Barbados Pride Captain Shane Dowrich.
Defending champions Barbados Pride secured a six-wicket win against the Jamaica Scorpions with a day to spare at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua on Friday
The Scorpions started the day 6-0 after four overs, trailing the Pride by 69 runs.
The day started terribly for the Jamaicans as the second ball of the day saw Akeem Jordan bowl Leroy Lugg for two.
Debutant Tevin Gilzene was next to go for nine, caught by Shayne Moseley off the bowling of Jordan in the seventh over.
Captain Paul Palmer Jr then joined Kirk McKenzie at the crease but didn’t last long, becoming Jordan’s third victim of the day for one to leave the Scorpions in a spot of bother at 21-3 after 11 overs.
Two and a half overs later, Jamaica lost their fourth wicket when Aldane Thomas was dismissed by Shamar Springer for three.
Not long after, Abhijai Mansingh became wicket number four for Jordan on the day after nicking off for a duck to leave the Scorpions 25-5 in the 15th over.
Jamie Merchant was next in and added 12 for the seventh wicket with McKenzie before he fell for 10 in the 19th over with the score on just 36.
It was then Marquino Mindley’s turn to face the music alongside McKenzie. The pacer reached one off seven balls before he became Springer’s second wicket to leave Jamaica reeling at 56-7 off in the 22nd over, with debutant Ojay Shields joining McKenzie in the middle.
In the midst of the carnage at the other end, McKenzie brought up his maiden First-class fifty off 67 balls in the 28th over.
McKenzie (54) and Ojay Shields (17) were the not out batsmen as the Scorpions entered the lunch break 101-7 from 29 overs, holding a slim 26-run lead over the Bajans.
After bringing up their 50 partnership shortly after lunch, McKenzie finally fell for a top score of 56 off 78 balls to leave the Scorpions 106-8.
Gordon Bryan joined Shields at the wicket and the pair put on 17 before Shields was next to go for 22 in the 37th over with the score on 123.
Bryan, playing only his second First-class game, then provided some handy runs at the end, putting on 28 for the final wicket with Patrick Harty before being the last man dismissed for 42 off 64 balls.
In the end, the Scorpions limped to 151 all out in 45.5 overs, leaving the Pride needing just 77 to win.
Pace did the job for Barbados as Akeem Jordan continued his excellent form with the ball with 4-65 off 17 overs while Jair McAllister finished with 3-35 from 11 overs and Shamar Springer picked up two wickets.
The defending champions then needed just 29.2 overs to get to their target, reaching 78-4 to complete a six-wicket win.
Zachary McCaskie scored 26 against Patrick Harty’s 3-26 from 9.2 overs.
Scores: Jamaica Scorpions 140 off 54.5 overs (Jamie Merchant 35, Tevin Gilzene 32, Abhijai Mansingh 27, Shamar Springer 3-11, Camarie Boyce 3-26, Akeem Jordan 3-48) and 151 off 45.5 overs. (Kirk McKenzie 56, Gordon Bryan 42, Akeem Jordan 4-65, Jair McAllister 3-35, Shamar Springer 2-38)
Barbados Pride 215 off 69.5 overs (Shayne Moseley 82, Shane Dowrich 64*, Patrick Harty 4-23, Marquino Mindley 2-25, Abhijai Mansingh 2-30) and 78-4 off 29.2 overs (Zachary McCaskie 26, Jonathan Drakes 19, Shemar Springer 11*, Shane Dowrich 5*, Patrick Harty 3-26)
CWI inducts first West Indies Men’s Academy cohort to be based In Antigua & Barbuda full-time
Cricket West Indies (CWI) hosted an official Induction Ceremony for the third cohort of the Men’s Academy on Monday.
The ceremony, held on 11 October 2024 at CWI Headquarters at Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua & Barbuda, marked a significant milestone as this cohort is the first to be based in Antigua & Barbuda full-time for their year of training and development.
The 18 young men in attendance were addressed by West Indies cricket legend Courtney Walsh, an esteemed group of technical staff, cricket professionals, including CWI Director Enoch Lewis and CWI Chief Operating Officer Lynford Inverary.
In his opening remarks, Inverary emphasized the importance of the academy in developing the next generation of West Indies cricketers, saying,
“CWI has invested in you because we believe you are worth the investment. You are the future of West Indies cricket. This is not a one-off investment; it’s part of our long-term commitment to creating a high-performance system that ensures West Indies cricket thrives on the global stage.”
He encouraged the players to rise to the challenge and remember that they are not just representing themselves but their families, countries, and the entire region.
Cricket legend Walsh was greeted with a standing ovation by the enthusiastic players, who were bowled over by his record-breaking accomplishments on the pitch.
Walsh, who still holds the West Indies record for highest Test wicket-taker (519), shared his unique perspective as a former player and left the young men with thirteen key points to consider.
