Defending champions Barbados Royals booked their place in the final of the 2024 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) with a 17-run victory over Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad.

Ball dominated bat on a testing wicket under lights. The Royals were inserted after Warriors captain Lauren Winfield-Hill won the toss and Hayley Matthews’s side struggled to break the infield or find the boundary in the early stages. Matthews fell for just two runs off 13 deliveries, and the normally fluent Chamari Athapanthu used up 27 deliveries for her 15 runs before being pinned lbw by Chloe Tryon.

It was hard going throughout for the Royals in the face of tight bowling, with just 25 runs added in the PowerPlay and 33 on the board after the first ten overs. Erin Burns starred for the Warriors once again, this time with the ball in hand, as she returned figures of 3/31 off her four overs as the Royals reached a total of 101/8 off their twenty overs. Qiana Joseph top scored for the 2023 champions with 19 runs. The slow left-armer later pocketed 3/16 with the ball to cap a Player of the Match performance.

The Warriors found conditions equally as tough in their response. The Royals put the squeeze on and showed their class and composure in defending a small target. Once Erin Burns, the tournament’s top run maker, was dismissed by Athanpanthu to leave the warriors 44/5 in the twelfth over, the game drifted out of sight for Winfield-Hill’s side.

The Royals chalked up another win and look increasingly strong in this year’s competition, now it is a case of who they will meet in Thursday’s final with Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors both tied on two points apiece. Deandra Dottin’s Knight Riders have the chance to secure their place in the final but will need to find a way of beating the undefeated and dominant Royals tomorrow night in order to do so.

Barbados-born Jacob Bethell has received his maiden call up to the England squad for their three T20 Internationals and five One-Day Internationals against Australia in September.

Bethell, 20, a left-handed batter and spin bowler, has been picked for the three-match T20 series and five one-day internationals that follow after scoring 356 runs for Birmingham Bears in the Vitality Blast this season, including a 15-ball fifty against Northamptonshire.

Bethell’s Warwickshire team-mate Dan Mousley, 23, another left-hander who also offers a slow-bowling option, was also included in the T20 squad for the first time after amassing 375 runs in Birmingham's run to the Blast quarter-finals.

Leicestershire left-arm seamer Josh Hull and right-arm Hampshire quick John Turner could also make white-ball debuts after being included in both groups, while a fifth uncapped player, Essex batter Jordan Cox, is in the T20 party.

England white-ball stalwarts Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and Chris Jordan have been left out and may very well have played their last international matches.

England T20I squad: Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John Turner

England ODI squad: Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Reece Topley, John Turner

The West Indies clinched their third successive series win against South Africa with a dramatic 30-run victory at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad on Sunday. A potent bowling attack, led by Romario Shepherd, Shamar Joseph, Akeal Hosein, and Matthew Forde, played a pivotal role in dismantling South Africa's chase and securing the win.

Set a target of 180, South Africa appeared to be in a strong position at 129 for 3 in the 14th over, but the West Indies bowlers had other plans. In a stunning collapse, South Africa lost seven wickets for just 20 runs within the space of 35 balls, eventually being bowled out for 149 in 19.4 overs, falling short by 30 runs.

The West Indies' innings was anchored by key contributions from Shai Hope (41) and Rovman Powell (35), allowing them to post a competitive 179 for 6. South Africa's bowlers, led by Lizaad Williams (3 for 36) and Gerald Coetzee (2 for 29), kept the West Indies' scoring in check, but the hosts managed a late flourish, adding 50 runs in the last five overs.

South Africa started their chase aggressively, racing to 100 inside 10 overs, but the West Indies bowlers tightened the screws in the middle overs. Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie delivered crucial breakthroughs, dismissing Tristan Stubbs and Donovan Ferreira respectively. However, it was the duo of Romario Shepherd and Shamar Joseph who truly turned the game on its head.

Shepherd was particularly effective, claiming 3 for 15 in his four overs, while Joseph recorded a career-best 3 for 31. Their combined efforts derailed South Africa's chase, which at one point seemed on track for victory.

