Jason Gillespie insists Shan Masood has a "clear plan" as Pakistan's Test captain.

Pakistan's red-ball skipper has faced scrutiny after overseeing five straight defeats as captain, starting by being whitewashed 3-0 by Australia last December.

That was followed by a shock 2-0 series defeat to Bangladesh last month, which marked Gillespie's first as Pakistan Test coach.

Next up is a three-match series with England, where Joe Root (12,402) is 71 away from surpassing Alastair Cook (12,472) as the all-time leading run scorer for England in men’s Tests, beginning in Multan on Monday.

Speaking on BBC World Service's Stumped podcast, Gillespie said of Masood: "Shan has got a very clear plan on how the Test side should play and we are completely aligned on that," the 49-year-old said.

"There are things people don't see and I've been really impressed by his communication with the players and how he's gone about doing his job."

Gillespie added that he believes part of the issue is improving the fitness of the team.

He added: "We can't afford to have players in international cricket who are not fit or strong enough to negotiate the rigours of the game.

"What I've learned from the Bangladesh series is that we've got some wonderful players, but we need to be more consistent. We've got the skills but we need to keep fine-tuning them.

"There's also been plenty of talks around fitness and we're making sure that it's a key component for us going forward."

Head Coach of the West Indies Women’s team Shane Deitz is looking for his squad to show more killer instinct ahead of their opening game of the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup against South Africa on Friday.

Deitz spoke to CWI Media after the team’s second Warm-up game, a 35-run defeat at the hands of defending World T20 champions, Australia.

During that game, the team had Australia on the ropes with the ball and then with the bat.

At one point during the Australian innings, the West Indies had them reeling at 44-4 and 59-5 before they eventually made 144-8.

With the bat, the regional outfit were 68-1 in the 10^th over before eventually being bowled out for 109.

“We had them on the ropes but we didn’t deliver the killer knockout punch. If we’re going to win this World Cup, that’s what we’ve got to do,” Deitz said.

“We have to have the perfect game. 20 overs with the bat. 20 overs with the ball. When we get in those situations and get on top, we’ve got to nail them,” he added.

Even with the losses to India and Australia in preparation for the World Cup, having the defending champions in those positions means that there is a lot of potential within this group.

To consistently defeat the best teams in the world, you have to maintain that high standard of play for as long as possible throughout the game.

Deitz echoed similar sentiments.

“The results aren’t the be all end all in the practice games. What we want is to play good cricket and we are doing that, just not for long enough. Once we get that longer, we have a chance to scare a few teams at this World Cup,” he said.

“Everyone’s in good spirits and we’ve shown that we’re a dangerous team. We just have to be dangerous for longer. The girls are backing themselves and everyone’s looking forward to the start of this World Cup,” he added.

As for the approach he wants his team to have in this tournament, Deitz wants to take the game to the opposition.

“If we’re going to win this, we’ve got to play attacking cricket. We’ve got to back ourselves and take on the opposition. That’s the mindset we’ve got to continue with,” he said.

St. Lucia Kings opener Johnson Charles attributed his match-winning performance against the Guyana Amazon Warriors on Wednesday night in the 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to maintaining a positive mindset. Charles, who has been in stellar form throughout the season, top-scored with a blazing 79 from 45 balls, which included eight fours and five sixes. His efforts helped the Kings post a formidable total of 198-5, ultimately securing a 15-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.

Reflecting on his performance, Charles emphasized the importance of staying positive, especially when facing challenges from bowlers. “It's all about being positive, having that positive intent. I have been dismissed the most by left-arm spinners, but still, you’ve got to be positive and find ways to score. I am all about that positive intent and getting my team off to a great start,” Charles said.

This season has been Charles’ most successful CPL campaign yet, with the St. Lucian star amassing 445 runs—a career-best. His explosive innings against the Warriors, which featured a commanding opening partnership of 124 runs with skipper Faf du Plessis, was crucial in putting the Kings in a winning position. Charles credited the synergy between him and du Plessis for their success at the top of the order.

