Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada starred on a rainy fourth day of the first Test between the West Indies and South Africa at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain on Saturday.

The West Indies, after starting the day 145-4, were eventually dismissed for 233 in 91.5 overs, trailing South Africa by 124, after the day’s first two sessions were rained out.

Jason Holder and Kavem Hodge, the not our batsmen overnight heading into the day, made 36 and 25, respectively while Jomel Warrican made a significant contribution with 35* batting at number 10.

Maharaj was causing consistent problems for the West Indies batsmen, eventually taking 4-76 off an impressive 40 overs while Rabada took 3-56 off 18 overs.

At stumps, South Africa reached 30-0 off five overs in their second innings, leading the West Indies by 154 runs. Tony de Zorzi was 14* and Aiden Markram 9*.

Full Scores:

South Africa 357 off 117.4 overs (Temba Bavuma 86, Tony de Zorzi 78, Wiaan Mulder 41*, Kyle Verreynne 39, Jomel Warrican 4-69, Jayden Seales 3-67, Kemar Roach 2-53) & 30-0 off 5 overs

West Indies 233 off 91.5 overs (Keacy Carty 42, Jason Holder 36, Kraigg Brathwaite 35, Mikyle Louis 35, Jomel Warrican 35*, Keshav Maharaj 4-76, Kagiso Rabada 3-56)

Kieron Pollard played one of his trademark innings to help the Southern Brave secure an improbable victory over the Trent Rockets in the Men’s Hundred at The Rose Bowl in Southampton on Saturday.

After winning the toss and batting first, the Rockets posted 126-8 from their 100 balls.

Openers Tom Banton and Adam Lyth gave the Rockets a good start with a partnership of 46 for the first wicket before both went in quick succession for 30 and 16, respectively.

A series of starts from Alex Hales (15), Joe Root (16), Rovman Powell (16) and captain Lewis Gregory (19) propelled the Rockets to their score.

Chris Jordan was the pick of the bowlers for the Brave with 3-22 from his 20 balls while Jofra Archer and Danny Briggs took two wickets, each.

The Brave then needed 99 balls to reach 127-8 and secure victory.

After a 43-run opening partnership between Alex Davies and captain James Vince, the Brave lost a cluster of wickets very quickly, eventually struggling at 78-6, needing 49 from 20 balls.

Kieron Pollard, who at that point has scored six off 14 balls, faced up to Rashid Khan in a crucial set of five to likely determine the outcome of the game.

The former West Indies captain then produced one of the most brutal displays of hitting of his career, belting Khan for five sixes in a row to put the Brave firmly in control, now needing 19 from 15 for victory.

The momentum continued in the way of the brave as the next set of five balls went for 10 runs to leave the Brave needing nine runs off 10 balls.

Pollard’s innings came to an end off the first ball of the next set for a 23-ball 45 including two fours and five sixes, bringing Jofra Archer to the crease to join Chris Jordan.

With the Brave eventually needing four runs off two balls, Jordan hit Lewis Gregory for four over square leg to secure the win.

Keshav Maharaj remains hopeful South Africa's patience will "pay dividends" after a hard-fought third day of their Test match against the West Indies.

The Windies toiled in the field for 117.4 overs, eventually ending South Africa's first innings just 20 minutes into the opening session as Kagiso Rabada fell on 21 before Lungi Ngidi's four-ball duck.

That same pair of Rabada and Ngidi asked questions of Mikyle Louis and Kraigg Braithwaite with the new ball, yet the Windies openers reached an unbeaten half-century stand with little trouble.

The visiting Proteas turned to Maharaj's spin as early as the 13th over, reaping the rewards as the left-arm spinner ripped through Louis' defence to remove the opener on 35 with the last ball before lunch.

Rain caused a lengthy delay to follow but that stoppage proved fruitful as Wiaan Mulder ran out Braithwaite, on 35, before Maharaj removed Keacy Carty for 42 and Alick Athanaze on just three.

Maharaj bowled 28 straight overs throughout a battling day and hopes South Africa can capitalise with the West Indies on 145-5, some 212 runs behind the visitors' first-innings total of 357.

