A late penalty from Jahmari Clarke saw Jamaica’s U-20 Reggae Boyz secure a 1-1 come-from-behind draw and share of the points against Costa Rica in Group D of the CONCACAF Under-20 Championships, in Honduras, on Saturday.
After a scoreless first half, which saw both teams unable to take advantage of limited opportunities to find the back of the net, Dorian Rodríguez gave Costa Rica the advantage with a well-placed header in the 58th minute.
The Jamaicans missed a golden opportunity to get back on level terms when Julián González brought down livewire substitute Chad James in the area. Duncan Mckenzie, however, missed the resulting penalty, with Costa Ria custodian Bayron Mora diving sharply to his left to stop the effort.
Los Ticos seemed destined for all three points but Andrey Salmerón’s 87th-minute shot came crashing back off the crossbar as the Jamaicans held on. In a hefty chunk of time added on, however, Clarke was wrestled to the ground by Brandon Calderón for another penalty. This time the forward did make use of the advantage, sending Mora the wrong way to bring the team back on level terms, only just seconds before the final whistle.
In the day’s other encounter, Cuba scored a 1-0 win over Canada in Group E. Kevin Martín got the winning goal in the 42nd minute.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite has expressed disappointment on missing out on triple figures against Bangladesh but was satisfied in playing a crucial innings on day 2 of the second Test.
The opening batsman crafted a resilient 94 from 268 balls, a resilient 400 minutes that went a long way towards anchoring the team’s total of 265 and a first-innings lead.
Just short of a deserved 11th Test century, the batsman was, however, deceived by Khaled Ahmed and sent back to the pavilion just four short of the coveted total.
“Obviously, I was a little disappointed but I’m happy that the team has formed a lead and it will be key for us to start well tomorrow,” Brathwaite told members of the media on Friday.
“The most important thing was to build a foundation for me, and my team and I was happy with the time I spent. So well done to the team for getting a lead,” he added.
The West Indies will enter the third day with a lead of 112 runs, after ending the day on 52 for 2.
Former Jamaica captain Nehemiah Perry believes the development of talented fast bowler O’Shane Thompson would have been aided greatly by featuring in more red-ball matches.
The fast bowler got the attention of the region and world in 2017 when he bowled with express pace at the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Despite some promising cameos, however, Thomas has not lived up to that promise and is currently out of the Windies squad.
The player’s conditioning has also been a source of concern with the bowler looking several pounds overweight and not approaching speeds seen earlier on. Perry believes, however, that a part of the problem was the player’s introduction in the shortest format.
“When I saw O’Shane and he was bowling real quick, yes there were some inconsistencies in his delivery but when he gets right he can be very lethal,” Perry told the Mason and Guest radio show.
“I said to my colleagues in the Caribbean and Jamaica, we need to play O’Shane Thomas in four-day cricket. He needs to play the long version of the game, he needs to learn how to bowl. Learn the art of bowling.
“If you blood someone in T20 cricket where all they have to do is bowl short, not sure were you going to land the delivery. If you play four-day cricket and you are bowling 20 overs a day you are going to learn the art of bowling and bowling more consistently,” he added.
‘Your body will be stronger and you will have a better work ethic.”
Former West Indies batsman and Jamaica captain Nehemiah Perry insists the evident lack of proper fitness programs for several professional cricketers around the Caribbean remains unacceptable.
The topic of player fitness has been a hot-button issue in recent years, with a few cricketers failing fitness tests and others on occasions noticeably overweight. The issue is back in the spotlight following the recently concluded Women's T20 Blaze where Jamaica were crowned champions.
Some critics have pointed to the lack of a regulatory fitness program for the regional, players but Perry insists it must also be an issue of personal responsibility.
“I don’t think enough work is being put into our cricketers and our cricketers are not properly monitoring themselves. They eat anything they want, they eat KFC, they eat Burger King, they eat Chinese, they don’t have a proper program,” Perry told the Mason and Guest radio program.
“A part of the program is nutrition. You have to be eating properly to be a top-class cricketer because your body is going to need it, because, it brings the best out of your body. Rehydration, you go to the beach, you swim, you do all of these things, you follow a specific program,” he added.
“Players aren’t following that, they go on their phones and they go and sit in the dressing room and do nothing and then they go home and put on weight. How can you be a professional cricketer and a be putting on weight? You are not supposed to be putting on weight.”
Jamaica Reggae Boyz goalkeeper Andre Blake insists the team would love to focus on solely football issues but insist on being given adequate means needed to succeed.
The custodian made a triumphant return between the sticks for the Jamaica national team and certainly did his part in ensuring the team got at least a share of the points with Mexico. Blake had missed the two previous games after pulling out of the team ahead of the first match with Suriname, following the team’s issues with Jamaica Football Federation general secretary Dalton Wint.
The team and the JFF have had several disputes over the last few years, most notably ahead of the World Cup qualifiers when the team went on strike. According to the player, the team would love to focus on on-the-field issues.
“If we are going to win, we have to be put in the best position to win. For me, leadership is very important. No matter how good you are you need people that are going to appreciate you and set you up to win,” Blake told journalists after the match.