South Africa's middle-order collapse highlighted concerns for the visitors, with only one batter from No. 3 down managing to surpass 20 runs. In a match where individual scoring milestones were scarce, the West Indies' ability to clear the boundary made the difference. They hit 13 sixes compared to South Africa's six, underscoring their superiority in power-hitting.

The 47-run stand between Rovman Powell and Sherfane Rutherford provided the West Indies with a crucial edge, as their late acceleration ensured a challenging total for South Africa.

The victory not only secured the series for the West Indies but also demonstrated their growing dominance over South Africa, particularly in home conditions. The hosts will now look to build on this momentum as they prepare for future challenges.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors claimed their first victory in the 2024 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) with a commanding eight-wicket win over the Trinbago Knight Riders at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad. A stunning 78 off 48 balls from Erin Burns was the cornerstone of their successful chase, helping the Warriors overcome a shaky start to secure the win with 16 balls to spare.

Chasing a target of 131 in favorable batting conditions, the Warriors found themselves in early trouble at 15-2 after losing Natasha McLean and Stafanie Taylor within the first few overs. The pressure mounted as Jonassen and seamer Shikha Pandey applied the brakes, making run-scoring difficult in the powerplay.

However, Burns, alongside captain Lauren Winfield-Hill, who scored a solid 46 off 47 balls, steadied the ship with an unbroken 119-run partnership, the highest ever in the competition. The duo expertly navigated the tricky period, combining aggressive stroke play with calculated risk-taking, which paid off handsomely.

Burns, who was dropped twice during her innings, capitalized on those chances to anchor the chase. She reached her half-century off just 32 balls and continued to find the boundary with ease, particularly down the ground and through the leg side. Winfield-Hill played the perfect supporting role, rotating the strike and allowing Burns to dominate the innings.

Earlier, the Knight Riders posted a total of 130-6, a score that seemed competitive at the halfway mark. The team’s captain, Deandra Dottin, and Harshitha Samarawickrama laid a strong foundation with a half-century opening partnership. Samarawickrama, replacing the injured Meg Lanning, was particularly impressive, displaying elegant strokes and punishing anything short as she guided the team to 37-0 after the powerplay.

Despite the solid start, the Knight Riders' momentum stalled once spinner Chloe Tryon was introduced into the attack. Tryon, who finished with figures of 4-21, struck with her very first delivery, dismissing Dottin with a brilliant catch by Ashmini Munisar at gully. She then bowled Samarawickrama, who attempted a reverse sweep, and stifled the Knight Riders in the middle overs.

Jemimah Rodrigues and Jess Jonassen provided a late surge with a quick 44-run partnership, but Tryon once again swung the momentum in the Warriors' favor by removing Jonassen for 28 and then dismissing Kycia Knight in the penultimate over.

The Knight Riders' final total ultimately fell short, and the Warriors, despite the early hiccups in their chase, displayed their depth and resilience to record their first points of the tournament.

This victory will serve as a significant confidence boost for the Warriors as they look to build momentum in the competition. Both teams had entered this match desperate for a win after losing to the Barbados Royals in their opening fixtures, but it was the Warriors who emerged triumphant, thanks to Burns' heroics and Tryon's pivotal bowling performance.

An outstanding performance in the field by Bangladesh, led by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, secured a 10-wicket victory over Pakistan in their first Test.

The tourists have an unassailable lead in the series after getting their first win against Pakistan, whose only hope now is to get a tie after their early collapse on Sunday.

After a strong fourth day for Bangladesh, which saw Mushfiqur Rahim score 191 to give them control, Pakistan went into the final day trailing by 94 runs with Saim Ayub already dismissed.

Bangladesh's bowlers picked up where they left off, and Babar Azam’s stand ended on 22 before Shakib Al Hasan (3-44) and Mehidy (4-21) swiftly took care of the final seven wickets.

Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha were both dismissed for ducks, while only Mohammad Rizwan hit double figures (51) as Pakistan limped to 146.

That left Bangladesh with the simple target of 30 to hit, which they did inside seven overs, as Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam got them over the line. 

