Rakheem Cornwall and Devon Thomas combined for all 10 Barbados Pride wickets in the second innings to put the Leeward Islands Hurricanes firmly in control of their third-round encounter at the Queen’s Park Oval.
The Pride started day two 294-8 from 88 overs and were able to add 28 more runs before being dismissed for 322 in 91.5 overs.
Captain Shane Dowrich, who entered the day not out on 116, finished 124 not out.
Rakheem Cornwall continued his sensational form with the ball this season with 6-50 from his 24 overs.
The Leeward had a horrific start to their reply as Montcin Hodge (6), Kieran Powell (5) and Akeem Saunders (0) all fell within the first seven overs to leave them 23-3.
Devon Thomas and Kofi James then tried to mount a comeback before, with the score on 44 in over number 13, Thomas fell off the bowling of Dominic Drakes for 20.
Just two balls later, James was dismissed by Shamar Springer for 12 with no further addition to the score.
Captain Jahmar Hamilton and Rakheem Cornwall then had one job, try to get to lunch without any further wickets.
The were unable to do that as Cornwall went off the bowling of Jonathan Carter for seven off the final ball before the lunch break to leave the Hurricanes 63-6 off 17 overs facing a deficit of 259 runs.
The post-lunch session was equally difficult for the Hurricanes. Hamilton and new batsman Jeremiah Louis were able to add 30 runs before Hamilton went off the bowling of Springer for 30.
However, good cameos from Louis (24), Hayden Walsh (20) and Colin Archibald (24) helped the Leewards recover to 154 all out in 42 overs at the tea interval, facing a deficit of 168 runs.
Dominic Drakes finished with 3-38 from 13 overs.
The Barbados second innings started promisingly as Zachary McCaskie and Sheyne Moseley put on 59 for the first wicket.
That wicket fell when McCaskie was dismissed by Cornwall for 29 in the 14th over. Not long after, Moseley went off the bowling of Devon Thomas for 27 to leave the Pride 65-2.
What followed was a massive collapse for the Pride as they lost their next five wickets for just four runs as Thomas and Cornwall ripped through the batting.
Jonathan Drakes (3), Jonathan Carter (0), Shane Dowrich (0), Kevin Wickham (1) and Shamar Springer (0) all fell within the next four overs to leave them 69-7 off 19.1 overs.
The eighth wicket fell just two balls later when Cornwall removed Chaim Holder for a duck for his fourth wicket of the innings and tenth in the match.
Dominic Drakes was the ninth man to go, bowled by Thomas for 2 to give him a maiden first class five wicket haul and leave the Pride 71-9, leading by 239 runs.
The Pride were eventually bowled out for 78 leaving the Hurricanes needing 247 to win.
Cornwall finished with 5-19 from 7.2 overs while Thomas took 5-22 from nine overs.
The Hurricanes ended the day 13-0 off two overs.
Scores: Barbados Pride 322 off 91.5 overs (Shane Dowrich 124*, Chaim Holder 43, Rakheem Cornwall 6-50, Sheeno Berridge 2-39) and 78 off 23.2 overs (Zachary McCaskie 29, Sheyne Moseley 27, Rakheem Cornwall 5-19, Devon Thomas 5-22).
Leeward Islands Hurricanes 154 off 42 overs (Jahmar Hamilton 30, Jeremiah Louis 24, Colin Archibald 24, Dominic Drakes 3-38, Chaim Holder 2-7, Jair McAllister 2-36, Shemar Springer 2-48) and 13-0 off 2 overs (Montcin Hodge 9*)
Christopher Richards Jr shot a final round 74 to win the Trinidad & Tobago Golf Open which concluded at the Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort with the host country sweeping the top three spots on Sunday.
Richards Jr shot scores of 73, 74, 74 and 74 for an overall total 295. His compatriots Gabriel Vanososte (300) and Zico Coriera (306) were second and third, respectively.
