Michael Holding, the feared tear-away fast bowler turned respected cricket commentator has announced his retirement from the commentary booth.
West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has expressed delight at the success achieved by St Kitts and Nevis Patriots after joining the team as part of a personal challenge earlier this year.
The 37-year-old all-rounder announced his decision, in April, to join the Patriots after seven years with Trinbago Knight Riders, where he won four CPL titles. Ahead of requesting a trade to the eastern Caribbean team, Bravo had cited a desire to help mould a new generation of upcoming cricketers.
With the performance of some of the Patriot's younger players this season, the move might just have paid dividends. Opening batsman Evin Lewis has an astounding season to date, having racked up a record 420 runs so far, with Wednesday’s final still to be added to the tally. Sherfane Rutherford has also done well with the bat, tallying 237 runs in 10 games so far, with a number of eye-catching performances, while Dominic Drakes has featured prominently among the league’s top bowlers with 15 wickets to date.
“When I decided on making the move I said I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to try and help the younger players in different teams. So to get to the finals, to see the way that Sherfane Rutherford played through the tournament and Evin, young Drakes, that gives me all the pleasure and I think I achieved what I wanted to achieve,” Bravo said, following the team’s semifinal win over the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
“I wanted to help build a team that could actually compete in the tournament and press on to try and win a trophy and we have one more game, it’s going to be a difficult game because the St Lucia Kings have been playing well.”
The final will be the second for St Kitts and Nevis who also made the 2017 final where they lost to a Knight Rider team of which Bravo was a part.
In front of a home crowd, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots secured a place in the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) final with a dominant seven-wicket victory over the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
The Patriots won the toss and chose to field first. Despite a bright start from the Amazon Warrior’s openers, wickets tumbled in the middle overs before a late burst from Shimron Hetmyer took his side to a substantial 178/9.
In their chase, the Patriots once again opted to open with Chris Gayle, and he laid the platform for a successful chase, lashing the ball into the stands on numerous occasions before Evin Lewis then took over to guide his side to a crushing victory.
The Warriors consolidated after losing Brandon King in the fourth over of their innings, with Chandrapaul Hemraj and Shoaib Malik patiently building. However, three wickets in three successive overs, including that of captain Nicholas Pooran, saw the side collapse, reaching 131-8 at one point. Spinners Jon-Russ Jaggesar and Fawad Ahmed were exceptional for the Patriots during this period. It was left to Shimron Hetmyer to salvage the innings and he did so in spectacular style, scoring 45 runs from 20 balls, including a remarkable 25 runs from the last over of the innings.
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in turn reached their highest powerplay score of this year’s Hero CPL, Gayle, and Lewis bringing up 68-0 after the first six overs. Gayle was in destructive form, scoring 42 from 27 balls, and after he fell to youngster Kevin Sinclair, it was Lewis who took responsibility to lead the chase. Supported by captain DJ Bravo, who promoted himself to number three, Lewis blasted 77* off just 39 balls as the Patriots won with thirteen balls to spare.
With this win, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots will now go on to meet the Saint Lucia Kings in Wednesday’s Hero CPL final, with one side set to win their maiden title.
Pace trio Andel Gordon, Johann Layne, and Isai Thorne bowled superbly to push the fifth Youth ODI down to the wire, despite West Indies surrendering the Royal London U19 series to England on Tuesday.
This was the second agonizing one-wicket defeat in the series, following a similar result on the second Youth ODI in Beckenham.
Left-arm quick Gordon, who claimed 3 for 37, stood out bowling with good pace and swing, highlighted by his dismissal of England opener William Luxton, clean bowled in the first over. He was well supported by his right-arm pace duo compatriots Layne, 3 for 40, and Isai Thorne, 2 for 40, as they kept West Indies in the contest by regularly taking wickets.
When Layne dismissed tail end batters Nathan Barnwell caught behind and Joshua Boyden comprehensively bowled in the space of two overs, West Indies were on the verge of pulling off a thrilling fightback win with England still needing 12 runs. However, George Bell, who had an unbeaten half-century of 60 from 115 balls, held his nerve alongside the number 11 batter Sonny Baker to take the home side over the line.
Earlier, Matthew Nandu (51) became the second West Indies batsman to score a half-century on tour alongside Teddy Bishop. His 57-run third-wicket partnership with Ackeem Auguste 32 had West Indies solidly placed at one stage on 101 for 2. But the innings never kicked on, with captain on the day Giovonte Depeiza (34) being the only other major contributor.
The two teams will return to the same venue on Friday for the series finale. First ball is 10:30 am (5:30 Eastern Caribbean/4:30 am Jamaica).
