Members of the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons and the Trinbago Knight Riders received words of inspiration from the great Sir Vivian Richards on Wednesday morning.

The former West Indies captain and batting legend spoke to both camps on the eve of their Republic Bank CPL clash — due to be played on Thursday night at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

The events were organized by Philip Spooner, the Falcons Director of Media and Phil Simmons, the TKR Head Coach.

“I’m a part of the Falcons family, so I came here to see my team and show my support for the boys as they head into the last home game. I’m really impressed with the talent I’m seeing and just wanted let them know that Sir Viv is still backing them despite the tough start,” Sir Viv said.

“I spent some time with the boys at TKR as well. It’s also about helping to develop all West Indies talent meet them and talk with them. I want what’s best for West Indies and these youngsters I met with today are very talented. They are the future.”

Antigua and Barbuda’s National Hero and iconic West Indies batsman, Sir Vivian Richards, has hailed the accomplishments of St. Lucia's Julien Alfred and Dominica's Thea LaFond at the just-concluded Paris Olympic Games.

In fact, Richards, while sharing his excitement about the athletes' achievements, believes their historic feats are something that the entire Caribbean should be proud of, especially given the fact that both are from tiny islands with a combined population of 250,000.

“We all should be proud, and I feel like I am them [athletes] on the podium too, because you can feel it [the pride] when they hold their hearts. This is just a special time, and you have to big them up because it’s huge, especially coming from small territories as we do at times, and being able to make an impact in the world, and you have the world media saying beautiful things about you; there is no better feeling,” Richards said on the Good Morning Jojo sports show.

Alfred, 23, won gold in the women’s 100m in 10.72s, beating American Sha’Carri Richardson, the reigning World Champion, who was heavily favoured to take the race. The feat delivered St. Lucia’s first ever Olympic medal, before Alfred added another when she placed second in the 200m in 22.08s

Prior to Alfred's feat, LaFond again etched her name in history books for Dominica when she won triple jump gold with a leap of 15.02m. That was her country's first ever Olympic Games medal.

The accomplishments of both Alfred and LaFond followed their exploits at the World Athletics Indoor Championships earlier this year, where they also won their respective events.

Former CEO of ICC Cricket World Cup, Chris Dehring has called on the Government, Opposition, Jamaica Cricket Association and the Jamaican people to end the persecution and bring Lawrence Rowe home and give him all the honours due.

Dehring was in Broward County, Florida on Friday, one of the venues for the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup to be staged later this year, delivering the keynote address at the 50th anniversary banquet in celebration of Rowe’s epic triple century against England in 1974.

Amongst the West Indies legends present were Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Andy Roberts, Dr., the Hon. Courtney Walsh O.J., Collis King and Joel “Big Bird” Garner, all former teammates of Rowe, along with Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan.

Rowe was one of several West Indian cricketers who were members of a rebel tour that played matches in then-apartheid South Africa in the early 1980s. Poorly paid and unable to break into a powerful West Indies side, Rowe and others like Collis King, Sylvester Clarke, Colin Croft and Ezra Moseley among others opted to earn between USD$100,000 and US$125,000 to play across two tours from 1982-83 and again from 1983-84. The participants received life bans from Caribbean cricket in 1983 and in many instances, were ostracised socially and professionally.

 Dehring, in saying that it was time for Rowe to be forgiven, also lamented at where the banquet was being held.

“This banquet celebrating 50 years since the herculean triple century by one of Jamaica’s greatest sporting icons, should have been staged in Jamaica with the full and unequivocal support of the Jamaican government, cricket association and people of Jamaica. That it is being held in Florida and not in Jamaica, ironically mirrors the embarrassing fact that the T20 cricket World Cup is also being staged this year in Florida, and not in Jamaica. “Look at what we have come to!” he remarked.

He added further, his disappointment at the mural at Sabina Park celebrating some of Jamaica’s most famous cricketers with Rowe noticeably absent.

“Black South Africans forgave their oppressors years ago through their Truth and Reconciliation process. To see a mural unveiled at Sabina Park honouring 19 of Jamaica’s greatest cricketers, and no Yagga Rowe is as abhorrent to the ground he helped make famous, as it is to the glorious game itself. It is time to end this farce.”