Meanwhile, Zandre Roye (317) was the top Jamaican performer placing 11th.
"My performance wasn't my best. It was pretty challenging. I think I learned a lot this being one of the big tournaments early on in the year. I have a few things to work at when I get back to Jamaica but I am excited to see what the rest of the year brings for me," he said.
Wayne Baptiste of Trinidad and Tobago had a combined score of 316 to win the Men’s Senior section ahead of Dr Mark Newnham, who shot a total of 318.
Dave Cameron was sixth with a combined score of 348.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Christopher Richards Jr is atop the leaderboard after shooting a 74 for a combined score of 147 at the end of the second round of the Trinidad and Tobago Open at the Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort on Friday.
Meanwhile, Wayne Baptiste also of Trinidad & Tobago leads the Men’s Senior Category with scores of 78 and 79 for a score of 157.
Jamaica’s amateur golf champion Oshae Haye was the best of four Jamaicans having shot a five-over-par 77 for a two-day total of 162 to be tied in 14th spot. He rose from 23rd after shooting 13 over par 85 on the opening day.
Haye was 15 shots behind Richards.
The other Jamaican in the championship category, Zandre Roye carded 11 over par 83 in the second round on top of 80 in round one for a total score of 163 after two rounds, and sits in 17th place along with three other golfers.
Among the seniors, Dr. Mark Newnham is second after his second-round score of 78, an improvement on the 81 he shot on opening day.
Cameron remained his eighth place with scores of 91 and 93 for a combined total of 184.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the match schedule and venues for the final three rounds of the West Indies Championship, the region’s first-class four-day red ball tournament, which will be played in Trinidad and Guyana.
Two rounds have been played so far and the tournament will resume on 15 to 18 March with Trinidad & Tobago Red Force hosting current West Indies Championship leaders, Guyana Harpy Eagles at Brian Lara Cricket Academy. The other two matches in the third round will see Leeward Islands Hurricanes face Barbados Pride at Queen’s Park Oval inTrinidad and the Jamaica Scorpions facing Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Guyana National Stadium.
The fourth round will be played from 22 to 25 March with the fifth and final round from 29 March to 1 April.
“The first two rounds of matches last month offered great excitement and we are delighted to see the resumption of the West Indies Championship. Based on what we saw in the first phase of matches, we can expect more keen competition among the six teams as they vie for the prestigious Headley/Weekes Trophy," said Roland Holder, CWI’s Manager of Cricket Operations. "There is a lot to play for as players also have the opportunity to compete for places in the Headley/Weekes Series which will follow at the end of the West Indies Championship and prepare to compete for spots on the international stage.”
Heading into the third round, Guyana Harpy Eagles lead the points table after being unbeaten in their two matches to date with defending champions Barbados Pride in second.
The new Headley Weekes Series will follow the West Indies Championship and will feature three matches and three teams. Team Headley and Team Weekes will select from the best performers in the 2023 West Indies Championship and players outside the starting West Indies Test XI. The new West Indies Academy will provide the third team in the new Series.
Team Headley and Team Weekes are named in honour of West Indies pioneers and legendary batting greats George Headley and Sir Everton Weekes, whose names are also honoured on the Trophy for the winners of the West Indies Championship. All three matches will be played from 18 April to 6 May at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua.