"When the ball goes in the outfield, it becomes a bit soft and doesn't react much," Maharaj said at stumps. "We have been trying to keep it as dry as possible.

"There is not much off the wicket. I have been trying to use different paces, and various trajectories but only the odd ball is reacting.

"But when you bowl in the right channel for a long time in Test cricket, it does pay dividends."

Kavem Hodge and Jason Holder will hope to provide further resistance when play begins on Saturday in Port of Spain.

Shimron Hetmyer’s 44 wasn’t enough to prevent the London Spirit from going down by 12 runs to the Manchester Originals in the Men’s Hundred at Lord’s on Friday.

The Originals, after being inserted by the Spirit, made 135-5 from their 100 balls thanks to 58 from Captain Phil Salt and 38 from Max Holden.

Pacers Richard Gleeson and Olly Stone took two wickets, each, for the Spirit while Andre Russell went wicketless while conceding only 14 from his 10 deliveries.

The Spirit then fell just short of their target, reaching 123-5 from their 100 balls.

Opener Keaton Jennings led the way with 61* off 50 balls while Hetmyer, batting at five, made 44 off 35 balls including three fours and a six.

Fazalhaq Farooqi took 3-24 from 20 balls for the Originals.

This result means the Spirit, like their opponents, have no chance to advance to the knockout phase of the tournament.

This was the Originals’ first win in six games while the Spirit have a similar record and are one spot above them in the eight-team table.

The St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots will be without the services of the Sri Lankan pair Wanindu Hasaranga and Nuwan Thushara for the 2024 Caribbean Premier League as both players suffered injuries during Sri Lanka’s recent white-ball series against India.

While Thushara missed the entire series with a finger injury, Hasaranga played all three T20Is and the first ODI before being sidelined with a hamstring injury.

The Patriots have signed the South African pair Tabraiz Shamsi and Anrich Nortje as replacements.

Nortje is yet to make his CPL debut while Shamsi has played 32 games, including 27 for the Patriots.

Shamsi has taken 33 wickets in those matches for Patriots at an economy rate of 7.06.

Nortje and Shamsi will join South African teammate Tristan Stubbs on A Patriots side that finished last in CPL 2023 with just a solitary win in ten games.

The Patriots open their 2024 campaign against the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on August 29 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Full Squad: Kyle Mayers, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rilee Rossouw, Evin Lewis, Sherfane Rutherford, Sikandar Raza, Anrich Nortje, Andre Fletcher, Tristan Stubbs, Dominic Drakes, Mikyle Louis, Odean Smith, Joshua da Silva, Veerasammy Permaul, Ryan John, Ashmead Nedd, Johann Layne

Captain Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi were the picks for South Africa as the hosts patiently ground out 344-8 after day two of their Test against West Indies.

After a heavily interrupted first day that saw just 15 overs played, both sides took a slower approach at Queens Park Oval on Thursday.

De Zorzi, who started the day on 32, was up to 78 by lunch as the Proteas steadily added to their figures before he was dismissed by Jomel Warrican (3-66).

Tristan Stubbs (20) and Ryan Rickelton (19) were both left frustrated by Kemar Roach (2-53), though Bavuma managed to add some gloss, hitting 86 off 182 balls, including seven fours, before Jaylen Seales took him (2-57).

Despite a slow start, West Indies conceded only 20 runs in 12 overs against Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder before the former was taken by Jomel Warrican, who also got Keshav Maharaj for a duck.

South Africa managed to avoid a shaky end to the day, with Mulder's 37 not out helping them edge towards the 350 mark ahead of the third day.

Data Debrief: Proteas show patience

De Zorzi scored just his second half-century for Proteas, getting it against the same opponents as his first when he scored his career-best 85 at Centurion in January.

West Indies struggled with the ball for large parts, something they will want to improve on day three, though Roach's two wickets took him to 272 in Test cricket.

After starting positively on the opening day, which was lost to rain, West Indies bowlers were made to toil on Thursday’s second day as half-centuries from captain Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi propelled South Africa into a commanding position at 342-8 in the first Test at Queen’s Park Oval.