Data Debrief: Tourists find away joy

While the first Test finally came to life on the final day, Bangladesh had put themselves in a commanding position to earn a rare away Test victory.

It is just the third time in seven years that they have managed to win on the road, while they ensured Pakistan's winless run at home stretched on, with the hosts failing to win a Test at home since February 2021. 

Bangladesh are the first team to beat Pakistan in Pakistan by 10 wickets, and they will be hoping they can produce a similar display to win the series.

Mark Wood has been ruled out of the rest of England's series against Sri Lanka after suffering a muscle strain in the first Test.

The seamer limped off late on day three, with scan results ruling him out of the last two Tests, with Josh Hull receiving his first senior call-up as his replacement.

Hull, who stands at 6ft 7ins, has played 10 first-class matches and took five wickets for the England Lions in their tour game against Sri Lanka earlier this month.

Olly Stone, who was in the squad for the first Test at Old Trafford, is likely to take Wood's place in the XI at Lord's, with the Test starting on Thursday.

Wood has shone on the international stage so far this summer, taking 11 wickets in three Tests, while also providing some exciting performances with the bat.

It is thought the 34-year-old will be back in time for their Test tour of Pakistan in October, when England will also hope to have captain Ben Stokes and Zak Crawley back after their own respective injuries. 

Ollie Pope believes England's five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka showed they are not a "one-dimensional" team after battling through difficult conditions at Old Trafford.

England showed possible signs of a collapse after falling to 70-3 early on, only for a calm showing from Joe Root to steady the hosts' run chase. 

Their 205-run pursuit was eventually completed in the 58th over, having at one stage scored just two runs an over, with Root finishing on an unbeaten 62. 

England have been known for their aggressive approach during the Bazball era, but stand-in captain Pope insists the triumph has shown a different side to the team. 

"On another day you might see us try to knock that off in 20 less overs," Pope told BBC Sport.

"It shows where we're coming on as a team overall, we're not just a one-dimensional team where we want to go out and score quickly.

"We want to keep reading situations slightly better and try to be as ruthless as we can.

"If we feel like that is a way to go, it's not all about trying to score as quickly as we can, it's about getting the job done."

Pope is serving as captain for the injured Ben Stokes, who has been with the squad throughout the first Test to offer guidance to the Surrey man. 

He led England for the first time in Manchester despite only taking charge of one previous first-class match, and will remain in charge for the rest of the three-match series.

"It was different, more so in the field," said Pope. "There were some good lessons learned for me.

"I think Stokesy was bored at times. He'd much rather be playing. He was great. Every now and again I'd pick his brain, more than he comes to me.

"He wanted to give me my own space to do it my own way, but I know there will be conversations with him and [McCullum] while we're on the pitch about potential plans for different batters, which is great to have when we come off for a break."

Joe Root guided England through a tricky final session as the hosts beat Sri Lanka by five runs in Manchester.

England looked like they could collapse when they were left at 70-3 following the dismissals of Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence on Saturday.

Yet Root, along with Harry Brook, steadied the ship before the latter was caught and bowled by Prabath Jayasuriya on 32, leaving the hosts on 116-4, chasing a target of 204 to win.

Root, however, remained nerveless, with Jamie Smith contributing an entertaining and useful 39 from just 48 balls in a brief stint at the other end.

Smith's stand came to an end with England still 21 runs shy of their target, but Root would not let victory slip through their fingers.

And it was Root who fittingly had the final say as he struck his second boundary to take himself onto 62 and seal a convincing win.

Data Debrief: Root comes up big

Root has scored 60+ in five of his last seven Test innings, after managing 42 in the first innings of this match (84, 68, 14, 122, 87, 42, 62).

He is just one century away, meanwhile, from matching Alastair Cook's record of 33 Test tons for England.

Bangladesh are in a strong position heading into the final day of their opening Test against Pakistan, thanks largely to Mushfiqur Rahim.

Mushfiqur scored 191 before he was dismissed in the third session on Saturday, as Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 565.