“We feed off each other’s energy. We have different styles of play; that gives us a very good understanding, and it also plays with the bowlers' minds,” Charles explained, highlighting how their contrasting approaches have unsettled opposition bowlers.

Charles’ performance not only demonstrated his improved shot-making, but also his adaptability. He acknowledged that the evolution of the game requires constant innovation, both mentally and technically. “The game is evolving, and you’ve got to keep up the pace. Seeing that bowlers are always studying you and always trying to keep you bogged down, it’s all about staying up with the pace. I have been practicing different ways of scoring, whether it’s the switch hit or paddle sweep off the pacers, and it’s going good for me,” he said.

With the Kings now on the cusp of a first CPL title, Charles believes that 2024 could finally be their year to lift the CPL trophy. “This means a lot; for so many years we have been trying. I believe this year is our year. I think we have a very good chance, and it’s our year to win this,” he concluded.

As Charles continues to shine with the bat, his form and positive mindset will be critical as the Kings push for their first-ever CPL title.

Saint Lucia Kings booked their place in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Final with a 15-run victory over reigning champions Guyana Amazon Warriors in a weather curtailed match at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence.

The Warriors will now take on Barbados Royals on Friday with the winner of that match contesting the final with Kings on Sunday.

Winning the toss and batting first proved a wise decision given the forecast and Faf du Plessis led from the front once more for his side. An opening stand of 124 runs between himself and Johnson Charles ensured the Kings posted a challenging total of 198-5 off their twenty overs.

Charles was starting to eye up a three-figure score when he was well caught on the long-on boundary by Keemo Paul off the bowling of Moeen Ali for 79 off 45 deliveries. Du Plessis then fell for a well-made half-century of his own, the Kings captain forced to depart after Rahmanullah Gurbaz held on to an exceptional catch from a firmly hit shot down the ground off Shamar Joseph.

The Warriors bowlers did well to keep the score down to a manageable target with Moeen Ali once again being the standout performer with the ball, figures of 2/24 off his four overs showcasing all his experience.

In response, the Warriors had reached 106-4 at the end of the 13th over before the persistent drizzle turned into heavier rain and the players were taken off the field by the umpires. Unfortunately for the 2023 CPL champions it then did not relent meaning that they were behind the required run rate on DLS calculations when the match was called off over an hour later.

Still requiring 92 runs off the remaining 42 deliveries when the weather intervened the Warriors would have still fancied their chances of hauling down the total with a well-set Shimron Hetmyer looking dangerous with 37 off 18 balls and with Moeen Ali having just joined him.

Hetmyer had just opened his shoulders to hit four sixes in quick succession off Noor Ahmad and Roston Chase, despite this injection of runs the Warriors were comfortably behind the required DLS score of 121 when the rain decisively intervened.

The Warriors will have a chance of setting up a re-match with a victory over Barbados Royals in the final eliminator match on Friday evening. Saint Lucia Kings will await either side in Sunday’s final with an inaugural CPL title very much in their sights.

The 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has released a detailed statement clarifying the circumstances surrounding the Eliminator match between the Trinbago Knight Riders and the Barbados Royals, following widespread concerns that the rules may have been breached during the game. A power outage during the match, played at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence, led to questions regarding the timing and conditions under which the game resumed, with many pointing to a possible violation of CPL rules.

The controversy centers on a significant delay caused by the loss of power to three floodlight towers at 20:58, after 19.1 overs of the Knight Riders' innings had been completed. Two of the towers were restored within 30 minutes, but match umpires Deighton Butler and Nigel Duguid deemed the lighting conditions unsafe for play to continue.

Despite this, both teams were given the option to resume play under the reduced lighting. While the Barbados Royals were willing to continue, the Trinbago Knight Riders opted not to proceed due to safety concerns, a decision supported by the match officials.

Initially, a cut-off time of 22:52 was communicated for the start of the second innings, with the requirement that at least five overs must be bowled for the match to constitute an official result. However, this deadline was later revised to 23:01 to accommodate the interval between innings, which had not been factored into the original cut-off time.