De Zorzi, the Proteas’ opening batter, was dismissed for 78 before lunch, while Bavuma was dismissed late in the day for 80, allowing West Indies to gradually claw their way back into the contest. Wiaan Mulder, not out on 37, and Kagiso Rabada, on 12, will resume batting for South Africa on Friday’s third day.

Jomel Warrican has been the pick of the Caribbean bowlers so far, with Kemar Roach (2-53) and Jayden Seales (2-57) also picking up key wickets.

Scores: South Africa 342 for 8 (Bavuma 86, de Zorzi 78, Warrican 3-66) vs West Indies

Resuming at 45-1 on a slow pitch that requires patience instead of flair, South Africa were initially kept quiet by West Indies' senior seamers Kemar Roach and Jason Holder, who started on good lengths but were punished as soon as they strayed.

While de Zorzi, who resumed on 32, got to his 50 off 78 balls, Tristan Stubbs (20) didn’t have the same luck as he edged a delivery from Roach to Holder in the slip cordon, adding only 18 to his overnight score of two.

Bavuma, in his first Test innings since March 2023, and de Zorzi kept West Indies at bay with a 51-run third wicket stand, which was eventually broken when the latter gloved to Kavem Hodge off Warrican shortly before the lunch interval.

After the break, Bavuma again dropped anchor and allowed his partner, David Bedingham, to take the fight to West Indies in a partnership worth 50 runs. Bedingham (29) later holed out to debutant Keacy Carty off Seales.

Ryan Rickelton (19) came and went shortly after watching Bavuma raise his 21st Test fifty. However, the captain was later trapped in front, and as the day draws to a close, Warrican struck twice, removing Kyle Vereynne (39) and Keshav Maharaj (zero) to keep West Indies in contention.

Rain put a damper on West Indies progress as only 15 overs were possible on the opening day of their first Test against South Africa at the Queen’s Park Oval on Wednesday.

A fairly tidy display from the Caribbean bowlers restricted South Africa to 45-1 in the just over an hour’s play that was possible, as the visitors won the toss and opted to take first strike.

Jason Holder got that breakthrough when he bowled Aiden Markram (9) shortly before the showers came.

Tony de Zorzi, unbeaten on 32, and Tristan Stubbs, on two, will resume batting for South Africa on Thursday’s second day, weather permitting.

Play is scheduled to begin half-hour earlier at 9:30 am.

Dunith Wellalage and Avishka Fernando starred for Sri Lanka as they claimed a first ODI series win over India in 27 years following their 110-run triumph in Colombo. 

Fernando struck 96 from 102 deliveries to see the hosts score 248-7, leaving their opponents with an uphill task in difficult conditions at the R. Premadasa Stadium. 

And having struggled in the second Test with Sri Lanka's spin bowlers, India did so again as Wellalage posted figures of 5-27 to secure a landmark victory. 

Sri Lanka's opening three batsmen took the fight to India early on, with Pathum Nissanka (45), Fernando and Kusal Mendis (59) leaving them 183-3 in the 37th over. 

Riyan Parag took three wickets as the Lions gave their opponents a target of 249 to draw the series, a task they found difficult from the beginning. 

Captain Rohit Sharma (35) and Shubman Gill (six) fell early, with the Men in Blue's batting line-up crumbling to 82-6 by the 12th over. 

Washington Sundar's 30 from 25 deliveries offered hope of a comeback, but Wellalage confirmed the triumph in just 26.1 overs with the wicket of Kuldeep Yadav to end India's 13-game unbeaten ODI run. 

"We are in a really good mood right now, especially our coach," said Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka.

"He made a few changes in the team, and the boys really enjoyed the team environment."

Data Debrief: Sri Lanka end India ODI hoodoo

Sri Lanka's last bilateral ODI series victory over India was in August 1997, with India unbeaten in the next 13 such series, with 11 wins and two drawn series.

The win marked the Lions' first limited-overs series under new captain Asalanka and interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya after Chris Silverwood's departure. 

Washington Sundar believes India's third and final ODI against Sri Lanka presents an opportunity to prepare for next year's Champions Trophy. 

