Jamaica’s Under-20 Reggae Boyz failed in their bid to advance to the semifinals of the Concacaf Men’s U-20 Championship and FIFA U-20 World Cup, following a 1-0 loss to qualifiers Dominica Republic.
In a match that saw few clearcut scoring opportunities, Ángel Montes got the all-important goal for the Dominican Republic in the 10th minute. From a throw-in, the forward slipped away from a napping defense and fired the ball wide of Jamaican goalkeeper Coniah Boyce Clarke.
The Dom Rep, who defended stoutly against a listless Jamaican attack, seemed to have doubled their lead headed to halftime but Edison Azcona’s 41st-minute strike was ruled to have been offside.
The Dominica Republic will now advance to play the winner of Guatemala and Mexico City in the competition’s semifinal. By virtue of making the final four, however, the team has advanced to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup for the first time in its history.
Newly appointed West Indies women’s team captain Hayley Matthews admits her new role will require plenty of learning on the job.
The 24-year-old all-rounder was named as captain of the Caribbean team last week, taking over from Stafanie Taylor who took charge of the team in 2015.
Matthews has been a rising star for the team over the last two years and was the most outstanding player for the West Indies women during the last ODI World Cup. However, leading a squad that still has quite a few veteran players, will be an entirely new experience.
“I’m still trying to balance being player and captain. As a player, I am still trying to perform as best as I can and lead by example. That’s something a captain needs to do, lead by example, 100 percent,” Matthews told the Mason and Guest show.
“I know my success as a player is very important to the team. Obviously going forward at the same time I am captain as well. It’s a lot to take on, it’s obviously a team first mentality and I have a lot of learning to do on the job.”
West Indies batting star Chris Gayle will miss out on this year's edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in order to focus on the launch of the 6IXTY, a new format of the sport expected to make its debut in St Kitts and Nevis in August.
The tournament is set to feature six men’s teams and three women’s teams who will each battle for a version of the Universe Boss Trophy, which has been named in honour of the legendary T20 player.
The new format will see each team allotted ten overs to bat. In many respects, the game will look very different from the typical 10-over format. The teams will be allotted just six wickets instead of ten, a floating third powerplay will also be unlocked if the batting team manages to hit two sixes in the first two-over powerplay.
The fielding team will be allowed to bowl five consecutive overs from the same end instead of changing ends after every over. If a team fails to complete the overs during the allotted time of 45 minutes will a fielder will be excluded for the final six balls of the innings. The fans will also be directly involved and able to vote for a ‘mystery-free hit’.
“It is a great feeling to actually have a trophy named after The Universe Boss, something fantastic, and I am really and truly looking forward to it. I am sure people will ask if this is real, a trophy named for Chris Gayle. Yes, it is happening, and I am really happy about it. I am looking forward to all the innovations," Gayle said.
"I am looking forward to the mystery team ball and hitting two sixes in the first 12 balls to unlock a third PowerPlay over.”
In addition to taking part in the tournament, Gayle will also play the role of ambassador.
An unbeaten century from middle-order batsman Kyle Mayers put the West Indies in pole position against Bangladesh on day two of the second Test at the Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia.
At the close of play, having overhauled Bangladesh the West Indies were 340 for 5 and had a lead of 106 runs. The team’s strong position was in large part due to the work of Mayers who put together a dominant 126 from 180 deliveries, providing the base of the West Indies' response to the Bangladesh first innings total of 234.
The batsman came to the crease just before lunch with the team struggling at 132 for four and immediately went to work by putting on a big partnership with Jermaine Blackwood.
The duo steadied a shaky situation with a 116-run fifth-wicket stand after the team had fallen to 137 for 4. Blackwood was dismissed just after tea, by spinner Mehidy Hasan, having added 40 to the tally.
Mayers, who scored 210 on debut against the same opponents last year, pressed on and helped himself to 15 fours and two sixes. Wicketkeeper-batsman Joshua Da Silva joined him at the crease to add 26, and 92 for the sixth wicket, before the close of play.
Earlier, having resumed the day at 67 without loss, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell pushed the score to 100 without loss. The partnership was finally broken when pacer Shoriful Islam produced some extra bounce to Campbell who was then gobbled up by the wicketkeeper, on 45.
