Gudakesh Motie ended with match figures of 13-99, the best ever for a West Indies spinner in Tests, as the West Indies defeated Zimbabwe by an innings and four runs on day three of the second Test at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo to complete a 1-0 series win.
Day three started with the West Indies 290-8 off 90.4 overs with Motie (11) and Holder (3) the not out batsmen.
The pair were able to add only two runs as the tourists were bowled out for 292 in 92.3 overs, leaving Zimbabwe needing 177 runs to make the West Indians have to bat again.
Victor Nyauchi took a career-best 5-56 off 17.3 overs while Brandon Mavuta took 3-73 from 24 overs for Zimbabwe.
In their second innings, only captain Craig Ervine and opener Innocent Kaia were able to provide any resistance as Motie ripped through the Zimbabwean batting line-up, just as he did in the first innings.
Ervine made 72 off 105 balls including four fours while Kaia had earlier made a 57-ball 43 including seven boundaries.
Motie, who was later named man of the match and man of the series, bowled 17.3 overs for his 6-62. He picked up 19 wickets in the series.
The regional side will now turn their attention to two Tests against South Africa from February 28-March 4 and March 8-12.
Scores: Zimbabwe 115 off 40.5 overs (Innocent Kaia 38, Gudakesh Motie 7-37, Jason Holder 2-18) and 173 off 47.3 overs (Craig Ervine 72, Innocent Kaia 43, Gudakesh Motie 6-62)
West Indies 292 off 92.3 overs (Roston Chase 70, Raymon Reifer 53, Joshua Da Silva 44, Victor Nyauchi 5-56, Brandon Mavuta 3-73)
Ben Stokes is prioritising the impact he can have on England's younger players through his captaincy as his in-form side prepare for the first Test against New Zealand.
England have won nine of their first 10 Tests under captain Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, the only blot on the duo's record being a defeat to South Africa, which was swiftly avenged in a 2-1 series success.
As Christchurch-born Stokes returns to the country of his birth in a bid to guide England to their first Test series win in New Zealand since 2008, his focus is on aiding his team-mates' development.
"I'm at a stage now where I would much prefer to leave a mark on other people's careers than look to make mine more established," he told The Guardian.
"I've played a lot of cricket and done some great things with some great teams over the years.
"I think that being captain now, I've got a real desire to make the best out of the team that I've got here and players who will come in in the future.
"That's one of my goals as England captain, to hopefully let some of these guys in the dressing room here just have an amazing career. If I can influence that in any way shape or form, then I'll be happy."
England's aggressive approach has won them plenty of admirers recently, with their last Test series beginning with a record-breaking return of 506 runs on day one of their opener in Pakistan.
While Stokes insists England do not approach matches looking to trouble the record books, he says the freedom given to the team's batsmen has opened new avenues for success.
"We don't sit down before a series and go 'these records need to be broken'. Attitude and approach is the best way to describe it, and making it very simple, knowing we are going to have to absorb pressure but jumping at the opportunity when we feel it's the right time," Stokes said.
"The batting group have got a huge understanding of what they can do now because we've let them be free, I guess.
"It's almost like they get themselves in first and second gear, and then all of a sudden they'll go up to fifth because they see an opportunity to pounce and really put teams under pressure.
"Things are going pretty smoothly at the moment but if it doesn't go well, we won't shy away from it. We showed that against South Africa when we got beat.
"When you fail, it's an opportunity to bounce back and show you're not worried or scared to go out there and try the same thing."
The first of England's two Tests in New Zealand gets under way at Mount Maunganui on Thursday, before they head to Wellington for the second Test a week later.
Shirley Clarke has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the Windward Islands Volcanoes franchise with immediate effect. Clarke will be replaced on an interim basis by South African Russel Sising.
Chairman of the Windward Islands Cricket Board (WICB) Dr Kishore Shallow confirmed Clarke’s dismissal to Sportsmax.TV on Monday citing the team’s lack of performance.
“I can confirm that we have separated from Mr Clarke. The board thought that we were not necessarily on the same wavelength,” Dr Shallow said.
