West Indies left-arm spinner, Jomel Warrican, has credited discipline, accuracy, and strong field setting as crucial factors that enabled a three-wicket haul on day one of the first Test against Bangladesh, in Chittagong, on Tuesday.
At stumps, Warrican had claimed figures of the 3 for 58 as Bangladesh ended the day on 242 for 5. Another wicket was claimed by pace bowler Kemar Roach with a run out accounting for the other.
The spinner could indeed have plenty of reason to delight in the field placing, and performance for that matter, as two of his wickets resulted from catches. Firstly, John Campbell took a sharp catch at short midwicket after Mominul Haque lost some patience and failed to keep a lofted drive down. The other was a brilliant catch at slip by Raheem Cornwall, after Mushfiqur Rahim attempted a defensive stroke that carried to the fielder. In-between, the bowler ended the run of a dangerous looking Shadman Islam, when the batsman was given lbw just before tea.
“Being disciplined and accurate at the same time, as well as setting the right field,” Warrican responded when asked about the keys to his opening day success.
“I thought it best to bring them on the front foot as much as possible because when they play back they have a lot of time. The more you bring them on the front foot is the more you ask questions,” he added.
T&T to host 2024 Women's CPL; to be contested before men's tourney for the first time
Organizers have confirmed that Trinidad and Tobago will host the third staging of the Women's Caribbean Premier League when the tournament bowls off in August.
The inaugural tournament in 2022 was played in St Kitts and Nevis, while last year's showpiece was played in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. This year's edition scheduled for August 21-29, will see Guyana Amazon Warriors, Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) and reigning champions Barbados Royals battling for top spot, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) in Tarouba.
“We would like to thank Trinidad and Tobago for agreeing to host this tournament and we are excited to be having the Massy WCPL taking place before we get the men’s tournament underway,” said CPL chief executive, Pete Russell.
“The commitment that the Trinidad & Tobago government has shown to women’s sport has been phenomenal and we are looking forward to another superb exhibition of world class cricket over these seven matches from 21 to 29 August," he added.
The three teams will clash in six group games, with the top two teams featuring in the final.
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Sport and Community Development, Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, expressed joy that the twin island republic will be host to the women's tournament, which will for the first time be contested before the men's edition.
"We are delighted to host once again the Massy Women's CPL, where the extraordinary talent of women in sport from across the region will be showcased. This tournament highlights the incredible skills of our female cricketers and underscores Trinidad and Tobago's unwavering commitment to promoting gender equality and fostering inclusivity in sport," she said.
"The Ministry of Sport and Community Development takes pride in spearheading the advancement of women's cricket and sport tourism in TT and we look forward to welcoming players and fans alike to our shores for an electrifying display of cricketing excellence," Cudjoe-Lewis noted.
Hayley Matthews' heroics lead West Indies Women to resounding win over Pakistan in first ODI in Karachi
West Indies Women's captain Hayley Matthews delivered a stellar all-round performance to lead her team to a commanding 113-run victory over Pakistan Women in the first One Day International (ODI) at the National Stadium in Karachi on Thursday.
Matthews played a pivotal role in setting up the win, first with the bat and then with the ball. She showcased her batting prowess by scoring an impressive unbeaten 140 runs, anchoring the West Indies' innings to a challenging total of 269-8 in their allotted 50 overs. Matthews' innings was decorated with 15 boundaries (fours) and a well-struck six.
After losing an early wicket, Matthews combined forces with Shemaine Campbell to forge a crucial partnership of 102 runs for the second wicket. Campbell contributed a valuable 45 runs to the cause before departing.
Chinelle Henry (23) and contributions from Chedean Nation and Aaliyah Henry, who scored 17 each, further solidified the West Indies' innings as Matthews led from the front, steering her team to a formidable total.
In response, Pakistan Women struggled to build partnerships against the disciplined West Indies bowling attack. Tuba Hassan top-scored with 25 runs, while Muneeba Ali and Nahida Alvi made contributions of 22 and 20 runs, respectively.
However, it was Matthews who turned the game decisively in her team's favor with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets for just 17 runs. Afy Fletcher and Zaida James also made significant contributions with the ball, picking up two wickets each to bundle out Pakistan Women for 156 runs in 35.5 overs.
Sadia Iqbal (2-38) and Tuba Hassan (2-48) were the standout bowlers for Pakistan, but they couldn't contain Matthews' brilliance.
With this commanding victory, West Indies Women have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against Pakistan Women, setting the stage for an exciting contest in the upcoming matches.
Yorkshire ‘surprised and disappointed’ at missing out in women’s cricket revamp
Yorkshire have been left “surprised and disappointed” after being overlooked by the England and Wales Cricket Board in the initial ‘tier one’ revamp of the women’s game.
The governing body has awarded new professional teams to eight first-class counties, replacing the regional structure from next summer, but Yorkshire were edged out in what was effectively a head-to-head with Durham.
Both Yorkshire and Glamorgan have been invited to join an expanded top flight in 2027, with funding to help prepare their coaching pathways, but the news has been met with an unhappy response from Headingley on the eve of the new women’s domestic campaign.
The Northern Diamonds won the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy in 2022 and finished as runners-up in the previous two seasons.
A statement from the club’s board read: “Yorkshire County Cricket Club are surprised and disappointed not to be awarded one of the initial Tier 1 women’s teams as part of the first allocations from the ECB.
“The news is especially frustrating and upsetting for the players and staff at the Northern Diamonds. They have been trying to deal with it whilst preparing for their first game of the season in two days. Our focus is on supporting them through this difficult period and gaining as much clarity on what the future looks like.
“Yorkshire has the largest active playing base of women and girls in the country, has produced many players that have gone on to represent England in the women’s game, winning the County Championship 16 times and Headingley has been successfully hosting the Northern Diamonds since 2020, so naturally the news has been tough to take.”
The White Rose has endured a turbulent time in recent years, embattled by the Azeem Rafiq racism crisis and fighting major financial troubles leading to the controversial return of Colin Graves as chair.
But there has been a renewed commitment to equality of opportunity at the club against that troubled backdrop, work which the board were keen to highlight.
“Yorkshire has a rich ethnicity mix and as part of our ongoing work to be the most welcoming and inclusive cricket club in the country, we use women’s and girl’s cricket as the cornerstone to creating real, tangible value in those communities that need it the most,” it said.
“We believe we hit all of the criteria set out as part of the tender, so we will be taking time to investigate and understand the detail behind the decision, assessing the best next steps for the club and most importantly ensuring we support the players and staff that are impacted.”
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