RESULTS
ROUND 1
31 January to 3 February
Windward Islands Volcanoes drew with Trinidad & Tobago Red Force
1 to 4 February
Guyana Harpy Eagles beat Barbados Pride by 183 runs
Leeward Islands Hurricanes drew with Jamaica Scorpions
ROUND 2
8 to 11 February
Barbados Pride beat Jamaica Scorpions by 6 wickets
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force drew with Leeward Islands Hurricanes
Windward Islands Volcanoes drew with Guyana Harpy Eagles
FULL MATCH SCHEDULE
GNS – Guyana National Stadium, Guyana
BLCA – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad
QPO – Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad
ROUND 3: 15 to 18 March
Jamaica Scorpions v Windward Islands Volcanoes at GNS
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v Guyana Harpy Eagles at BLCA
Leeward Islands Hurricanes v Barbados Pride at QPO
ROUND 4: 22 to 25 March
Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Jamaica Scorpions at GNS
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v Barbados Pride at QPO
Leeward Islands Hurricanes v Windward Islands Volcanoes at BLCA
ROUND 5: 29 March to 1 April
Guyana Harpy Eagles v Leeward Islands Hurricanes at GNS
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force v Jamaica Scorpions at BLCA
Barbados Pride v Windward Islands Volcanoes at QPO
Headley Weekes Tri-Series
All matches to be played at CCG, Antigua
Match 1: 19 to 22 April: Team Headley v West Indies Academy
Match 2: 26 to 29 April: Team Weekes v West Indies Academy
Match 3: 3 to 6 May: Team Weekes v Team Headley
-ENDS-
West Indies bowler Kemar Roach and wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva created a bit of history during the West Indies’ 87-run loss to South Africa at Centurion last week.
In a match that lasted less than three days, the accomplishments of both players were overshadowed by the loss but were no less significant in the rich history of great performances by players from the West Indies.
The 34-year-old Roach had match figures of 1-71 and 5-47 during the match in which he picked up his 260th Test wicket and became the fifth most successful West Indies bowler behind Courtney Walsh (519), Curtly Ambrose (405) Malcolm Marshall (376) and Lance Gibbs (305).
His five-wicket haul in the second innings that helped bowl South Africa out for 116, was the 11th of his career that has so far lasted 76 matches since he made his debut against Bangladesh in July 2009.
Joshua Da Silva, meanwhile, playing in his 21st Test, joined now retired West Indies wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs in a pantheon of five ‘keepers who have had seven dismissals in one innings. Other than Jacobs, the only other players to have accomplished the feat were Pakistan’s Wasim Bari, England’s Bob Taylor, and New Zealand’s Ian Smith.
Both players will get the chance to add to their records when the second Test between the West Indies and South Africa bowls off on Thursday, March 8 at Wanderers. The West Indies will be hoping to produce a better performance with the bat and level the series that South Africa now leads 1-0.
Trinidad & Tobago bowed out of the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship at the Round of 16 stage after suffering an agonizing 2-3 defeat to El Salvador at Estadio Pensativo in Guatemala on Sunday.
El Salvador had the best possible start to the encounter, taking the lead in the third minute as Bryan Vasquez slotted home a powerful shot from just outside the box after a failed clearance from T&T.
The young Soca Warriors levelled proceedings in the 33rd minute through Rio Cardines and the teams went into the half-time interval locked at 1-1.
Twenty minutes into the second half, El Salvador once again found themselves in the lead when Captain Walter Menjivar scored from close range.
The Trinidadians kept fighting, however, and their persistence was rewarded in the 79th minute when Malachi Webb latched on to a Derrel Garcia through pass before calmly finishing past El Salvador goalkeeper Alexander Aguilar to make it 2-2.
The teams would remain deadlocked after 90 minutes, meaning extra time was needed to determine who would advance to the quarter-finals.
Both teams got chances throughout the first half of extra time but the game-winning goal came in the 107th minute when Michael Ventura unleashed a vicious right-footed shot from 30 yards out that gave T&T goalkeeper Ailan Panton no chance.
El Salvador will play Mexico in the quarters on Tuesday.
Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago were beaten by Canada and the USA, respectively, at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship at Estadio Pensativo in Guatemala on Monday.
The early game saw one-time runners up Canada secure a comfortable 2-0 win over the Bajans.
Liam Mackenzie opener the scoring for the Canadians in the 21st minute before Alessandro Biello doubled their lead seven minutes later.
Later at the same venue, Trinidad & Tobago were beaten 1-3 three-time champions, the United States.