After declaring on 448-6, Pakistan had been hoping to make inroads with the ball, but the day belonged to Bangladesh, with Shadman Islam (93), Mominul Haque (50), Litton Das (56) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (77) helping Mushfiqur along the way as the tourists mounted a huge total in Rawalpindi.

Naseem Shah was the pick of Pakistan's bowlers with 3-93, while Mohammad Ali (2-88) eventually ended Mushfiqur's momentous stand.

Bangladesh still had time to do some damage with the ball late on, with Shoriful Islam (1-13) dismissing Saim Ayub in the third over of Pakistan's second innings.

The hosts trail by 94 runs ahead of the final day, with a draw almost certainly the best Pakistan can hope for.

Data Debrief: Mushfiqur makes his mark in style

This was Mushfiqur's 11th Test ton, but his first against Pakistan in the format, and he did it in fantastic fashion, falling just short of a double-century.

Mushfiqur had not been in great form on the road before this match, either. Indeed, he had scored fewer than 10 runs in four of his last five innings away from home, but he is now clear of Tamim Iqbal in second place on the list of the most Test hundreds for Bangladesh.

The West Indies took advantage of an inexperienced South Africa bowling line-up to take a 1-0 T20I Series lead at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Friday.

The hosts, after winning the toss and electing to field first, took advantage of some bowler friendly conditions early due to an hour-long rain delay to have the South Africans reeling at 42-5 after eight overs.

A 71-run sixth wicket partnership between Tristan Stubbs and Patrick Krueger made things more respectable for South Africa.

They eventually made 174-7 from their 20 overs, an excellent recovery from where they were at the halfway stage.

Stubbs starred with a 42-ball 76 including eight fours and three sixes while Kruger made 44 off 32 balls.

Matthew Forde was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with 3-27 from his four overs.

The hosts then needed only 17.5 overs to reach 176-3. Openers Alick Athanaze and Shai Hope put on 84 for the first wicket and set an excellent foundation for the rest of the chase.

Nicholas Pooran, in his turn in the middle, took advantage of that foundation with a brutal 65* off just 26 balls including two fours and seven mighty sixes.

Shai Hope made 51 in support while Athanaze made 40.

Ottneil Baartman took 2-30 from his four overs for South Africa.

The second game of the series is set for Sunday at the same venue.

Rovman Powell insists West Indies must not get too far ahead of themselves after what he saw as an "unacceptable" level of rustiness against South Africa.

The Windies won by seven wickets in Friday's T20I to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

They have now won five of their last six T20Is against the Proteas, having bounced back from a three-wicket defeat at the T20 World Cup in June.

However, Powell was far from happy with what he saw, with South Africa posting a competitive 174-7 - Tristan Stubbs top-scoring with 76 and Patrick Kruger adding 44.

Powell said: "I think it's always good to go 1-0 up. We bowled well in the powerplay and though we let them off a bit, we were good with the bat.

"The guys look a bit rusty, which is unacceptable at this level.

"To be honest, a lot of talk is around the next T20 World Cup but we have to play one game at a time and see different players. We have to stay in the moment and the 2026 T20 World Cup is too far for us."

Shai Hope's 51 and Alick Athanaze's 40 got the Windies' chase off to a strong start, paving the way for Nicholas Pooran to take centre stage with an unbeaten 65, which included reeling off four straight sixes in one over.

"I just felt like Shai and Alick put South Africa under pressure in the powerplay," said Pooran, who was named Player of the Match.

"At the ten-over mark, we knew it was a better wicket and my job was simple and I just had to take on my match-ups.

"With rain around, the first ten overs were tricky when South Africa batted. Stubbs and Kruger played well, but we knew the wicket would get better."

Along with Stubbs' performance with the bat, one other bright spark for South Africa in their defeat was teenager Kwena Maphaka, who claimed his maiden international wicket.

"Maphaka has a lot of X-factor and is really young," said Proteas captain Aiden Markram. "He has hunger when you speak to him off the field and he wants to win games for South Africa."

Sri Lanka batting coach Ian Bell believes Jamie Smith will be a "world class player" for years to come with England after striking his maiden century against Sri Lanka on day three of the first Test. 