Brathwaite was next to follow and was bowled after being deceived by a flighted delivery from Mehidy, shortly after reaching a half-century. The struggles of Raymond Reifer in the number three spot continued. He never looked really comfortable before being dismissed by Khaled Ahmed after getting to 22. Up next, Nkrumah Bonner, who also had success against Bangladesh last year, continued to struggle through a rough patch as he was dismissed for his second duck of the series.
Newly minted women’s 100m champion, Shericka Jackson, believes something special could be in store as she gets ready to tackle double the distance at the ongoing Jamaica National Championships.
The Tokyo Olympics 100m bronze medallist looked in superb form as she ran away from reigning Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah to claim the event in 10.77. The win was the first for the talented all-around sprinter having previously claimed two 400m titles and one over 200m.
Despite being thrilled with the result the athlete was quick to admit that she was not entirely satisfied and looking for a faster time. Jackson finished one-hundredth of a second outside her personal best.
“I’m feeling good but I’m actually a little disappointed with the time, knowing where I am at in training, but I will take it for now,” the sprinter said after the race.
With the women’s 200m set to run off on Saturday, however, Jackson has another opportunity to show just how far she has progressed, and she intends to take it.
“Something special will be in store for that event,” Jackson added.
The athlete has been one of the event's standout performers this season and clocked the third-fastest time over the distance this year with a 21.91 showing in Rome.
Newly crowned Jamaica national 100m champion Yohan Blake believes his return to the top of the local track and field podium is a lesson in perseverance.
On Friday, the 32-year-old announced his return to top form in grand fashion after stopping the clock at 9.86 seconds, finishing ahead of a field of mostly younger challengers. The title was the athlete’s fifth overall but first since 2019.
More impressively, however, the time was the athlete’s fastest since 2012, a year when he ran a blistering 9.69 and the 9.76 to put him in the same conversations as legendary compatriot Usain Bolt.
A devastating injury a year later, however, significantly derailed Blake’s career. After failing to medal at any major Games since then and missing out on the final at last year’s Olympic Games, many doubted Blake could ever get back to top form.
“It just goes to show you that you should never give up on yourself,” Blake said following the event.
“Always believe in yourself, trust God, trust your coach and go for it,” he added.
“I’ve been working assiduously all season and it just came together.”
En route to the title, the 32-year-old got the better of 21-year-old Oblique Seville (9.88) and 20-year-old Ackeem Blake third in 9.93.
Young Windies pacers Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales took three wickets apiece to reel in a comfortable-looking Bangladesh who seemed set for a big opening day in the second Test, at the Darren Sammy Ground in St Lucia.
Batting first Bangladesh found themselves in a strong position at 105 for 2 with a solid partnership between Anamul Haque and Najmul Hossain Shanto, who came together following the dismissal of Tamim Iqbal. After looking set at the crease, Iqbal was dismissed by Joseph on 44.
After briefly steading the innings the duo departed in quick succession, Haque was sent back for 23 by Phillip while Kyle Mayers dismissed Shanto Lbw for 26. Shakib Al Hasan was then bowled by Jayden Seales for 8.
Bangladesh were 159-6 at tea with Liton Das set at the crease, but as soon as he reached 14th Test fifty, he was dismissed by Joseph on 53.
Tailenders Shoriful Islam and Ebadot Hossain pushed the team past 200 but the innings was wrapped up soon after.
At the close of play, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and opening partner John Campbell pushed the team to 67 without loss. Campbell and Brathwaite were untroubled in making 32 and 30 respectively.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite is adamant that the team has full confidence in batsman Raymond Reifer who recently took up responsibility at number 3 in the team’s batting line-up.
The move to insert the batsman so high in the team’s batting line-up has sparked discussion in some arenas and consternation in others, with many questioning the batsman’s suitability for the position.
The batsman is typically known for batting further down the line-up, but during the most recent West Indies Championship made cameos in the position on three occasions. Batting at three, Reifer had notable scores of 79 and 71 and also scored 74 batting at number 4. Overall, he scored 345 runs from 5 matches.
“Mentally he is a very strong character but batting at three for Barbados would certainly have propelled this decision and we back him 100 percent,” Brathwaite told members of the media on Thursday.