Of those points, he emphasised fitness, which allowed him to once bowl an extraordinary 45 consecutive overs in one innings; the importance of constantly learning about the game, which he does to this day; striving for excellence in Test cricket as a foundation for mastering all formats of the game; and finally, to always enjoy themselves and this unique journey.
Enoch Lewis, CWI Board Member and Chairman of the Cricket Performance and Development Committee, also delivered a powerful address, highlighting the pride and responsibility of wearing the West Indies crest. He reminded the young players that they are part of a legacy that extends beyond the field.
Ramesh Subasinghe, Head Coach of the West Indies Men’s Academy, and CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe, outlined the year’s curriculum which, in addition to on-the-field training, focuses on skill development, personal growth, and leadership training.
Men’s Academy
The Men’s Academy continues to play a vital role in developing young cricketers, with three graduates from the previous cohort already securing franchise contracts. The programme offers a comprehensive curriculum that includes on-field skill enhancement and off-field elements like leadership training and media engagement.
In addition to the Men’s Academy, CWI also operates a Women’s Academy, with training camps being held in Antigua & Barbuda and across other territories. This parallel programme is part of CWI’s broader commitment to youth development and aims to prepare the next generation of women cricketers for success on the international stage. Both programmes reflect CWI's dedication to building a legacy of excellence in West Indies cricket, for both men and women.
2024/25 Men’s Academy Players:
Pope's exposure to captaincy will help England, says returning Stokes
Ben Stokes believes Ollie Pope's brief foray into Test captaincy will be beneficial for England in the future ahead of his return to the fold against Pakistan.
Pope captained England in the absence of Stokes, leading his side to three victories from four matches, which included their 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka last month.
The 21-year-old also helped England seal a record-breaking innings and 47-run triumph over Pakistan in the first of their three-match series in Multan.
Stokes injured his hamstring while playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred in August, but replaces Chris Woakes for the second Test after fully recovering.
Matthew Potts comes in for Gus Atkinson, though Stokes is confident that Pope's time being a top-order batter alongside the captaincy will stand him in good stead in the future.
"Authority, just that word in itself, can come across a bit like a dictator. No one in that dressing room certainly is that," Stokes told Sky Sports.
"I said it before when asked about this, being stand-in captain is harder than being captain because you know you are only doing it for a certain amount of games, and you are trying to still push forward what the current captain is doing.
"Popey has been involved under my captaincy from day one, so there was a lot of easy and natural ways to continue doing that, but what he also did was put his own stamp on things which were massively encouraged by myself and Baz [McCullum].
"For such a young player who has got quite a lot of experience now, having that exposure to being a top-order batter, but also captain will be really, really good for him in the long-term and I think he has done a great job.
"His winning percentage is better than mine. I think - winning three out of four Tests - he has done a great job and should be very proud of what he has achieved while I have been injured."
While Stokes allowed Pope to take the reins, he was in and around the camp throughout his recovery, ensuring his influence was still heard in the dressing room.
He watched on as Joe Root, who overtook Alastair Cook as England's highest Test run-scorer of all time, and Harry Brook led their revival against Pakistan on day four.
Root's knock of 262 was his sixth double-century, and in the same innings, shared an England record stand of 454 with Brook - breaking Peter May and Colin Cowdrey's 67-year record of 411 at Edgbaston in 1957.
Despite watching on the sidelines during the home series against Sri Lanka and the first Test against Pakistan, Stokes is sure the England players are buying into the message he and head coach Brendon McCullum are trying to convey.
"When you are out in the middle, there are a few things you don't get the chance to see or observe because you are thinking about other things," Stokes said.
"But when you are actually sitting on the sidelines, you realise how committed everyone out on the field is to the very small things that me and Baz ask of everyone.
"Running after the ball to the boundary, backing the bowlers up, all the small things that in the bigger picture mean a hell of a lot.
"When the bowlers are bowling in this heat and see the ball hit through the field and someone sprinting chasing after it to stop a boundary, pulling out a dive.
"They don't always get there, but it is that sense that we are all in it together which is one of the most notable things for me, especially when you are the person trying to deliver those words."
Stokes fit to return for second Pakistan Test
England captain Ben Stokes is fit to play in the second Test against Pakistan and returns alongside pace bowler Matthew Potts.
Stokes suffered the hamstring injury in August and has missed the last four Test matches, including England's record-breaking win last week as they beat Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs.
He replaces Chris Woakes in the side for the second Test, with Potts, returning for the first time since the Sri Lanka series in August, replacing Gus Atkinson, who misses out on his first Test since making his debut in July.
Meanwhile, Pakistan have made radical changes to their own line-up, dropping star batter Babar Azam along with pace bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
It has also been confirmed that the second Test, beginning on Tuesday, will be played on the same pitch used for the first in Multan.
England are targeting a victory that would confirm their second consecutive series win in Pakistan, with the hosts looking to end a two-and-a-half-year winless streak at home.
England XI for the second Test against Pakistan: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.
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