We are going to always demand that, and we are always going to do what we need to do to get that. When we come here to play football and just football. So, when we come and have to deal with issues that aren’t even necessary, it’s toxic.”
Veteran West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach has been passed fit ahead of Thursday’s series against Bangladesh.
The Windies front-line bowler was a doubt for the series after sustaining an injury while playing for Surrey in the English County Championship. However, on Wednesday, on the eve of the series, Roach was passed fit and has been added as the 13th member of the squad.
Roach is the highest-ranked bowler West Indies bowler in the ICC rankings and is West Indies’ leading current wicket-taker in Test matches.
The bowler has typically done well against Bangladesh, claiming a total of 34 wickets in 9 matches. His career-best figures of 6-48 came against Bangladesh in 2009. The player will also have fond memories of playing Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, with his best figures at the venue of 5-8 also coming against Bangladesh in 2018.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite insists the team will not make the cardinal sin of underestimating Bangladesh, despite the Asian unit’s dismal record in the Caribbean to date.
In four series in the Caribbean to date, Bangladesh has managed to secure just one win, which came in a 2-0 series sweep in 2009. The team could have even more reason to feel confident having handed the Bangladeshi’s a 2-0 defeat on their home soil last year.
With all that in mind, however, the captain is determined to ensure that the team keeps its feet firmly planted when the series bowls off at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Thursday.
“The biggest thing is that we can’t underestimate them. Not because they are not top 3 in the world means that we are just going to roll over them,” Brathwaite told members of the media on Thursday.
“I think as batters and as bowlers, we have to stay disciplined. We have to go out there and work hard. I thought the England series we did a good job as batters, a batter getting 100 every game. I thought that was very good, but we can’t just go out there and think we will be making a 100 just because it's Bangladesh, we have to work hard.”
Womens cricket
West Indies bangla
NCAA women’s 100m silver medallist Kemba Nelson is mentally preparing for the prospect of a brutal Jamaica National trials, which she must advance to secure a place at this year’s World Championships.
On Saturday, the athlete put in a strong display to finish just behind another Caribbean athlete, St Lucia’s Julien Alfred who took the event in 11.02, with Nelson clocking an identical time.
To secure a spot in the country’s spot to the Eugene Games, the athlete knows she could have to go a good deal faster. Typically, legendary track stars Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah have accounted for the first two spots.
Recently, however, the two have been joined the upper echelons of world sprinting by Shericka Jackson and the trio top the top three spots at last year’s Olympic Games. If things go according to expectations, it could leave just one spot on the team up for grabs from a deep field of talented young female athletes.
“My National Trials is coming up where I will be running against way faster women,” Nelson said of the event, which will take place from June 23-26th.
“My start is good, so I just have to work on my finish and relax, to get my hips up at the bottom end and that will really help. I really hope I make the team."
Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz and Mexico were forced to settle for a share of the spoils after a feisty 1-1 draw in group A of the Concacaf Nations League Group A on Tuesday at the National Stadium.
The Mexicans began the game in an enterprising fashion and almost took the lead minutes after the kick-off. A sweeping attacking move ended with Santiago Gimenez being brilliantly thwarted by Jamaica custodian Andre Blake who snuffed out the 2nd-minute attempt no more than four yards away from goal.
It was the Jamaicans who, however, took the lead, against the run of play, through a sweeping move of their own, punctuated in the 7th minute by a bullet-header from Leon Bailey, who was picked out in the box by Shamar Nicholson.
Nicholson almost got on the scoresheet himself five minutes later but his towering header, after rising from a corner, crashed on to to the top of the crossbar.
After continuing to dominate the majority of the play, the visitors seemed set to end the half empty-handed but got some reward for their enterprise in time added on.
Luis Romo brought the team back on level terms after beating the Jamaican backline to a ball whipped into the area and heading past Blake just before the whistle.
In an entertaining second half, Nicholson almost restored the Jamaican's lead but saw his chip to goal cleared off the line by two Mexican defenders after successfully dinking the ball over the head of onrushing Mexican keeper Rodolfo Cota, after being played through on goal by Bailey.
The visitors, however, had plenty of attempts of their own, and Blake was kept busy, most notably diving full stretch to parry a fierce drive on goal from livewire Diego Lanez in the 68th minute.
With the result the Jamaicans remain at the top of the group on 5 points, while Mexico picks up their first point of the competition, joining Suriname on 1.
Jamaica's young Reggae Boyz have been drawn in Group H of the Concacaf U20 Championship, which will take place in Honduras later this month.
The fixture will see the team play Costa Rica on June 18, hosts Honduras on June 20, and Antigua and Barbuda on June 22 in the preliminary round.
After Group Stage play the top three teams in each of the groups will advance to the Round of 16, joining the four CMU20C Qualifiers winners (qualifiers between the lowest-ranked nations took place in November 2021).
The 16-team Knockout Stage will begin with the Round of 16 (June 25-26), followed by the Quarterfinals (June 29), Semifinals (July 1), and Final (July 3).