“We 100 percent believe that Raymond can do the job. As an opener, the number 3 position is similar to an opener, it’s all about mental strength and we know Raymond has that and we are baking him to do well. He did well for Barbados at three this year. The year before he wasn’t at three, but mentally, and in terms of toughness, he is a guy that can get the job done and we back him 100 percent.”
Reifer has had a difficult start to the series against Bangladesh after being dismissed for 11 in the first innings and 2 in the second.
Game 1 - Position 3 23, 45
Game 2 – Position 4 74
Game 3 – Position 6 – 29, 27
Game 4 – Position 3 - 79
Game 5 – Position 3 - 71,
Top-class West Indies fast bowler, Kemar Roach, admits that the depth and quality of the new generation of fast bowlers is an encouraging sign for the regional team.
The 33-year-old Barbadian-born speedster continued to enhance his own legend this week when he moved up to join Michael Holding on the all-time Windies wicket-takers list. With 249 Test wickets, Roach has established himself as the premier fast bowler of this Windies generation.
At 33, however, the player is heading towards the back end of his career, with the likes of Shannon Gabriel in the same position. For pace bowling wickets though, it seems the Windies will continue to have plenty of options for years to come with the likes of Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales, and all-rounder Kyle Mayers all showing plenty of promise in recent times.
“You have Jayden and Alzarri 24, 25, and Kyle Mayers who is showing great skill with the ball and there are other guys on the outside trying to get in as well,” Roach told members of the media on Wednesday.
“It’s good that we have a crop of fast bowlers coming through that can get the job done and they are learning every day at practice, how to improve their skills, their body and technique and whatever, that’s all you ask from these guys. It’s good that we have a pretty big quartet of fast bowlers now.”
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz secured a spot in the next round of the Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championship following a 2-0 win over Antigua and Barbuda on Wednesday.
Goals from Zion Scarlett and Jahmari Clarke, on either side of half-time, ensured that the team would at least finish third in Group H and condemned their Caribbean neighbours to a winless goalless campaign.
That does not mean that the Jamaicans had things all their own way, with Antigua and Barbuda showing plenty of fighting spirit, and goalkeeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke doing his best to keep the Reggae Boyz at bay. There was very little to be done when Scarlett was given too much time in the area and spun away from the attending defender to find plenty of space to put the ball wide of a stranded Boyce-Clarke in the 41st minute.
With the Antiguans failing to find a way to get back on level terms Clarke made full points for the Jamaicans safe in the 81st minute from the penalty spot after substitute Tyler Roberts was brought down in the area by Antigua defender Dajun Barthley. Barthley was later ejected from the game by referee Rubiel Vázquez after reviewing the VAR system. The Jamaicans will now face Haiti on Sunday in Tegucigalpa.
Former West Indies cricketer Sylvester Joseph admits he was surprised by the decision to deploy Raymond Reifer at number 3 in the team’s batting line-up for the first Test against Bangladesh.
The 31-year-old batsman struggled to make an impact in the opener, dismissed for 11 in the first innings before being one of three batsmen dislodged in a brutal spell from Khaled Ahmed, this time without scoring.
Reifer cobbled together a strong season for the eventual champions Barbados Pride scoring 345 runs at an average of 49.28 in five matches. Typically, however, the batsman was deployed to the middle order.
“Where he is batting is not where he batted throughout the season, which was at number 5, number six and you could understand that,” Joseph told the Mason and Guest radio show.
“To be honest when I just saw his name, I thought he might have been there to replace Kemar Roach who had some injury issues…it was really surprising to me that they had him as the number three batter,” he added.
“It was a bit of a shock…the selection of batting Reifer there was kind of baffling and it’s still baffling now because we are looking to see what the next move is, if they will carry on with him.”
Jamaica U-20 Reggae Boyz coach Marcel Gayle expects a rapid bounce back from the team on the back of a 5-0 hammering at the hands of hosts Honduras in the Concacaf Men’s Under-20 Championship on Monday.
The highly one-side affair left the Jamaicans third in group H, with one game remaining against Antigua and Barbuda. With three teams advancing from the four-team group, however, the team remains in contention to secure a place in the next round if they can secure a point against Antigua.