India face the prospect of a first ODI series defeat against the Lions in 27 years after their 32-run defeat in their second Test at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Rohit Sharma hit India's highest total with the bat, scoring 64 runs from 44 balls, with the match belonging to Sri Lanka's Jeffery Vandersay, who took 6-33.

"It is an opportunity for us to go out there and put our hands up and win those critical situations," Sundar said.

"Obviously with the big tournaments coming up, we will be in similar situations and it will be important to find ways as to what we can do to win those critical situations especially in similar conditions against quality spin attack.

"I think whatever we have done in this series so far, we will take that as a learning, obviously try and move ahead and win the game tomorrow in all aspects of the game."

"We are quality players of spin, matter of finding a way."

Sundar, did however, come to the defence of India's batters, having struggled against Sri Lanka's spinners in challenging conditions in their previous encounter. 

"We are quality players of spin. We've always played in these kinds of wickets, even at home, in Test matches, and in different formats," Sundar said. 

"Even domestic cricket, we play a lot of games in such wickets. And we know our players have done really well, especially in the middle order, batting against spin."

"So it's just a matter of finding a way, their own individual self and trying to get the job done.

"Everyone knows it's quite a challenging wicket. Obviously, the Indian team has always put its hands up, especially when the challenge arises.

"And that's when we've been very good, both with bat and ball, and we've come out flying colours out of the challenging situations."

The defeat last time out was the first in Gautam Gambhir's reign as the new India head coach, having breezed to a 3-0 series win in their T20I series in July. 

Sundar has said the team have tried to implement the new tactics introduced by the 42-year-old, something he knows will take time to come to fruition. 

"There has been a lot of input from him," Sundar started. "He is a high-quality player of spin.

"We have always seen him putting up great performances, especially in such wickets against quality spin.

"That is one of the reasons we came out here today to practice and try and find a way and try and do those small little changes tactically and be prepared and ready for tomorrow's game and be really on top of our game in all aspects."

Making your debut on the biggest stage in International cricket at home is a dream that every aspiring cricketer has.

On Wednesday, that dream could become reality for Trinidadian off-spinner Bryan Charles.

The 29-year-old is a part of the West Indies squad to face South Africa in three Test matches, with the first beginning on Wednesday at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

“It would be an extremely proud moment for me, especially if I am lucky enough to receive my cap at home,” Charles said in an interview with CWI’s John Phillips at the end of a training session on Monday.

Charles’ first call-up to the West Indies test squad comes after 44 First-Class games since his debut against Guyana at Providence in 2015.

In those 44 games, Charles has taken 150 wickets at an average of 26.56 including seven five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket match haul.

This past West Indies Championship season, Charles led the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force with 31 wickets in seven matches at an average of 17.

“I was obviously pretty elated to hear the news. It was a very proud moment for me. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” he said of receiving the call-up before thanking his father for introducing him to the game at a young age.

“Obviously, I’d like to thank my dad. He introduced me to most sports but I stuck with cricket from my younger days and made a career out of it from playing for the national team from Under-13 straight up to the senior team,” he added.

This won’t be Charles’ first time representing the West Indies on the international stage, however, as he represented the West Indies Under-19s at the 2014 ICC Under-19 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

As far as inspirations in international cricket go, Charles singled out Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon, specifically mentioning his fondness of his action.

If given a chance to play on Wednesday, there’s no doubt Charles would love to emulate what Lyon did on test debut against Sri Lanka in 2010 when he dismissed the great Kumar Sangakkara wit the first ball of his career.

West Indies Women ODI and T20I Captain Hayley Matthews has welcomed the return of all-rounder Deandra Dottin to international cricket.

Dottin, who retired from the international game back, reversed her decision last week with the highly anticipated ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on the horizon.

Matthews, currently representing the Welsh Fire in the Women’s Hundred in England, spoke briefly about Dottin’s return in an interview with ESPN Cricinfo last week, highlighting the Trinidadian’s commitment whenever she plays.

“With Deandra, one thing that I can say for sure is that she is someone who, when she steps onto the field, is going to give 100% every single time,” Matthews said.

“That’s something that would be definitely wanted in any team,” she added.

Dottin, 33, has played 143 ODIs and 127 T20Is for the West Indies since her debut against Ireland in June 2008.

