the rain failed to dampen their spirits.

  Now looking to the second ODI, Lewis emphasized the importance of carrying their positive energy forward as they aim to seal the series by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead.

  “I think we just have to keep playing the cricket we are playing and be positive in what we are doing. It is important to try and win the second game so that we can close out the series. We have the support from the coaching staff, so we just have to go out there and execute,” the aggressive left-handed batsman noted.

  With his confidence high and his approach focused, the Trinidad and Tobago stalwart remains one to watch as West Indies continue to progress as a team.

  Knowing his role is pivotal in guiding the West Indies to victory once again, much like he did with a well-played century in the last game of their Sri Lankan tour, Lewis’ sights are set on keeping his form intact.

  “I was pretty confident coming into this series after that century against Sri Lanka, and I am even more confident after getting off the mark in the series, and it is important that I keep scoring runs,” he ended.

• Late collapse puts India on the back foot against New Zealand

  Ravindra Jadeja took a five-for but New Zealand hit back with some late wickets of their own against India on Friday.

  India looked in complete control at 78-1 in the penultimate over of the first day of the third Test in Mumbai, having bowled New Zealand out for 235.

  Jadeja, who bowled 22 unchanged overs, was in sensational form with the ball, taking 5-65.

  Able support arrived from the excellent Washington Sundar, who finished with figures of 4-81. His haul included the wicket of Daryl Mitchell (82), who was the only New Zealand batter to really make a dent.

  Rohit Sharma's dismissal for 18 in the seventh over did not derail a positive start to India's chase, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (30) and Shubman Gill (31 not out) looking steady at the crease.

  However, Jaiswal was bowled by Ajaz Patel (2-33) in the 18th over, with Mohammed Siraj pinned lbw from the very next ball.

  Patel was unable to complete his hat-trick, but Virat Kohli was run out for four in the next over as New Zealand rallied, and the tourists now have plenty of momentum heading into day two.

  Data Debrief: Three of a kind

  India have won their last three Tests at Wankhede Stadium, including a 372-run win over New Zealand in their last match at the venue (3 December 2021), after not registering a win in three matches prior to that span (D1 L2).

  And they looked well placed to push on and continue that run as they looked to avoid slipping to a third defeat of the series.

  They last lost three successive Tests on home soil back in the 1970s, when they faced England, but their late capitulation has left them vulnerable to matching that.