The game was effectively over before the 30 minute-mark as Micah Burton in the 11th minute, Paulo Rudisill in the 14th minute and Taha Habroune in the 24th minute gave the Americans a 3-0 lead heading into the half-time interval.
The Trinidadians got a consolation goal through Derrel Garcia in the 78th minute.
All four teams will be back in action on Wednesday as Trinidad & Tobago will face Barbados before the Americans and the Canadians do battle.
The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has announced that a delegation of 23 comprising eight students and two coaches each from Edwin Allen High School and Kingston College and three executive members from Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) will leave for Trinidad and Tobago on February 7, 2023, to participate in the Secondary School Relay Festival on February 9, 2023.
The participation of the Jamaican team at the Relay Festival follows a sports study tour by the Minister of Sport and Community Development for Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, and a team of officials.
Minister Cudjoe and members of her delegation had met with Minister Grange, a technical team from the Ministry and its agencies, representatives from the Jamaica Athletics Administration Association (JAAA), ISSA, the University of Technology (Utech), GC Foster College of Sport and Physical Education, and the Ministry of Education and Youth. They also visited four high schools and a primary school.
Minister Grange said, “It is expected that this bilateral cooperation between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago will bear much fruit for both our countries.”
The Jamaicans will be competing in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays at the festival. Barbados and Guyana are the other countries that have been invited to send teams to participate in the Relay Festival.
The exchange activities are also being celebrated as part of the 60th Anniversary of Independence of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
The delegation will return to Jamaica on Friday, February 10, 2023.
Olympic swimmer Cherelle Thompson on Thursday encouraged Trinidadian athletes to seize the moment, as she spoke candidly about her struggles with injury, adapting to college life and trying to stay positive during the Covid19 pandemic during her feature address at the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee Annual Awards.
Thompson, 30, represented Trinidad and Tobago in the women’s 50-metre freestyle event at the 2020 Olympics, which was held last year because of the pandemic. She is the national record holder in the women’s 50m freestyle for both the long course (50m) and short course (25m).
Reflecting on her challenges, Thompson, a former student of the University of Tennessee, said “We all know the pursuit did not come without threat to the life of my dream. It was many years before I could make it onto the Olympic stage and time would not permit me to share the details of the chapters from that defining moment to the point where I would make it to the blocks in Tokyo.
Faith also got her through dark times. “What I could say though is that it was a long, long road with many defining moments and it was only through reflection that these experiences, by the grace of God, I was able to find reasons to be grateful and wonder amidst the ashes of disappointment and difficulty.”
Thompson said her first "last straw” was a shoulder injury which a surgeon said was “one of the worst they had ever seen.”
On her experience studying in the USA while advancing her swimming career, Thompson said it was not a bed of roses. “I cried buckets of tears being homesick and (not) finding a way to adapt to the new demand of academics and athletics.”
The adversity did not end there for Thompson. “The second shoulder injury came sometime after, then major disappointment and retirement (temporarily), sitting out for some time after missing out on Rio (Olympics) 2016."
Covid19 had put the careers of athletes on pause and Thompson was no different.
“Let’s fast forward to March 2020 to that time in history. Imagine what it would have felt like when the announcement came for the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Games. I was set to begin medical school later that year and the world was in a state uncertainty with a glimmer of hope that things would improve for the games to be held 12 months later (in July/August 2021).”
Thompson saw her dreams fading. “At this point I was convinced that I had no more straws. All I had was a dream in my heart and a passion for sport, and I placed that into God’s hands. The rest is history.”
Thompson made her Olympic debut competing in her strongest event – the 50m freestyle – placing 41st overall with a time of 26.19 seconds.
She urged all athletes to cherish every moment. “The question that none of us could answer is whether this would be our last competition, our last season, our last breath. All things considered, we know not what the future holds…take each opportunity to compete and engage in this thing called sport as a gift.”