The decision was not a knee-jerk reaction but stemmed concerns the board had since last year during the Regional Super 50 tournament in which the Windward Island Volcanoes won only two matches, both against the Combined College and Campuses team.
Dr Shallow said a comprehensive review was done after the tournament and consequently met with Clarke on several occasions to discuss their concerns.
So far in the West Indies Championship, the Volcanoes have not won any of their two games despite playing well but simply, not well enough.
Dr Shallow, who is also the Cricket West Indies vice president, pointed out that the Volcanoes has not won any of their last seven first-class matches, hence the decision was made to move in another direction.
“Given the investments that were made, we were not getting the results,” he said.
Dr Shallow, who described Clarke as a good individual, said the parting was amicable and that he wished Clarke the best going forward.
All-rounder Roston Chase scored his 11th half-century in Tests as the West Indies ended day two of the second test against Zimbabwe with a 175-run first innings lead in Bulawayo.
Only 49.4 overs were possible on day two as rain halted proceedings on multiple occasions.
The tourists began the day 133-4 off 41 overs with Kyle Mayers on eight and Chase on five.
The pair brought the score to 184 in the 54th over before Mayers was dismissed by Brandon Mavuta for 30, bringing Joshua Da Silva to the middle to join Chase.
Chase and Da Silva brought the West Indies total past 200 in the 61st over, with Chase bringing up his fifty off 83 balls in the process. This was Chase’s first Test fifty since a 51 against England in Manchester in July 2020.
At lunch, the West Indies were 236-5 after 71 overs with Chase on 56 and Da Silva on 25.
Soon after the Windies 250 was brought up in the 78th over, Chase fell to pacer Victor Nyauchi for a 132-ball 70 to leave the tourists 269-6 after 84.5 overs.
Just one run later, Da Silva also fell to Nyauchi. He faced 111 balls for his 44.
It was 270-7 when Alzarri Joseph joined Jason Holder at the crease and, two balls later, it was 274-8 as Joseph, after striking a boundary off his first ball, became Nyauchi’s third victim of the day, going for four.
At stumps, the West Indies were 290-8 off 90.4 overs with Jason Holder on three and Gudakesh Motie on 11.
Scores: Zimbabwe 115 off 40.5 overs (Innocent Kaia 38, Gudakesh Motie 7-37, Jason Holder 2-18)
West Indies 290-8 off 90.4 overs (Roston Chase 70, Raymon Reifer 53, Joshua Da Silva 44, Victor Nyauchi 3-56, Brandon Mavuta 3-73)
West Indies Captain Hayley Matthews and former West Indies All-rounder Deandra Dottin were the only two West Indian players sold at the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) player auction at the JIO Convention Centre in Mumbai on Monday.
The WPL is the Women’s version of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and will run between March 4 and March 26.
The first edition will feature five teams: Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore and UP Warriorz.
Matthews, currently representing the regional side at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa where she made 44 in their opener against England, was sold to the Mumbai Indians for US$49,000.
Dottin, who retired from international cricket in 2022 after representing the West Indies 143 ODIs and 127 T20Is since her international debut in 2008, went to the Gujarat Giants for US$73,000.
Opener Smriti Mandhana was the most expensive Indian player, going to the Royal Challengers Bangalore for US$415,000.
England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt and Australia’s Ash Gardner both went for US$390,000 to the Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants, respectively, to share the tag of most expensive overseas player.
Leg-spinner Afy Fletcher and pacer Shamilia Connell were the West Indians among the list of unsold players.J
New Zealand are struggling to piece their team together ahead of the first Test against England, with Cyclone Gabrielle impacting several players' travel plans.
Five players from New Zealand's 14-man squad, as well as three support staff, are yet to arrive at Mount Maunganui ahead of the start of the first Test on Thursday.
Cyclone Gabrielle's impact on New Zealand's North Island has led some areas to declare a state of emergency, with over 46,000 homes losing power and hundreds of flights being cancelled.
The Black Caps trained indoors at Bay Oval on Monday in a bid to avoid the worst of the weather conditions, with strong winds and heavy rain expected to continue in the build-up to the opener.