Smith, who started on 72 after rain halted play on the second day, scored 111 from 148 deliveries at Old Trafford, claiming his ton in the 77th over of proceedings. 

He had a strike rate of 75.00 and showed 90% control through the balls he faced, the most controlled Test century by an Englishman since Joe Root versus India at Edgbaston in 2022 (92%).

Smith also became the fifth wicketkeeper to score a ton for England at Old Trafford, after Alec Stewart (three times), Godfrey Evans, Jack Russell and Ben Foakes.

And Bell, whose 7,727 runs put him ninth on England's all-time list in Tests, has seen first-hand the 24-year-old's talents, having worked with him for England Lions and Hundred side Birmingham Phoenix. 

"He's going to be a world-class player for England over a long period of time," said Bell. "He's confident, and he's taken to international cricket with ease," he said. 

Surrey's Smith was given the gloves by England ahead of county team-mate Foakes and Jonny Bairstow for the series against West Indies.

He missed out on a maiden century in the third Test against the Windies, scoring 95 at Edgbaston, but made no mistake with 111 in Manchester on Friday.

But Bell believes there is still more to come from Smith on the international stage after his showing in Manchester. 

"The small part that I played in his development, I've watched a guy who's worked extremely hard," said Bell.

"I'm sure he's going to be a massive part of this England team in all formats over a long time."

Jamie Smith completed his maiden Test century but it was England's bowlers who took centre-stage on Friday as they assumed control of the first Test against Sri Lanka.

Wicketkeeper Smith resumed on 72 following a rain-affected second day at Old Trafford, and he batted patiently early on before clinching his ton in the 77th over of the innings. 

His excellent knock of 111 was brought to an end three overs later with England 315-7, with Prabath Jayasuriya earning his third wicket as Smith toe-ended his ball through to Dinesh Chandimal.

Sri Lanka quickly polished off the tail as Mark Wood (22) and Matthew Potts (17) fell within a further six overs, leaving England with a first-innings lead of 122 runs.

The hosts started brilliantly with the ball to assume a more dominant position, though, with Sri Lanka's first two wickets falling for just a single run within 10 balls.

They shared the spoils as Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson struck early to dismiss Nishan Madushka and Kusal Mendis for ducks, then Wood and Potts got in on the act to drop Sri Lanka to 95-4. 

Angelo Mathews' defiant knock of 65 helped Sri Lanka steady the ship and reach 173-4, but his luck ran out in the 51st over after a couple of near-misses, as he looped Woakes' seam ball through to Potts.

Root dealt another blow to the tourists to remove Milan Rathnayake for 10 late on, with Sri Lanka closing at 204-6, 82 runs ahead but with wickets running out.

Data Debrief: Smith joins Old Trafford club

Smith had a first Test century in his sights by stumps on day two, and he got over the line in composed fashion on Friday, becoming just the fifth wicketkeeper to score a ton for England at Old Trafford, after Alec Stewart (three times), Godfrey Evans, Jack Russell and Ben Foakes.

He had a strike rate of 75.00 and showed 90% control through his 148 balls faced, the most controlled Test century by an Englishman since Joe Root versus India at Edgbaston in 2022 (92%).

Cricket West Indies (CWI) will hold an election for the Vice President on September 20, 2024. This follows the recent judicial decision from the High Court of Guyana regarding the Vice President's election, which has led to Mr. Azim Bassarath vacating the position.

At the close of nominations, Mr. Bassarath is the sole candidate, having been nominated by the Jamaica Cricket Association and Leeward Islands Cricket Board. The nominations were circulated as customary, and every territorial board, which constitutes the shareholders, was adequately notified. CWI is being guided by its Articles of Association in conducting this election to ensure the process is handled with the highest standards of democratic principles and transparency. 

The upcoming election will provide a timely resolution to the current vacancy of the Office of the Vice President and reinforce CWI’s commitment to fair governance.

The organization looks forward to the completion of this robust and transparent electoral process while continuing its efforts to advance the sport of cricket across the region.