A high-scoring thriller saw Saint Lucia Kings reach the final of the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and eliminate defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders.
The Saint Lucia Kings won the toss and chose to bat. Mark Deyal got the side off to a flying start and they maintained a high intensity throughout the innings, as Tim David and David Wiese combined to cause carnage in the latter overs, taking the side to a mammoth 205 for 4 after their 20 overs.
Trinbago Knight Riders got off to a fast start in response but slowly unravelled amidst a growing run rate, as David Wiese took his second five-wicket haul of this year’s Hero CPL to end their title defence as they finished on 184 all out.
Saint Lucia Kings had got off to a troublesome start as Rahkeem Cornwall was caught out in the first over. Yet Deyal would come in and play with an attacking intent that saw him launch eleven boundaries and reach his highest ever T20 score, 78 off just 44 balls. Roston Chase would aid the side with a valuable knock before David and Wiese came in and formed a destructive partnership: 75 runs coming off the last 34 balls. Despite the high score, Sunil Narine was excellent with the ball for the Trinbago Knight Riders, conceding a paltry twelve runs from his four overs.
Trinbago Knight Riders responded with a strong start, scoring 66 runs in the Powerplay for just the loss of one wicket, as Narine and Colin Munro kept the required run rate within reach. However, Wiese starred with the ball as he took both their wickets, adding pressure to the chase. Despite quick-fire cameos from Darren Bravo and captain Kieron Pollard, it was not enough as the champions faltered under disciplined bowling from Alzarri Joseph and Wahab Riaz. Wiese then capped off a superb game by taking late wickets to reach his five-wicket haul.
Saint Lucia Kings reached their second successive Hero CPL final with the win and the result means we will have a new champion this year.
The West Indies Women lost the third CG Insurance ODI against South Africa Women by 8 wickets at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Monday to take an unassailable lead in the five-match series.
Batting first, West Indies Women posted 157 all out in 48.4 overs. South Africa Women reached 158-2 in 36.4 overs to achieve victory.
West Indies owed their total to a patient 71 from Deandra Dottin and 37 from Rashada Williams. However, the batters were unable to rotate the strike with any regularity barely getting to three runs an over by the side was bowled out eight balls short of their 50-over allotment.
Shabnim Ismail took 3-31 and Ayabonga Khaka 2-22 to stifle the West Indies batters.
In reply, Lizelle Lee scored an unbeaten 78 and Laura Wolvaardt, a solid 53 as the visitors cruised to victory with 13.2 overs to spare.
Qiana Joseph took the only wickets to fall and finished with figures of creditable figures of 2-24.
Interim Captain Anisa Mohamed pulled no punches in her assessment of the team’s performance in yet another lopsided loss.
"I think the batters need to step up and make some runs for us. 157 runs in a 50-over game... you're only going at three runs per over which is easy pickings for a team like South Africa,” she said.
“I thought Williams and Dottin played really well today but again, they need that support. A couple of others need to step up and stay there with them."
Mohammed added: "A lot of people have been saying that South Africa have gone past us but I keep saying to the team I don't believe that. I believe that we're just not playing our best cricket. Look back at the third T20I and South Africa weren't able to beat us, so if we come out here on a game day and play our best cricket, South Africa is not going to beat us."
The two teams will switch venues to the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground for the remaining two matches on Thursday, September 16 and Sunday, September 19.
The first ball is at 10 am local time (9 am Jamaica Time).
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Women’s Selection Panel has announced the West Indies Women’s 13-member squad for the third CG Insurance ODIs against South Africa Women to be played at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) today. First ball 9 am (10 am).
There is a return of experienced seamer Shakera Selman, who was rested for the first two matches. Middle-order batter Britney Cooper has been ruled out the remainder of the series due to medical reasons.
“The first two ODIs have proven to be difficult matches. The batters have not yet given the expected performances. Although South Africa is one of the higher-ranked teams, there are experienced batters in our team who have to settle down and produce some scores,” said Chief Selector Ann Browne-John.
“Them scoring will surely give a level of confidence to the lower order and also give the bowlers a score to defend. We also have the return of Shakera Selman to the 13 which gives an additional and experienced bowling option.”
The full squad comprises Anisa Mohammed (Captain), Deandra Dottin (Vice-Captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Shamilia Connell, Shabika Gajnabi, Qiana Joseph, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Hayley Matthews, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman and Rashada Williams.
The Trinbago Knight Riders finished in the top spot in the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier thanks to a four-wicket win over St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. The Knight Riders will now face the Saint Lucia Kings in the first semi-final on Tuesday, September 14.
Australia Test captain Tim Paine will undergo neck surgery this week but expects to return in time for The Ashes in December.