“To put it in perspective,” he continued, “‘Jamaicans still sing, dance and celebrate to Vybz Kartel and Ninjaman music. There is no protest or public outcry when those songs play on the radio or at parties, the works of art of these convicted murderers that our children sing word for word! Yet forty years later, we are trying to erase from history the body of work of a man whose only real crime, if any, was to continue to earn an honest living in his profession, after his employers had let him go, in the only place willing to pay the value his services were worth.

“Other West Indian “rebels” went on to play again for the West Indies, even at Sabina Park, cheered on by my fellow Jamaicans; if Yagga had chosen to rob a bank, he would long have been out of jail. It’s time to let him go. Free Yagga,” the former Jamaica youth batsman concluded.

Sir Vivian Richards has questioned the commitment of the current crop of West Indies players and has expressed his disappointment at the team’s performance and early exit from the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.

Cricket icons Sir Vivian Richards and Lord Ian Botham unveiled the new Richards-Botham trophy which will be won by the victors in Test Series between West Indies and England Men’s Team.

The trophy pays tribute to two all-time greats – whose rivalry and friendship embodies the close relationship and mutual respect between the two sides. The unveiling ceremony was held on Sunday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua ahead of the first Apex Test match which starts on Tuesday, March 8.

The sparkling new trophy symbolizes “Courage. Friendship. Respect” – values that represent the Test cricketing rivalry between West Indies and England, and of two legends who best define them – Sir Vivian Richards and Lord Ian Botham.

It has an ultra-modern design and consists of an upside-down cup, based on a Georgian rummer, with the joining sphere a cricket ball. One end is a rummer for drinking rum and the other a wine/ale goblet. The rummer has palm fronds and the ale cup has willow leaves. The ceremonial idea is that the winning team holding the trophy would have the rummer that represents their team face upward while they held it and it would be ceremoniously turned over when the other team wins.

Test matches between these two rivals date back to 1928 when West Indies made their first trip to England. The teams, under the captaincy of Kraigg Brathwaite and Joe Root, will renew the rivalry with the Apex Test Series.

“It’s a truly special feeling to have the fantastic trophy named in honour of my great friend Ian and myself. We played a lot together and built a great friendship on and off the cricket field,” said Sir Vivian. “As I said earlier, I am truly delighted to know that the game that I have shown my love for all my life is naming such a prestigious award in recognition of what I managed to achieve. It’s a beautiful trophy and I want to again thank everyone who came up with this idea and contributed to its creation."

Botham said he was honoured to have a trophy in his name.

“It’s a great idea and a truly lovely trophy. It really stands out and I’m honoured to have my name on the trophy alongside my friend Sir Viv,” he said.

“The captain who picks up the trophy at the end of the upcoming series will be a happy man.”

Meanwhile, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite said he was eager to get going on Tuesday in what he expects to be a closely contested series.

“We’re really excited and ready for the upcoming Apex Test Series against England. This is going to be an amazing three weeks of cricket,” Brathwaite said.

“It’s extra special too that we’re playing for the new Richards-Botham trophy, a fitting tribute to these two great men. We want to be the first team to get our hands on it and celebrate with our fans.”

England’s captain Joe Root believes the trophy named in honour of the two greats is a fitting tribute to the rivalry between the two teams.

“Test series between England and West Indies are iconic, and to have a trophy named after arguably the two most outstanding England and West Indies cricketers of all-time in Lord Ian Botham and Sir Vivian Richards is a fitting tribute for this great rivalry. We are enthused about the next month of competition, and we hope to make the England fans proud by lifting the Richards-Botham trophy,” he said.

The Apex Test Series will feature three Test matches. The first at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, the second Apex Test will be played at Kensington Oval, Barbados from March 16-20, with the climax in the third Apex Test at the Grenada National Stadium, Grenada on March 24-28

The Master Blaster, Sir Vivian Richards is siding with Sir Curtly Ambrose in the latter’s public spat with the Universe Boss Chris Gayle.