At 22:51, power was fully restored to the third floodlight tower, and following an additional allowance for the lights to reach maximum brightness, match officials decided to resume the game at 23:01. This led to a five-over chase for the Barbados Royals, who were set a target of 60 runs based on the ICC-approved Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, which is the universally accepted approach for calculating revised targets in rain or other interruptions.

The target, considered by some to be particularly high, sparked further debate, especially given that the Royals were allowed two powerplay overs with fielding restrictions, which many argued gave them an unfair advantage.

CWI Senior Match Referee Reon King, who was overseeing the match, addressed the concerns, stating: “The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League playing conditions allow for one hour of extra time to be added to a game before overs are lost, and a failure of floodlights is treated in exactly the same way as an interruption for rain. The priority for the match officials team is always for the safety of players, but they also work to try and see if the outcome of a game, one way or another, can be achieved on the field of play. This was the focus applied during the Eliminator match.”

Despite these clarifications, questions remain regarding the decision to extend the cut-off time and the overall fairness of the playing conditions, particularly with such a high run-rate requirement for the five overs. Some have pointed to CPL T20 rules that state that the match should not have resumed after the one-hour interruption mark, which would have been 10:52 pm, yet the game was restarted at 11:01 pm.

The Barbados Royals went on to chase the target, raising further concerns among fans and pundits that the rules were stretched to ensure a result, casting a shadow over the conclusion of the match.

While the CPL has emphasized that all protocols were followed, the incident has raised critical discussions about transparency and fairness in managing extraordinary match situations. As the league continues to grow in popularity, the CPL's handling of such incidents will likely remain under scrutiny from the teams and fans alike.

It is said that music soothes the soul in the midst of stress, heightened anxiety and depression. In other words, music can help during troubling times and West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin can attest to that.

Dotting, who initially announced her retirement in 2022, reversed her decision ahead of the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, thanks to the music of the islands she represents.

While away from the international stage, the Barbadian said the sounds of dancehall and reggae were a big part of her daily routine to reflect and unwind, as she focused on her mental health.

In fact, it is that time away that Dottin believes prepared her for a return to the sport she fell in love with since her international debut in 2008.

“I have missed playing international cricket and playing in the maroon. It is always a good feeling but sometimes as players, we might think that there is nothing wrong but deep down inside, something is happening. Many of us deal with things differently, some speak to psychologists, some take breaks, some listen to music and stuff," Dottin said.

She continued: “That break did a lot in terms of mentally helping me to deal with things better. It was good to have a lot of time on my hands, but it did feel strange not being in the international set-up anymore but I used it to relax, have the muscles and brain relax and not think about cricket.

“You are usually just on that rollercoaster, just thinking about cricket and batting and bowling and stuff like that. I tried to do different stuff that is not cricket focused, and that didn’t have stress. I just played games, listened to music, and just did the natural, normal stuff.”

Dottin, 33, spent her time away from cricket in Canada, finding a peace there that aided her readiness to come back to international action.

However, it was like she never left as she showed no signs of rustiness, scoring two half-centuries during a West Indies camp to secure selection for the global T20 showpiece, which gets underway on Thursday.

It is the tournament where she made her name, scoring the first women’s T20I century in the 2010 edition before helping the Windies claim a stunning win in 2016.

Now, it becomes the scene of her return, and it will see not just a different Dottin but a different West Indies.

Still, she believes they will approach the tournament in the same way they did eight years ago.

“I deal with things, especially mentally, on a different level. I try to create a stronger mentality where I control what I can control and what I can’t control. I forget about it and let God deal with it. It has made me a better person than I was before. There is a difference in the whole team too; the management staff and the players are all on the same level.

“They are executing their plans and have created a different culture and actually think it is in a good mental space, their determination and hunger are really there. It will mean a lot to compete at a World Cup again, I will have some nerves coming back but it will feel really awesome,” Dottin shared.

“In this World Cup, every team wants to win it, and we are the ones that are hungry and determined to do it. So, I think that once we stick to the basics and execute our plans, then there is no stopping us,” she ended.

