Jamaica Tallawahs top-order batsman and stand-in captain Chadwick Walton insists the team had no choice but to battle for a win, after getting their first of the season against Barbados Tridents at Sabina Park on Sunday.
Walton took on the mantle of leadership to help the team secure a four-wicket win, the team’s first in five attempts.
“We found ourselves with our back against the wall, so we had to find a way to come up trumps and fortunately we did,” Walton said after the match.
Having conceded and eyewatering 875 runs in four prior game, the Tallawahs made changes to their bowling attack and opted to go with spinners at the top of the order. The ploy worked as extra bounce and turn from George Worker quickly removed openers Johnson Charles and Alex Hales.
From there the variation never allowed the Tridents to settle as they were eventually left short at 140 for 9. What should have been an easy runs chase, however, looked any but despite solid starts from the opening duo of Glen Phillips and Chris Gayle. Walton, who scored a match-winning 51 from 42, stuck around to deliver the win.
“It was a lot of pressure, but I knew that if we batted the full 20 overs, we would win the game. The aim was just to bat the 20 overs,” he added.
“It’s nice to get your campaign off and running, it’s a bit late but we will take it nonetheless and hope that we can move strength to strength from here.”
Kwesi has been a sports journalist with more than 10-years’ experience in the field. First as a Sports Reporter with The Gleaner in the early 2000s before he made the almost natural transition to becoming an editor. Since then he has led the revamp of The Star’s sports offering, making it a more engaging and forward-thinking component of the most popular tabloid newspaper in the Caribbean.
Lara, Tendulkar to star in Road Safety World Series in India next year
West Indies batting legend Brian Lara and Indian great Sachin Tendulkar will take up their bats once again during the Road Safety World Series in India next year.
Former Black Caps spinner Patel lands England role in New Zealand
Former New Zealand international Jeetan Patel has been appointed England spin bowling consultant for the five-match Twenty20 series against the Black Caps.
The Warwickshire captain has been given special dispensation from Cricket Wellington to miss the first three matches of the Plunket Shield season and will join up with the England squad in Christchurch next week.
Patel played 43 ODIs, 24 Tests and 11 T20 Internationals over an 11-year period and has continued to thrive in first-class cricket in the twilight of his career.
New Zealand Cricket and Cricket Wellington fully support Patel with his assignment in the England set-up under new head coach Chris Silverwood as he makes plans to become a coach when he calls time on his playing days.
The first T20 begins at Hagley Oval on November 1.
Malinga returns to captain Sri Lanka in Australia T20 series
Lasith Malinga returns to captain Sri Lanka, while Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Oshada Fernando have retained their places in the Twenty20 International squad for the series in Australia.
Malinga was among a host of players who opted out of the recent tour of Pakistan, which Sri Lanka ended with a historic 3-0 whitewash of the top-ranked T20 side in the world.
Dasun Shanaka skippered an inexperienced team in Malinga's absence, but the paceman is set to resume leadership duties in a three-match series that starts at Adelaide Oval on October 27.
Batsmen Rajapaksa and Oshada are also among the 16 players selected after making their debuts in Pakistan.
Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera and Niroshan Dickwella are among the other names to come back into the squad.
Sri Lanka squad:
Lasith Malinga (captain), Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Shehan Jayasuriya, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Oshada Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha.
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