Henry Nicholls, Blair Tickner and Will Young are among those yet to meet up with their team-mates ahead of the two-match series, leaving head coach Gary Stead's plans in flux.
"We've got a number of players that are still arriving here at the moment, the cyclone that's happening at the top of the North Island has had a wee bit of an impact on travel for some people," Stead said.
"It's disappointing the weather is the way it is, but there's a lot of people up at the top of the North Island who are a lot worse off than us.
"Originally we were planning to have an evening training session but we managed to get in a touch earlier.
"We were just worried that the winds might get up to such a point that we wouldn't be able to train later on."
England arrived in New Zealand having won nine of their 10 Tests under head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, and Stead has admiration for their aggressive style.
"I think it's great what Brendon and Ben have done with this English team," he said. "They've managed to take a team that was really struggling and turn it into something now that's probably the talking point of world cricket.
"But I think what each team has to do is work out is what becomes really unique to them and natural for the way that they play."
James Anderson hailed the depth of bowling talent available to England ahead of the first Test in New Zealand, saying the presence of Matthew Potts and Olly Stone is keeping him on his toes.
England will attempt to continue their outstanding form under head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes across a two-match series in New Zealand this month, having won nine of their last 10 Tests.
England bolstered their seam attack by recalling Potts, Stone and Stuart Broad for the trip to McCullum's homeland, with Mark Wood and Rehan Ahmed rested after starring in last year's 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan.
With Jofra Archer also impressing on his long-awaited ODI return after an injury-ravaged few years, Anderson is in awe at the options available to England.
"To be able to bring these guys [Potts and Stone] back into the squad after having Mark Wood in Pakistan, and with Jofra getting back fit, it feels like we're building up a real good bank of fast bowlers that will be able to win games in any conditions anywhere in the world," Anderson told The Guardian.
"I think whether they're young or old, guys always keep you on your toes. Broady's keeping me on my toes, we're pushing each other in the nets all the time.
"At the minute, Ollie Robinson is probably one of the best bowlers in the world, for me.
"He just doesn't miss, can swing it both ways, nips it, gets bounce – he's comfortably the one bowler that the guys don't want to face in the nets here. Everyone keeps you on your toes and it keeps those standards really high."
England have not won a Test series in New Zealand since 2007-08, when a 26-year-old Anderson tore through the hosts' top five in Wellington to kick-start their comeback in a 2-1 triumph.
Anderson was invited to play for Auckland against Wellington in the State Championship ahead of that impressive outing in the second Test, a decision criticised by several members of the New Zealand team – including McCullum – for enabling the England man to find form.
"It was amazing for me. It turned out to be a very good decision. I bowled a lot of overs. I didn't set the world alight but it got me into a good rhythm to play the next Test," Anderson recalled.
"Baz brought that up the other day. He was fuming at the time! Apparently the whole New Zealand team were fuming with Auckland. It was huge for both of us.
"And not just the way we played, but with [Matthew] Hoggard and [Steve] Harmison having been such a massive part of England's success – the 2005 Ashes and Harmy being number one in the world at one point.
"Them being the senior bowlers and us taking their places gave us so much confidence to go on and try and emulate them. We never looked back."
The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the third Test in Dharamsala of the four-game India-Australia series has been relocated to Indore due to the ground being fit.
A potential switch had previously been mooted, with reports that the outfield at Dharamsala's Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium was not ready after being re-laid.
The BCCI confirmed the move on Monday for the third Test due to commence on March 1.
"Owing to harsh winter conditions in the region, the outfield lacks sufficient grass density and will need some time to develop fully," the BCCI statement said.
The schedule remains the same, with the Test starting on March 1, but to be played at Holkar Stadium in Indore in Madhya Pradesh, roughly 600 kilometres north-east of Mumbai.
India lead the series 1-0 after a comprehensive first Test triumph in Nagpur, winning by an innings and 132 runs inside three days.