Looking ahead to 2023, Thompson said, “No matter the stage of our journey, may we all transition into 2023 with our minds fixed and fortified, our bodies prepared to fight, and in our hearts a posture of gratitude and wonder to seize each moment as it were our last.”
Thompson also thanked retired two-time TT Olympic swimmer Sharntelle McLean for inspiring her.
Rising junior track athlete Jenna-Marie Thomas charts off to Geneva, Ohio, United States on Wednesday on a full athletic scholarship at SPIRE Institute and Academy.
Thomas, 14, currently holds four NGC/NAAATT National Junior Championship titles having swept the girls’ U-15 60-metre hurdles, 200m, 300m hurdles and 400m events at the annual meet in July. There, she also earned U-17 shot put silver.
The IG Fastlane Athletics Club sprinter/hurdler will continue her high school studies at SPIRE in grade ten and will focus on developing in the 200 and 400m sprints, as well as 100m and 400m hurdles.
Thomas was pleased to secure the scholarship at such a young age and is intent on making the most of her budding athletic career. She leaves Holy Faith Convent, Couva to head to Ohio.
“I attained this scholarship by displaying great potential on the track, and academically, which provided the opportunity for me to qualify and receive a full athletic scholarship.
“Getting a scholarship at this age was unexpected; however, receiving one would have been part of my goals as an athlete. Some of my main goals and aspirations I would like to achieve while there are improving and excel in both sprint and hurdle events,” she said.
Locally, she’s been coached by IG Fastlane’s Samuel Roach for the past seven years. Her hurdles coaches are Nataki Dasant, Heathcliffe Thorne, Aiesha Colthrust and Kern Alexis.
Thomas also earned girls’ U-17 4x100m relay bronze at the Carifta Games in Jamaica earlier this year. She was fifth in the 400m final.
Thomas also finished fourth in the women’s 400m event at the 2022 National Open Championships, clocking 57.89 seconds.
Despite her experience on the track, Thomas said she was still a bit nervy to start school in the US. However, the speedster wants to embrace the opportunity and face the challenges head on, in pursuit of a successful athletic career.
“I am bit anxious but mostly excited to study because of the new experiences. I think balancing school and sport would be quite similar to what I normally do just balancing a new environment would be a bit challenging in view of the fact that the climate is different to my home country.
“I plan on approaching everything with a positive attitude in that way it will be one step closer to achieving my goals,” she added.
Her personal bests are; 60m hurdles (9.53s), 100m (12.82s), 200m (25.90s), 100m hurdles (15.31s), 300m hurdles (44.89s), 400m (57.89s), 400m hurdles (1.05s), high jump (1.53m) and shot put (10.06m).
Looking ahead, Thomas said she would like to spend most of her time working on the 400m hurdles.
SportsMax is to re-introduce the staging of the Caribbean High School Football Championship between high school teams from Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.
The competition will see St. Benedict and Fatima College of the Secondary School Football League (SSFL) in Trinidad and the two finalists from the Olivier Shield in the Inter-School Secondary Sports Association School Boy Football (ISSA SBF) competing for the coveted trophy in Kingston, Jamaica.
The Caribbean High School Football Championship will be held in January 2023, with qualifying matches to be played on January 13.
The action concludes on January 15 with the finals, where the teams with the most points or best goal average, compete for the championship title and the grand prize of US$10,000, courtesy of SportsMax.
“I am extremely happy about the opportunity to bring the regional giants of Caribbean School Boy Football from the SSFL in Trinidad and from ISSA in Jamaica to a Caribbean final to see who will take home the trophy of the SBF Champions of the Caribbean,” said Nicolas Matthews, CEO of SportsMax.
“As the leading sports content broadcaster and production house in the Caribbean, SportsMax will create a robust and extensive promotion for the Caribbean High School Football Championship. We will cover traditional and digital media in a calculated effort to have Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago’s schoolboy football achievements celebrated in the 60th year of their countries Independence, pushing the mantra that we are ONE Caribbean!”