West Indies will open their account against South Africa on Friday.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has taken a historic step by offering multi-year contracts to nine players from its senior men’s and women’s teams, marking a significant moment in the region’s cricketing landscape. This milestone follows the signing of a new four-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CWI and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) in January 2024.

 As part of this groundbreaking agreement, six male players and three female players were awarded multi-year contracts based on their outstanding performances during the 2023-2024 evaluation period. These contracts highlight CWI's commitment to fostering stability within the team and its dedication to developing top-tier talent in the region.

CWI Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, praised the move, stating, "The players have responded in kind, and the acceptance of multi-year contracts is an indication of clarity, confidence, and commitment on both sides. I’d like to congratulate the entire cohort on their contract awards, and I look forward to seeing them build on their performances in the next assessment period.”

Among the men awarded multi-year contracts are star wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope, fast bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales, along with rising talents Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie. These players have been recognized for their consistency and pivotal contributions during the evaluation period.

 On the women’s side, all-rounders Hayley Matthews and Stafanie Taylor, along with wicketkeeper Shemaine Campbelle, have earned multi-year contracts. Their leadership and performances have been key in maintaining stability within the women’s squad.

 In addition to the multi-year contracts, several players were also awarded one-year international contracts. For the men, these include established names like Kraigg Brathwaite, Joshua Da Silva, and Rovman Powell, as well as newcomers Kavem Hodge and Roston Chase, who earned their first international contracts after impressive performances in 2023 and 2024.

 On the women’s side, notable players like Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, and Deandra Dottin continue to be part of the contracted group, along with emerging talents such as Cherry Ann Fraser, Zaida James, and Ashmini Munisar, the latter being awarded an international contract for the first time following her standout performances in regional competitions.

 As CWI moves forward with this historic contract structure, the organization hopes that these multi-year contracts will not only provide stability but also inspire further growth and commitment from the players as they build on their achievements and prepare for future international challenges.

South Africa cruised to a 139-run win over Ireland in the teams' first ODI in Abu Dhabi, with Lizaad Williams tearing through their opponents' batting order.

The Proteas approached Wednesday's contest reeling from a shock T20I defeat to Ireland on Sunday, with Ross Adair's maiden international century ensuring the two-match series ended 1-1.

There was not to be a repeat in the 50-over format, however, with Ireland's batting order collapsing after Ryan Rickelton (91) and Tristan Stubbs (79) guided an otherwise shaky South Africa to 271-9.

The Proteas started miserably by losing three wickets for 39 runs, Mark Adair taking two of them on his way to figures of 4-50.

But opener Rickelton stayed cool while the wickets tumbled around him, lasting 102 deliveries and allowing Stubbs to join in on the act with comfortably his best ODI score, dragging South Africa to a respectable total.

Ireland might have harboured hopes of a successful chase, but Paul Stirling's fourth-ball dismissal for just two runs set the tone, and a spate of four more wickets in the space of six overs dropped Ireland to 61-5.

Williams finished with figures of 4-32 from his 10 overs for the Proteas, who needed just 32 overs to finish off the tail and bring some much-needed positivity to their tour of the United Arab Emirates, which started with an ODI series loss to Afghanistan.

Data Debrief: Williams wins it 

Rickelton and Stubbs carried South Africa to a score they were capable of defending despite no other batter scoring more than Bjorn Fortuin's 28 – seven scored 13 runs or fewer.

But it was Williams who made sure of the victory, taking three of the first four wickets to leave Ireland in a tailspin, then going on to record the best figures of his young ODI career.

In none of his previous five ODIs had Williams managed more than two wickets, while his 32 runs conceded were also his fewest in the format.

Jos Buttler will return to captain England for the white-ball tour of West Indies, while Yorkshire leg-spinner Jafer Chohan has earned his first international call-up.

Buttler missed the recent one-day international and T20 series against Australia due to a calf injury, with Harry Brook and Phil Salt leading the respective sides in his absence.