Player of the match Carlos Brathwaite took three wickets and effected a runout while Shimron Hetmyer scored a quick-fire unbeaten 25 to help lead Gulf Giants to a seven-wicket victory over Desert Vipers and the 2023 ILT20 final in Dubai on Sunday.
The heroic Barbadian, whose four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes won the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup for the West Indies, took 3-19 and ran out opener Rohan Mustafa for just six to restrict Desert Vipers to 146-8 from their 20 overs.
He removed the dangerous Alex Hales for one, took the catch to dismiss Adam Lyth for 13, dismissed Sam Billings for 31, breaking the 72-run fifth wicket partnership with Wanindu Hasaranga, whose 55 from 27 balls propped up Desert Vipers, before returning to take the wicket of Tom Curran in the 19th over.
Qias Ahmad supported Brathwaite with the wickets of Hasaranga and Luke Wood for three to finish with figures of 2-29. Chris Jordan caught and bowled the dangerous Colin Munro for just six.
Chasing 147 for victory, Gulf Giants’s Chris Lyn scored an unbeaten 72 from 50 balls and 30 from Gerhard Erasmus before Hetmyer arrived with the final dagger, smashing 25 not out from 13 balls with five fours to propel Gulf Giants to the title with eight balls to spare.
India and Australia face a major change to their series itinerary, with the third Test reportedly set to be moved from Dharamsala owing to pitch concerns.
The penultimate encounter in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy contest is scheduled to take place between March 1 and March 5 at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.
But the fixture looks set to be relocated, with Bengaluru or Visakhapatnam potentially in line to stage the game.
The Times of India quoted an unnamed source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India as saying the outfield in Dharamsala was not ready after being relaid.
Australia's last visit for a Test to Dharamsala came in March 2017, when India clinched a 2-1 series victory with an eight-wicket triumph over the tourists.
The hosts are already one up in the current series, after racing to an innings-and-132-run win inside three days in Nagpur.
Pat Cummins' touring side will hope to level matters when the second Test rolls around, with the game set to start in Delhi on Friday.
India, meanwhile, have announced the departure of Jaydev Unadkat from their squad ahead of the second Test, allowing him to play in Thursday's Ranji Trophy final for Saurashtra.
The West Indies hold a slight advantage against Zimbabwe at stumps on Sunday’s first day of the second Test at Bulawayo.
Gudakesh Motie took career-best Test figures on Sunday to help the West Indies dismiss Zimbabwe for 115 after lunch on the first day of the second Test at Bulawayo.
England seamer Ollie Robinson says Test cricket is entertaining enough without "gimmicky" day-night matches.
A two-match series between England and New Zealand is scheduled start at Bay Oval on Thursday, although the pink-ball match could be under threat due to Cyclone Gabrielle.
Robinson has enjoyed success under the lights in day-night encounters, but the 29-year-old would clearly rather be starting earlier in Mount Maunganui.
"It's a bit gimmicky," he said. "They're trying to get crowds and change the game a little bit. But the way England are playing Test cricket at the moment, I don't think that needs to happen.
"We could stick to how we're going and we're entertaining people as we are so I'm not sure if it's necessary really.
"Just traditional Test cricket – there's nothing wrong with it to start with. I don't think we need to play these pink-ball games."
Heavy rain and high winds is set to hamper England's preparation for the first Test, but Robinson says they will be ready to go regardless.
"We are well aware it could be tricky to get out there [to practice[," he said/
"If we don't train before Thursday I feel we've had good preparation and we're ready to go."
Robinson is relishing the challenges to come in a year that will see Ben Stokes' in-form side attempt to regain the Ashes by beating Australia on home soil.
"I think it's probably the biggest year of my career now," he said. "It's an exciting year and I think with the group and the environment we've got it's going to be amazing.
"The memories that we're going to create and hopefully the Test match wins we're going to do. I'm really looking forward to it."
Uncapped spinner Matthew Kuhnemann has been called up to the Australia squad ahead of the second Test against India in the absence of Mitchell Swepson.
Swepson, who did not feature in a crushing innings-and-132-run defeat in the first Test in Nagpur, has decided to fly home as his wife is due to give birth.