President of the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association, Keith Wellington was equally excited about the return of the competition.
“ISSA is happy to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Independence of Jamaica and Trinidad through this match-up of our top schoolboy football teams,” he said.
“Schoolboy football has been a favourite activity of both nations and this opportunity for regional interaction amongst our youths is priceless!”
General Manager of Tiger Tanks Denis Latif title sponsors of the SSFL said he is keen on seeing how the competition plays out between the best schoolboy teams from both countries.
“Tiger Tanks are pleased to be a part of the 'rekindling' of the rivalry between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.
“With both nations celebrating special anniversaries in 2022, it is only fitting that this is the beginning of many other things to come. Both countries, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, have always been vying for top honours in the Caribbean and with our football now getting back on stream I am very eager to see the hunger on the field.”
With extensive coverage on multiple platforms, football fans will be able to access exciting football throughout the Caribbean and in the Diaspora through a wide array of broadcast platforms including SportsMax, SportsMax2, the SportsMax App and the SportsMax YouTube channel, sister station CEEN TV which broadcasts to the United States, United Kingdom and Canada and also on the web at www.ceen.tv.
Viewers in the Diaspora will also be able to tune in on what promises to be a thrilling display of skill, school camaraderie and country pride.
“SportsMax has broadcast both leagues over the last five years and we have seen the birth of so many class footballers, many of whom have gone on to the national and international stage,” said Matthews.
“This final playoff is meant to endorse regional sports integration and also to reward our SBF athletes through their schools for the excellent work they have put in throughout the season. We are looking to organizing this playoff annually and to rotate it across countries and, in the long term, look to add other countries to be a part of the Caribbean play-off.”
The initiative also aims to create synergy in sports at the high school level between arguably the two most successful football nations in the English-speaking Caribbean - Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago – as well as increasing interest and viewership of the sport and athletes while exposing them to meaningful opportunities from all stakeholders, scouts, schools, clubs, the Diaspora and alumni communities.
“I am tremendously elated to be part of the re-emergence of the Caribbean High School Football Championship between ISSA and SSFL,” said SSFL President Merere Gonzales.
“Providing such a crucial platform for our student-athletes would certainly aid in the continued development and advancement of our youths in the region, allowing them, the opportunity to source football scholarships or professional contracts.”
The Caribbean High School Football Championship is slated to be an annual event and with the support of the high school associations and the sports ministries from both countries, we foresee the rise of the most-anticipated event in the youth sports calendar.
“SportsMax will continue its efforts to bring the Caribbean together through sports and entertainment and ensure that athletes and viewers in the Caribbean continue to see the best talents and with the best seats from the Home of Champions,” Matthews said.
“We implore you to show country pride as we bring to you a synergy like no other.”
The Trinidad and Tobago bobsleigh team of Axel Brown and Shakeel John created history for that country at the North American Cup when they finished fourth in the two-man bobsleigh event in Park City, Utah.
They are also now the second Caribbean country to win medals at the North American Cup as Jamaica has won multiple events and medals from the women monobob, two-woman and two-man bobsled events dating back to the 1990s.
In the North American Cup the first six places win medals and Brown and John clocked a combined time of 1:38.24 (48.81/49.43) to finish behind Canada (1:38.11), USA (1:37.78) and the winning Korean team (1:37.59).
It was a major moment in the sport’s history in the twin-island republic athletes.
“We’re all coming to terms with the fact that we just made history,” Brown told Newsday.
“Of course, we wanted to be in the top three, but to be racing against the biggest nations in our sport and challenging them on the ice (is great). I can’t wait to see what this team can continue to achieve.”
The history-making team races again Tuesday, November 22 and Wednesday, November 23.
Former Trinidad and Tobago gymnast Thema Williams has opened a gym intended to be a safe space for all-rounded childhood athletic development.
The talented gymnast said her aim is to “create initiatives that foster teamwork through sport and culture.”