Meanwhile, Chohan is one of three uncapped players in the squad, which will remain the same for both series, along with Hampshire fast bowler John Turner and Warwickshire all-rounder Dan Mousley.

The 22-year-old has taken 17 wickets in 10 T20 Blast matches for Yorkshire in 2024, and is the first South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) graduate to be named in an England squad.

"It feels like an absolute dream to be selected. It's what I've worked for my whole life," Chohan told Yorkshire CCC.

"For me, this is a really good opportunity to be around some of the best players in the world, learn as much as I can, and just really sharpen up my game as much as possible."

The three-game ODI series begins in Antigua on October 31, while the five-game T20 series commences in Barbados on November 9.

Full squad: Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jafer Chohan, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John Turner.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 officially kicked off in style on Wednesday with the Captains’ Day at the Dubai International Stadium, bringing together all 10 team captains on the eve of the ninth edition of the tournament.

A special panel session featuring all 10 captains took place during the Captains’ Day, hosted by Melanie Jones, which showed fans a glimpse into the lives, strategies, and aspirations of the captains.

Australia Captain Alyssa Healy: “There are 10 teams sitting on the stage here today that deserve to be here and have a real shot of winning this World Cup. You don't come here to defend a title; that's not what a World Cup is about, you come here to win it, so we're here with that approach, and I'm excited to get underway.

“Our pool is quite a tricky one. We’ve got to get past a lot of these teams to be able to lift the trophy, and it's a challenge we're excited for.”

West Indies Captain Hayley Matthews: “You play all year long preparing, and this is obviously the pinnacle of where you want to be as a team and where you want to be competing.

“Every series you play, every training session you have is towards that goal of a World Cup, so [preparation] definitely is a long process, and I think one as a West Indies team we've had in our sights for a very long time. So yeah, just hoping for some success.”

Bangladesh Captain Nigar Sultana: “Yeah, [shifting the event from Bangladesh] was pretty disappointing initially. But the thing is we're very professional. Now we are here, and we are going to play this, and we are pretty fortunate that we will do something that is going to help all the fans and the families and friends to get cheered.

“I'm expecting a lot of spectators, because in Sharjah there are a lot of Bangladeshis there. And playing in this kind of event, I think more people will come watch us and support.”

Scotland Captain Kathryn Bryce: “Yeah, I think we just really want to compete in this competition. We've played some fantastic cricket in the qualifiers and leading up to it, so I think, we just want to go out there and do ourselves justice on that stage and put in some good performances against these teams.”

India Captain Harmanpreet Kaur: “I think that is something we keep learning every day. Because when you win, sometimes you feel, OK, that is something I have achieved. But at the same time, next day when you go, you may make small mistakes. And I think that is part of the game. And I think learning is something which is never going to stop; every day is a learning day. Every day I'm going and learning and getting experience from every game. Yeah, I think people around me are helping me; they are working hard to make our team go at that level where we want to be. I am happy with where our team is, like how our team is working hard to achieve small, small things.”

England Captain Heather Knight: “I think captaincy is always a constant challenge. I don't think you need that freshness as a captain. You've always been challenged in different ways and trying to learn little tricks and trying to grow in everything you do. But I think as you're there more, you learn to get your messages across in slightly different ways using the people around you. I've got through a few coaches as well, so that kind of helps freshen things up. And obviously, the team's constantly evolving, which is a place where you're obviously keeping things fresh and finding different ways to say things.”

Pakistan captain, Fatima Sana: “I will try to enjoy myself, express myself and back myself as well (as captain). Actually, our whole management is supporting me, and they told me that you just take a brave decision on the field, so just try to do this, be calm and just do whatever you want.”

New Zealand Captain Sophie Devine: “I think that's been the great thing about the women's game is the development and it's what's happened off the field I think that's helped achieve that. In terms of the quick bowlers you've seen the girls become more professional and what they've been able to do in the gym is starting to see bowlers hitting 120kms and more which it makes for a challenge. It's always exciting to be coming up against that but I think it just shows the development of the women's game that those sorts of skills continue to improve.

