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• Powell hits 102 to lead CCC to two-wicket win over Barbados Pride

  Kieran Powell scored his sixth List A hundred to lead the Combined Campuses and Colleges to their first win of the 2024 CG United Super50 Cup, a two-wicket victory over the Barbados Pride at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Friday.

  Powell hit 102 off just 87 balls including 10 fours and three sixes to lead the CCC in a successful chase of 265, reaching 267-8 with five overs in hand.

  The Nevisian former West Indies batsman was supported well by Shaqkere Parris who hit 44 while Jonathan Drakes and captain Shamarh Brooks also had a lot to do with the successful chase with 35 and 33, respectively.

  Chemar Holder bowled with good pace on his way to 3-58 from his 10 overs while Jomel Warrican took 2-57 from his 10 overs.

  Earlier, the Pride posted 264-7 from their 50 overs after losing the toss.

  Kevin Wickham led the way with 65 while Zachary McCaskie and Leniko Boucher also got fifties with 53 and 52, respectively.

  Akeem Jordan took 3-49 from 10 overs while Romario Greaves sook 2-47 from his full quota of overs.

  Full Scores:

  Barbados Pride 264-7 off 50 overs (Kevin Wickham 65, Zachary McCaskie 53, Leniko Boucher 52, Kemar Smith 32*, Akeem Jordan 3-49, Romario Greaves 2-47)

  Combined Campuses and Colleges 267-8 off 45 overs (Kieran Powell 102, Shaqkere Parris 44, Jonathan Drakes 35, Shamarh Brooks 33, Chemar Holder 3-58, Jomel Warrican 2-57).

• “We have capable replacements”- Powell encourages bowlers to step up and be counted in Alzarri Joseph’s absence for first two England T20Is

  West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell called the unavailability of pacer Alzarri Joseph a big loss on the eve of the first of five T20 Internationals against England at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

  Joseph was suspended by Cricket West Indies for two games after abruptly leaving the field during the series-deciding third ODI between the West Indies and England at the same venue on Wednesday which the hosts won by eight wickets to claim a 2-1 series win.

  “It’s a definite loss for us,” Powell said in a pre-match press conference on Friday.

  “He’s the spearhead of our attack and one of our more experienced bowlers but, having said that, we have capable replacements. When you look on the bench strength, I think guys that are waiting in the wings are good also. It’s an opportunity for somebody to step up and be counted,” he added.

  The West Indian T20 side are coming off a disappointing series loss to Sri Lanka and will be looking to bounce back against opponents they have become very familiar with over the years, especially on their home turf.

  “Every time England comes to the Caribbean it’s a big rivalry. England is one of the best teams in the world so it definitely brings out the best in us from a T20 perspective,” Powell said.

  “I think we’ve been playing some good T20 cricket so this series provides an opportunity for us to continue to do that,” he added.

  Another added thought in the mind of players in the format this time of year is the looming IPL player auction.

  With the amount of cricket played throughout the year, however, Powell doesn’t see how anyone’s performance in these five games will determine whether or not they are picked up during the auction on November 24 and 25.

  Instead, Powell wants his team to focus on the task at hand.

  “A lot of scouting has already been done. I don’t think five games would actually change the decisions of where IPL teams will go. It’s just for us from an individual standpoint to focus on what we can contribute to our team and leave the rest to whatever,” he said.

  With the ODI team just winning their series, Powell was asked about whether or not there is pressure for the T20 side to do the same.

  “There is always pressure, especially playing at home against such a good opponent,” he said.

  “Fortunately for us as a T20 team, we’ve been managing that pressure pretty well, so far,” he added.

  The first T20I bowls off tomorrow at 3:00pm JA time/4:00pm ECT.

• Samson century sets India on way to comfortable T20I win over South Africa

  Sanju Samson's century and a strong bowling display set India on their way to a 61-run victory over South Africa at Kingsmead on Friday.

  The teams met for the first time since the T20 World Cup final, with India once again coming out on top to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match T20I series.

  Samson started strongly, plundering 107 in a knock which included 10 sixes, and held firm to get his second consecutive T20I century, even as Abhishek Sharma (7) and Suryakumar Yadav (21) were both taken early.

  Tilak Yarma added 33, but Gerald Coetzee (3-37) helped to ensure India's momentum faltered, though the tourists still set a tough target, finishing on 202-8.

  Any hopes of a quick start for South Africa crumbled though as Aiden Markram (8) fell inside the first over.

  Varun Chakaravarthy (3-25) and Ravi Bishnoi (3-28) impressively stopped any rhythm from building, with the latter stopping South Africa's top-scorer Heinrich Klaasen on 25 as the hosts stumbled to all out for 141 in the 18th over.

  Data Debrief: No home comforts

  South Africa will have been looking to avenge their World Cup final loss, but their struggles on home soil continued in Durban.

  They have lost their last five men's T20Is at Kingsmead, including their last four. Meanwhile, India are undefeated in their five matches at Kingsmead (W4 T1).

  In fact, South Africa have lost 17 of their last 20 men's T20Is in South Africa, with India responsible for their last two such losses. They had only lost once in nine matches prior to this span (W7 T1).

  The damage was done early on by Samson, whose hundred is the fastest by an Indian in T20Is against South Africa.