“We envision an environment in sport built on the pillars of accountability, equity, integrity, knowledge and transparency,” she in an interview with T&T newspaper Newsday.
“I started by offering private gymnastics classes during the pandemic, and word quickly spread throughout a network of reputable people. Before I knew it, I had five clients weekly.”
She has poured a lot of sweat into making her idea into reality even making her own equipment. She revealed that she made a balance beam, her first, from wood from her home storage unit and used foam and glue to fashion mats.
The demand for her teaching was so great that she had more than 100 students enrolled by the end of 2021, which then prompted her decision to open a gym.
In 2018, Williams won a court battle against the Trinidad and Tobago Gymnastics Federation that was deemed to have discriminated against the gymnast when they withdrew her from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil. In her place, the TTGF selected Canadian-born gymnast Marisa Dick.
She was awarded damages amounting to more than $TT200,000. However, the TTGF did not turn over the cash until a few weeks ago when a high court judge ordered Republic Bank where the gymnastics federation held an account, to cut a cheque for more than $230,000 to pay the athlete.
Jamaica Scorpions spinner Dennis Bulli has credited a strong showing in the CGI insurance Super50 tournament with getting a good opportunity to showcase his talent.
The 35-year-old Bulli was one of the standout bowlers for the tournament and claimed an impressive 14 wickets in 6 matches, with an economy rate of 4.76. Despite playing two fewer matches, the spinner was just one wicket off the top spot occupied by Shannon Gabriel (15), Odean Smith (15), and Nicholas Gordon (15).
In Saturday’s final, the left-arm spinner's mesmerizing skills were on full display when he left Trinidad and Tobago Red Force batsman Darren Bravo bamboozled all ends up, to take the crucial wicket of the dangerous batsman and end with figures of 1 for 44.
With a tournament best of 4 for 32, against the West Indies Academy, Bulli, who has not always managed to find consistency, was one of the key reasons the team was able to win the first Super50 title in 10 years.
“I’ve had times but I never got a good enough chance to express myself but this has been one of those times,” Bulli said of his performances this season.
“The first time I really got a chance to express myself was in 2019 and I did well. I got called up for the President’s XI team and got injured, got picked for the CPL, and got covid. So this is another opportunity and a good time for me to show what I can do.”
Former Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Kelvin Jack believes modern football superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo must win at least one World Cup to be considered the greatest of all time.
Over the last decade, the Argentinean and Portuguese superstars have been the standard by which players have been measured. At the club level, both have racked up unprecedented accomplishments.
The duo is mostly at the top of the list for titles, scoring records, Ballon d'Ors, and various other metrics of success. Internationally, however, their records, as it relates to trophies anyway, are less impressive.
On one hand, both have managed to lead their countries to continental cups, with Ronaldo and Portugal winning the Euro Championship in 2016 and Messi winning the Copa America with Argentina last year.
The World Cup, international football’s biggest prize, however, remains conspicuously missing on the decorated mantlepieces of both players after four tournaments.
Having dominated their peers, and the current era, the absence of the coveted FIFA World Cup Trophy remains the only question mark in any comparisons between themselves and the men most consistently mentioned in the greatest of all-time conversations, Argentina’s Diego Maradona and Brazil’s Pele.
“If you want to compare Messi and Ronaldo to the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona, I believe you have to win a World Cup,” Jack told SportsMax.Tv’s IncaseYouMissedIt.
“Messi, make no mistake, this is a special player. This is a player that has reached a level we probably have not seen before in football, but you cannot disregard the brilliance of Maradona and what he did in 1986,” he added.
“Fortunately, I’ve been able to see the career of Maradona and witnessing Lionel Messi’s career and witnessing Cristiano Ronaldo’s career but you have to win the World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo has of course won the European Championship, Messi has won the Copa America but that last step to winning the World Cup is what would possibly cement his place as the best ever.”
With Messi being 35 and Ronaldo 37, the tournament in Qatar is expected to be the final chance for both players.
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