“We've got a number of young fast bowlers coming through. And again, their development has been massive the last 12–18 months so certainly looking forward to seeing what sort of bowlers they can turn into.”

South Africa Captain Laura Wolvaardt: “I think obviously last year was great, but we're just looking to take it one game at a time. Obviously a very difficult pool, but hopefully we can make semi-finals and then anything can happen from that.

“It's obviously a bit different now. I think most players who have played in the team have never played under anyone besides Hilton (Mooreng). But Dillon (du Preez), who's taken over, has been with us for four or five years. So, he still knowshow things were and where we’re headed. And we've actually got a batting coach and a fielding coach now this season for the first time officially as well, so everything just feels really well organized at the moment. It's been great just getting a lot of information from a lot of different coaches, even just to have the extra hands at training and to have specific groups doing specific things has been awesome. We’re looking forward to this tournament.”

Sri Lanka captain, Chamari Athapaththu: “We are coming with underdog tag all the time. So, we don't have any pressure. I don't want to take too much pressure on my shoulders and my teammates' shoulders. But we keep it simple. I have a very young team, so we have a few seniors as well. I hope we can continue our best performance, because we've been playing really good cricket the last 16 months. This is a different format and different conditions, so we have to start again, fresh days. So, keep it simple, one ball one time, one game one time.”

The World Cup which will see 23 matches held over 18 days in the two host cities of Dubai and Sharjah, promises to entertain and inspire a new generation of cricket fans while serving as a transformative platform for women's cricket.

The battle to reach the top of the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings is closer than ever ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

With the tournament set to get underway on Thursday in the United Arab Emirates, 10 countries will battle for supremacy to be crowned world champions on October 20.

However, while full focus will be on powering their respective teams to glory, some players will also have their eyes on topping the ICC batting, bowling, and all-rounder rankings come the end of the month.

Just 22 points currently separate the top five batters, with West Indies captain Hayley Matthews leading the charge to become the first non-Australian in three years to reach the summit. But, she will have to get past Australia’s Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath to do so.

Mooney currently heads the standings at 757 points, nine ahead of her compatriot and former number one McGrath. Mooney showed why she is the one to beat with an impressive 30-ball half century in Australia’s warm-up match against England last week.

Matthews is a further two points behind in third with a career-high 746, with India’s Smriti Mandhana also in contention on 743, while Laura Wolvaardt is also close to the leaders on 735.

Big performances from any of the top five could shake up the individual standings with so little to choose between each player.

There are six countries represented in the top ten, with Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu being just nine points off the 700-point barrier, while New Zealand pair Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine are ninth and tenth, respectively.

Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana makes it seven countries in the top 13 batters, as she is the first female Bangladesh batter to accrue over 600 points.

Where the all-rounder ranking is concerned, Matthews is large and in charge there with a comfortable 109-point lead over Australia’s Ash Gardner thanks to her total of 524.

The top six all-rounders all hail from different nations, with India’s Deepti Sharma and New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr both just below the 400-point threshold.

Sri Lankan Chamari Athapaththu is the only other all-rounder above 300, with 330, while Pakistan’s Nida Dar rounds out a top six, demonstrative of the diverse strength with bat and ball set to be on show at the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Meanwhile, the bowling rankings are similarly hotly contested, with just 12 points between first and fourth. England’s Sophie Ecclestone leads the way with 757 points, but she is just two ahead of India’s Deepti Sharma.

The top four are all spinners, with Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal on 750 points and England’s Sarah Glenn a further five back on 745.

Indeed, 13 of the top 15 ranked bowlers are spinners, with Renuka Singh Thakur and Lauren Bell the only seamers amongst that group. Thakur is fifth with 722 points, 35 off the summit.

Bell is 11th on 676 points and is one of four England bowlers in the top 15, alongside Ecclestone, Glenn, and 13th-placed Charlie Dean.

Only Australia has more bowlers in the top 20, with five; Ash Gardner leads the way for the defending champions in ninth place, while Georgia Wareham’s form has helped her climb six places into 14th.