The top four teams will qualify for the FIFA Men’s U-20 World Cup in Indonesia in 2023. Jamaica qualified for the FIFA World U20 Championship in 2001.
Jamaica U-20 squad
West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran admits the team’s death bowling remains an area of concern following a 120-run defeat and 2-0 series loss to Pakistan in the second game.
Spinner Akeal Hosain and pace bowler Alzarri Josephs both had strong performances, claiming figures of 3 for 52 and 2 for 33 respectively, and the Windies bowling line-up was dominant in patches. Even so, the last two overs of the innings went for a damaging 27 runs as Pakistan put on 275.
In the previous match, the hosts took 44 from the last four to secure a narrow five-wicket win.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a problem, but we definitely need to review it and keep working. We know that has been a problem for us in the last couple of months, last couple years actually,” Pooran said, following the match.
“It's a new team as well, the guys are young and inexperienced. We are in the rebuilding stages and obviously, we can’t get everything right and it (death bowling) is hurting us but having said that we’ll learn from this experience and hopefully we get better with every game we play,” he added.
The West Indies will face Pakistan in the third and final One Day International (ODI) on Sunday.
First-string Reggae Boyz goalkeeper Andre Blake has returned to the team’s line-up ahead of Tuesday’s Concacaf Nation’s League fixture against Mexico at the National Stadium.
The 31-year-old shot-stopper, who has racked up 68 international appearances for Jamaica, pulled out of the team suddenly ahead of last week’s fixture against Suriname. The goalkeeper also missed the second-leg match between the teams earlier this week.
The custodian reportedly suffered an undisclosed injury but unconfirmed reports also suggest the issue also stemmed from the team’s issues with former JFF general secretary Dalton Wint, who resigned last week. Blake’s return to the squad will come at a good time following an injury to stand-in goalkeeper Amal Knight who deputised for Blake for both matches.
Two new players have been added to the 23-man squad ahead of the fixture, with goalkeeper Jahmali Waite and defender Jordan Scarlett joining the team.
Knight and defender Richard King have been ruled out of the match due to injury.
The Reggae Boyz, who currently lead zone A with 4 points, after two matches, ahead of Suriname on 1. Mexico are yet to play a match in the group.
Jamaica double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah remains convinced the correct call was made regarding the decision to change coaching camps last year.
Following the most successful year of her career, the 29-year-old made the controversial decision to part ways with the Steven Francis-led MVP track club, one of the most high-profile in international track and field.
Instead, the sprinter now trains with her husband, Derron Herah, and ahead of another big year in track and field is feeling comfortable.
“I think the change matches my aspirations and what I want this year,” Thompson-Herah told members of the media on Wednesday, ahead of the Rome Diamond League meet.
“I am definitely getting the love and support that I want for what I am working on. Sometimes I think a change is good. I am grown and I know what is best for my career and I’m sure I’ve chosen the right path.”
Heading into Thursday’s Diamond League showdown, over 200ms, the sprinter has won all of her races so far this season.
West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran has heaped praises on in-form batsman Shai Hope who scored his 12th One Day International century against Pakistan, albeit in a losing effort.
On Wednesday, Hope maintained a rich vein of form that has seen the batsman score centuries in consecutive series. Against Pakistan, the opening batsman racked up 127 runs in an innings that featured 15 sumptuous fours.
Despite occurring in a losing effort, the score saw Hope move past into fourth on the all-time list of most ODI hundreds for the West Indies. His tally of 12 edged him ahead of the likes of Gordon Greenidge (11), Viv Richards (11), and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (11). Desmond Haynes (17), Brian Lara (19), and Chris Gayle (25) are the batsmen ahead of Hope.
“He continues to show his class,” Pooran said, following the match.
“He is one of the best batsmen in this format and today was a magnificent innings, especially in those tough conditions he just showed his class today,” he added.
Hope’s cameo led the team to an innings score of 305 but Pakistan successfully chased down the total with four balls remaining.
Double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah admits she is yet to find her best form after being hampered by some early-season injury setbacks.
The Jamaican sprinter is set to face her most formidable challenge to date this term, at Thursday’s Diamond League meet in Rome. Thompson-Herah will face a quality field that includes 400m Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, 200m World champion Dina Asher-Smith and compatriot Shericka Jackson over 200m.
In nine races so far this season, over both the 100 and the 200m, Thompson-Herah is yet to taste defeat. She will be first to admit, however, that it has been far from smooth sailing.
“I’m not 100 percent but I think I am a true fighter. I opened my season at Mt. SAC and I got a rotator (cuff) injury so I was in and out of practice. You need your arms to run and every time I race I have discomfort in it, but I have to race, I have to see where I am at,” Thompson-Herah said at the pre-meet press conference on Wednesday.
“I think having (to compete) with an Achilles and shoulder injury you are a true fighter. I know most athletes have something that they're going through they just don’t talk about it. I hate to talk about my injuries,” she added.
With Jamaica’s national trials just a few weeks away, the athlete insists she is using the races to fine-tune her performance.
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