Left-arm tweaker Kuhnemann could make his Test debut at the age of 26 when the tourists set about trying to level the four-match series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday.
The 26-year-old, who made his ODI bow against Sri Lanka last June, has only played 13 first-class matches for Queensland but may get the nod in Delhi.
He said after playing for Queensland against Victoria in the Sheffield Shield: "I was just lucky enough that my passport was in my bag.
"I watched every day [of the first Test] just being such a fan. These series are so good to watch. Todd Murphy was exceptional and sort of watched how [Ravindra] Jadeja bowled. So just really excited to get over there.
"I was fortunate enough to stay with the Test guys and bowl to them in the nets in Sri Lanka so that's still pretty fresh in my memory. I learned heaps just being over there for a couple of months. If I got the opportunity I'd like to think I'd be okay."
India all-rounder Jadeja was named player of the match after taking 5-47 in the first innings and 2-34 as Australia were skittled out for only 91 on day three of a one-sided first Test, while he also made 70 with the bat.
The performance of spinner Murphy, who claimed 7-124 on debut, was one huge positive in a dismal start to the tourists' bid to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
All-rounder Kevin Sinclair and pacer Ronsford Beaton were the heroes as they batted 17.1 overs to salvage a draw for the Guyana Harpy Eagles against the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Grenada National Stadium on Saturday.
The day started with the Harpy Eagles 35-0 off 14.3 overs, needing a further 259 runs to win their second straight game with Matthew Nandu on 18 and Tevin Imlach on 13.
The pair brought the score up to 54 in the 23rd over before Preston McSween dismissed Imlach for 25.
Kemol Savory joined Nandu at the crease and lasted 35 balls before falling to Kenneth Dember for seven in the 31st over.
Captain Leon Johnson made his way to the middle to join Nandu and the pair put on 55 for the third wicket before Johnson was dismissed by Darius Martin for 40 in the 46th over.
The 47th over saw Nandu bring up his half century off 112 balls. The 19-year-old struck 126 in their first-round encounter with the Barbados Pride.
The 51st over saw the Harpy Eagles lose their fourth wicket as Anthony Bramble went caught behind off McSween for three.
Just two balls later, 140-4 became 141-5 as Nandu was bowled for a well-compiled 60 off 123 balls.
Akshya Persaud, who replaced Chandrapaul Hemraj who retired hurt on day three, then combined with Sinclair to form a crucial 64-run sixth-wicket partnership. The partnership ended when Persaud was dismissed by Justin Greaves for a 62-ball 24 to leave the Harpy Eagles 205-6 in 70th over.
Between the 73rd and 74th over, Veerasammy Permaul (4), Shamar Joseph (0) and Nial Smith (0) all fell, bringing Ronsford Beaton to the crease to join Sinclair and try to save the match.
Sinclair brought up his fifty off 82 balls in the 79th over and the pair put together a masterful display of grit to bat out the last 17.1 overs to finish 250-9 off 91 overs.
Sinclair ended up 77* off 138 balls while Beaton made just one but, more importantly, faced 24 balls.
Preston McSween ended up with 3-58 from 21 overs while Justin Greaves and Kavem Hodge took two wickets, each.
Scores: Windward Islands Volcanoes 294 off 80.5 overs (Alick Athanaze 141, Ryan John 51*, Sunil Ambris 47, Veerasammy Permaul 4-70, Ronsford Beaton 2-50, Kevin Sinclair 2-66) and 168 off 56.3 overs (Justin Greaves 27, Sunil Ambris 26, Preston McSween 25, Shamar Joseph 5-41, Ronsford Beaton 3-35)
Guyana Harpy Eagles 169 off 63.1 overs (Veerasammy Permaul 53, Kevin Sinclair 23, Justin Greaves 5-24, Ryan John 2-52) and 250-9 off 91 overs (Kevin Sinclair 77*, Matthew Nandu 60, Leon Johnson 40, Preston McSween 3-58, Justin Greaves 2-35, Kavem Hodge 2-36)
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