There are eight nations represented in the top 20. Sri Lanka’s Inoshi Fernando leads those looking to break the 700 mark this month with 691 points in seventh, while Bangladesh’s Rabeya Khan is 10th with 677.

The St. Andrew Technical High School graduating class of 1978, along with friends, are joining forces to stage a web-a-thon aimed at raising funds for the construction of a state-of-the-art Medical Counselling and Intervention Centre at the Kingston-based school. The initiative, led by sports agent Claude Bryan as chairman of the project, is a vital step in modernizing the school's outdated sick bay and providing essential health and counselling services for its students.

 Operating under the banner STATHS 78 and Friends Incorporated, the group consists of graduates from 1978 and non-78 graduates who have come together with a shared goal of improving the school's infrastructure. The primary objective is to replace the existing sick bay, which has remained unchanged since the school's inception, with a modern facility that meets 21st-century standards, including incorporating green technology like solar energy.

 “The reason behind it is that the sick bay that was there, I was told, has been the same since the school started. It’s still the same dimensions with only limited bed space, so we wanted to do something that would benefit the entire student body,” said Bryan.

 To kick off their fundraising efforts, the group will host a three-hour webathon on Saturday, November 2, 2024, from 6-9 pm. The event will take on a sporting flavor, highlighting the lives and achievements of 16 sporting legends who attended STATHS. Among these legends are the late Jamaica and West Indies cricketer Richard "Danny Germs" Austin, Olympian Mike Fray, and Reggae Boy Jeadine White. In addition to the tributes, there will also be musical performances throughout the evening.

Bryan emphasized the importance of the event, encouraging people to tune in and support the cause. “It’s our first major fundraising thrust, and we’re encouraging folks to call in or log in, listen, learn, and support the event.”

Supporters can participate in the event by logging in at https://givebutter.com/Z3RPbW. The funds raised will help bring the much-needed medical, counselling, and intervention centre to life, ensuring that future generations of students at St. Andrew High School benefit from improved health and well-being services.

With the backing of STATHS 78 and Friends Incorporated, the school community is hopeful that this initiative will be the first of many steps in ensuring that their students are provided with the best possible care in a modern, sustainable facility.

An unfortunate floodlight failure at the National Stadium in Providence, Guyana, saw a reduced over match in the Eliminator game of the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

A two-hour delay whilst the light was fixed saw the Barbados Royals set a revised target of 60 runs in five overs. The Royals made short work of the chase, David Miller almost single-handedly getting his side over the line with four balls to spare by hitting a brutal 17-ball fifty that included five sixes and three fours.

Trinbago Knight Riders won the toss and batted first, amassing 168-3 off 19.1 overs before the lights went out. Nicholas Pooran scored a masterful 91 not out off 60 balls to anchor their efforts with captain Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell adding support at the end of the innings with 17 and 20 runs, respectively. Jason Roy assisted Pooran from the top of the order with 25 off 17 balls after the early dismissal of Sunil Narine – bowled by Theekshana off the third ball of the match.

Although not picking up many wickets, the Royals bowled well to limit the damage and keep the Knight Riders in check, a target of 163 would be chaseable if their own batting card fired.

After it looked like their 2024 campaign was going to be cruelly derailed by the floodlight failure, the Royals would have been mightily relieved to get back on the park and have the chance to keep their destiny in their own hands.

Their revised chase was a frenetic and exhilarating affair. Sunil Narine cleaned up Quinton de Kock with the third ball of the first over, a beautifully flighted delivery that clipped the bails and left the batter bamboozled. The ball before had been clobbered for four runs by de Kock and David Miller hit the next delivery after the wicket for a towering six over midwicket. It was a sign of things to come.

Miller came into his own in the shortened chase, cutting Chris Jordan away for four over point before slog sweeping Narine for a huge 106-metre six off the next over. With two overs left the Royals needed 25 runs to progress. Miller kept his cool, consecutive fours off overpitched deliveries from Jordan were followed by a full toss by the beleaguered bowler that was clubbed for six down the ground. The penultimate over costing the Knight Riders 17 runs.