She has scored 3727 runs at an average of 30.54 in ODIs with three centuries and 22 fifties and a highest score of 150* against South Africa in January 2022.

In T20Is, Dottin has scored 2697 runs at an average of 25.68 including two centuries and 12 fifties. Her highest score in the format is 112* against South Africa back in 2010. That 38-ball hundred is still the fastest hundred in Women’s T20Is.

As it relates to Dottin’s role when she returns to the line-up, Matthews says she still wants to have some discussions with the team and Dottin herself before she elaborates further.

“I do plan and want to have discussions with her and with the team as well. Obviously, that’s the most important thing for us right now and until I’ve had those conversations I’d prefer not to make any more comments,” she said.

Dottin is set to lead the Trinbago Knight Riders Women in the upcoming Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL).

The West Indies Women’s next fixture will be a T20 World Cup Warm-up match against India on September 28.

England's opening batter Zak Crawley will miss the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka later this month after sustaining a fractured finger. 

Crawley suffered the injury during England's encounter with the West Indies at Edgbaston last week, which sealed a 3-0 series triumph over their opponents. 

The 26-year-old is aiming to return in time for England's Test tour to Pakistan in October.

Surrey's Dan Lawrence will open alongside Ben Duckett in Crawley's absence, as Essex middle-order batter Jordan Cox received his first call-up to the squad. 

Ben Stokes deputised as Duckett's opening partner at Edgbaston, hitting a record-breaking 24-ball half-century, but Lawrence will take up the role against Sri Lanka.

England will also be without seam bowler Dillon Pennington, who picked up a hamstring injury while playing for Birmingham Phoenix during The Hundred competition. 

Nottinghamshire team-mate Olly Stone replaces Pennington, returning to the Test squad for the first time since June 2021 and will be looking to add to his three Test caps.

Captained by Stokes, England will host Sri Lanka at Old Trafford for the first Test starting on August 21.

Nicholas Pooran hit a second consecutive half-century to lead the Northern Superchargers to a 19-run win over the Oval Invincibles in the Men’s Hundred at The Oval in London on Friday.

Pooran hit a 41-ball 65* including four fours and as many sixes, following up his 62 in their previous game against the Southern Brave, to help the Superchargers post 145-5 from their hundred balls after being put in to bat by the Invincibles.

Sam Curran was the best bowler on the day for the Invincibles with 2-20 from 15 balls.

The Invincibles were then restricted to 126-9 from their 100 balls in reply.

Donovan Ferreira tried his best with a fighting 24-ball 49 including two fours and five sixes but excellent spells of 2-18 off 10 balls from Matthew Potts and 2-26 from 20 balls from Jordan Clark proved too hard to overcome.

Sri Lanka held India to a draw in a thrilling finale to the first ODI of their series on Friday.

Charith Asalanka was the hero for Sri Lanka in Colombo, taking two wickets in the space of two balls to bowl India out for 230.

Pathum Nissanka (56) and Dunith Wellalage (67) led the way for Sri Lanka with the bat, propelling them to 230-8 from their 50 overs, with the pair plundering 18 boundaries between them.

India looked well set for the first 12 overs, until the dismissal of Shubman Gill (16) kick-started a mini-capitulation, with captain Rohit Sharma (58), Washington Sundar (five), Virat Kohli (24) and Shreyas Iyer (23) following in quick succession.

KL Rahul and Axar Patel appeared to have steadied the ship, but Wanindu Hasaranga (3-58) and Asalanka (3-30) struck in the space of seven deliveries to drag Sri Lanka back into it.

And the day ultimately belonged to Asalanka who, after being hit for four by Shivam Dube (25) in the 48th over, hit back with a pair of LBWs to leave the tourists stunned.

Data Debrief: India's dominance ended

India had won each of their last six ODIs against Sri Lanka, their joint-longest winning streak against them in the history of the format (along with a run between July 1998 and May 1999), but for the first time since a loss in Colombo in July 2021, they failed to get the job done.

This match did see the two form teams in ODIs take each other on. India (27) and Sri Lanka (22) have won more 50-over games than any other teams since the start of 2023.