“We know what is expected of us, so we just want to go out there and express ourselves again. We realise it’s a must-win situation and we are looking to go out there all guns blazing to represent the nation,” Gayle said of the upcoming fixture on Wednesday.
“Everyone is disappointed, the boys are disappointed but they are young so they will get over it…we’ll come again. We’ll take heart from the game. We’re still in it, so I just have to encourage the guys to come again, so, you can look forward to greater things.”
With the win Honduras moved to the top of the group with 6 points, followed by Costa Rica on 4 and Jamaica on 1. Antigua and Barbuda are yet to secure a win.
West Indies coach Phil Simmonds expects improved bowling performances from spinner Gudakesh Motie in the future after a fruitless debut with the ball against Bangladesh last week.
Overall, the spinner ended the opening Test with no wicket from 16 overs and conceded 43 runs. The debut stood a far way from his performances in the West Indies Championship this season where he claimed 17 wickets in five matches, earning the attention of the West Indies selectors.
The 27-year-old did, however, make some sort of contribution with the bat after making 23 unbeaten from 21 deliveries, in the first innings.
“He scored a 100 in the Championship, so he can hold the bat and he can score like we saw but his bowling is going to improve,” Simmons said, following the first Test.
“I think when you play in your first Test match there’s always nerves, there’s a lot of things, but his bowling is going to improve,” he added.
While, for the most part, it was the pace bowlers who dominated affairs, Bangladesh spinner Mehidy Hasan claimed 4 for 59 in the first innings to put some pressure on the West Indies batting line-up. West Indies and Bangladesh will face off in the second and final Test on Friday.
Legendary West Indies batsman Sir Viv Richards was among those expressing shock at the sudden passing of former Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president and long regional football executive Gordon Derrick.
According to reports, Derrick passed away at the hospital on Sunday evening, in Miami, after suddenly complaining of feeling ill. He was 53.
Banks, who was also a general secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA), served as president of the CFU between 2012 and 2017 but was prevented from contesting the presidency of CONCACAF in 2016 and later banned by the world football governing body FIFA.
The administrator was fondly remembered in his native Antigua for both his attitude and service to the sport.
“Let me take this opportunity to say condolences to the football fraternity and everything Banks would have been involved with, and also send my condolences to his family. It’s just some sad news today and I am going to agree with the rock group that sang ‘I don’t like Mondays’ because it’s a punch that hits you were it hurts, but let’s just keep our chins up,” Richards told the Antigua Observer.
In a statement, the ABFA also acknowledged his contribution.
“He gave his all to football and his vision for the sport in which the Caribbean is equal to all and subordinate to none, and he paid a great price. Still, neither his love for football nor his support for those of us still in the game waned. From chairman to cheerleader, his passion was unmuted and, perhaps, unmatched”.
“We express profound condolences to his wife, Wendy, and his children, Nazir and Gia, his siblings, Colin and Sandra, his DSC and friends, brotherhood, his extended family, and all who mourn his loss,” the FA’s statement read.
Windies fast bowler Kemar Roach has admitted to feeling a tremendous sense of pride after joining legendary pace bowler Michael Holding on 249 Test wickets on the all-time West Indies Test wickets list.
On Saturday, the 33-year-old put in another stirring performance against one of his favourite opponents, Bangladesh. The bowler’s 10th five-wicket haul, on this occasion figures of 5 for 54, not only left the West Indies on the verge of winning the first Test but represented a huge personal milestone.
His latest tally sees the bowler now tied for 6th all-time on the list of the regional team’s top wicket-takers, shoulder to shoulder with the revered Holding, and 10 behind Joel Garner for 5th. The significance of the moment was not lost on the player, who made his Test debut against the same opponents in 2009.
“I’m proud. I’m proud to know how I started, obviously, I came into the team under very difficult conditions, and to build a career and get among the greats is a good feeling,” Roach said.
“I’m one for stats, I love my stats. I'm always checking once I'm not playing, so it’s always good to be among the greats,” he added.
With more left in the tank, the bowler has targeted the 300 wickets milestone, which would put him 9 behind spinner Lance Gibbs and fifth on the all-time list.
“I’d love 300 Test wickets. I’m at 249, I have about two to three more years left in me, so that’s the target.”
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