With eight needed off the last over Miller smashed back-to-back sixes off Terence Hinds to finish the match in emphatic fashion, claiming the Player of the Match award and booking the Barbados Royals a place in the second eliminator after a dramatic night in Guyana.

The West Indies Women suffered a 35-run loss to defending champions Australia as they continued their preparation for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.

The 2016 champions won the toss and chose to field first in their second warm-up encounter at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai on Tuesday morning.

Annabel Sutherland led the way with a 28-ball 38 while Ash Gardner made a run-a-ball 31 as the Australians made 144-8 from their 20 overs.

Alana King provided a spark down the order with 21* while captain Alyssa Healy was the only other Australian batter to get into double figures with 20.

Aaliyah Alleyne took 2-24 from three overs for the Windies and was supported well by Afy Fletcher who grabbed 2-36 from her full quota of four overs.

The West Indies were then restricted to 109 all out off 17.5 overs in reply.

Hayley Matthews and Qiana Joseph made 42 and 36, respectively, to be the only West Indian batters to score more than 10.

The Caribbean side were in a good position at the halfway mark of the chase at 69-1 with Matthews and vice-captain Shemaine Campbelle at the crease.

They then lost their final nine wickets for just 50 runs as Alana King and Tayla Vlaeminck ripped through the batting.

King was the pick of the bowlers with 4-30 from her 3.5 overs of leg spin while Vlaeminck took 3-33 from her four overs of pace.

The West Indies lost their first warm-up game to India on Sunday.

They will look to bounce back from these losses when they open their group stage campaign against South Africa at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews and all-rounder Deandra Dottin are among players from across the globe that have welcomed the ICC’s landmark decision to offer equal prize money between men’s and women’s competitions.

Matthews, Dottin, and others hailed the move by the sport’s governing body, which came ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to get underway in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

The tournament winners will receive US$2.34 million after the final on October 20, with the runners-up receiving US$1.17 million as part of a total prize pot of just over US$7.95 million.

That represents an increase of 225% from last year’s edition and makes cricket the only major team sport to have equal prize money for its men’s and women’s World Cup events.

The significant moment in cricket history has been met with acclaim from players ahead of the start of competition on Thursday, with Bangladesh set to take on Scotland at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

“It puts a lot of respect on the game. As women and as professional cricketers, we go out there and work super hard every day, just as hard as the men do,” Matthews said ahead of their opening match on Friday.

“We are all on the world stage the same way so to get equal prize money is a huge thing. Hopefully we can see more stuff like that being done and going across the board all the way,” she added.

West Indies, who won the tournament in 2016, welcomed back Deandra Dottin into the international fold after two years away, and the legendary all-rounder was pleased to see the ICC lead the way on tournament prize money.

“It is really good to see. Change is good, it just goes to show that women’s cricket is getting taken seriously, which is a great thing. This shows we are going forward in the right direction, and we are being more respected in that area,” Dottin noted.

Bangladesh seamer Jahanara Alam is among those hoping to be in action in the opener, and the 31-year-old believes the move to equal prize money will have a long-lasting impact on the sport.

"This is inspiring for us. I believe this will be motivating and inspiring for the next generation. It is good for us as we will get financial support,” Alam reasoned.

“Parents in Bangladesh who don't want to let their daughters take up sports and only want them to study for a job or business will be inspired by this and will be motivated to send their daughters to play cricket,” she opined.

Bangladesh’s captain, Nigar Sultana, believes the move represents the broader positive changes happening within women’s cricket.

"Money is always motivating. This is a good thing, and in women's cricket, we are seeing that a lot of changes are made. That is happening in Bangladesh as well. For the whole team, it looks like if we can do well, we can achieve good things in life. So from that point of view, it really makes us happy,” Sultana stated.

The tournament will see 10 teams vying for supremacy. Australia are defending champions, having won a year ago in South Africa.

South Africa were runners-up last year and begin their campaign against West Indies in Dubai on Friday.