A pinched nerve in his neck had caused problems in pre-season with Tasmania and the wicket-keeper has chosen to undertake surgery in Hobart on Tuesday.
The first Ashes Test starts in December in Brisbane, but Paine is estimated to be back to light training by the end of September, resume full training the following month and complete his recovery by the start of November.
"The consensus of the spinal surgeon and the CA medical team was to have the surgery now which will allow plenty of time to fully prepare for the summer," Paine said in a statement released by Cricket Australia.
"I expect to be able to restart physical activity by the end of this month and be back in full training in October.
"I will be ready to go by the first Test and am very much looking forward to what will be a huge summer."
Paine, whose finger injuries almost forced him into an early retirement in 2016, averages just 28.61 against England – making just two 50s in 16 innings – but has lifted the urn twice.
The 36-year-old was a part of the side that thrashed England 4-0 in the home 2017-18 series before a 2-2 away draw in 2019 saw his side retain The Ashes.
Australia have only played four Tests in the last 18 months but Paine also gave his backing to cancel November's Test against Afghanistan due to the Taliban's stance that women will not play cricket during their ruling.
Following Cricket Australia stating there was "no alternative" but to cancel the maiden Test, Paine added to SEN Radio last week: "I don't think we want to be associated with countries that are taking opportunities or things off literally half their population."
Guyana Amazon Warriors confirmed their place in the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) semi-finals with a second consecutive win over the Jamaica Tallawahs.
Just like the previous encounter between the two sides the Amazon Warriors won the toss and elected to bat first, and although they found themselves in a perilous position at 75/7 – a blistering Romario Shepherd 72 not out ensured they set a target the Tallawahs never looked likely to chase.
In reply, the Tallawahs once again succumbed as their innings never got going amidst a cluster of regular wickets. Only late hitting from Chris Green prevented them from falling to a heavy defeat.
Guyana got their innings off to a slow start as Imad Wasim and Green made early inroads to leave the Amazon Warriors teetering on 36-3.
It was to go from bad to worse when the set Chandrapaul Hemraj holed out in the deep before Shamarh Brooks took a fantastic running catch to remove the dangerous Nicholas Pooran for 9.
Wasim then struck twice in his final over to leave the Amazon Warriors at risk of not making 100.
However, Shepherd’s power-hitting counterattack took the Amazon Warriors to a very healthy 142/7 to pile all the pressure back on the Tallawahs.
The Tallawahs reply got off to a poor start when they lost the clean hitting Kennar Lewis and Kirk Mckenzie to a double-wicket maiden over from Imran Tahir.
With the run rate rising Chadwick Walton offered brief respite with some boundary hitting before Hemraj got him to hole out to in the deep.
Wickets continued to fall as Smith and Shepherd got in on the act and at 42/6 the Tallawahs were left to rely on Carlos Brathwaite and Andre Russell to pull off an unlikely victory.
Some late heroics from Green gave them some hope but they ultimately fell to defeat and exited the tournament.
Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors 142-7 (Shepherd 72*, Hemraj 21; Wasim 3-15, Green 2-19) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 128 (Green 31, Walton 20; Smith 3-20, Shepherd 3-31) by 14 runs
Quinton de Kock hit an unbeaten 58 as South Africa clinched the T20I series against Sri Lanka with a nine-wicket thumping on Sunday.
The Proteas, who won Friday's opener in the series by 28 runs, were hardly tested by their flat opponents, who managed just 103 in 18.1 overs. That was their lowest first-innings total at home in this short format.
South Africa wasted little time chasing that figure down, De Kock helping them open up a 2-0 series lead inside 15 overs.
Sri Lanka had little answer to South Africa's spinners – Bjorn Fortuin, Aiden Markram, captain Keshav Maharai and Tabraiz Shamsi – who took nine wickets and conceded just 63 runs in their 14.1 overs.
Markram finished with a career-best three for 21, which included the wicket of opener Kusal Perera for 30.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa was Sri Lanka's next highest scorer with 20 as the hosts lost seven for a paltry 32 runs between the 10th and 19th overs.
Sri Lanka failed to get rid of De Kock with a review following the fourth delivery of South Africa's innings and the 28-year-old did not look back.
He brought up his 10th T20I fifty, and fourth of the year, after his opening stand with Reeza Hendricks was broken in the ninth over when Hendricks was caught by Dinesh Chandimal off the bowling of Wanindu Hasaranga.
Markram added an unbeaten 21 as South Africa reached their target with almost seven overs to spare.
De Kock proves his importance
De Kock was rested for the ODI series, which Sri Lanka won 2-1, and he showed his worth here. He steered his side to victory with an unbeaten 58 off 48 deliveries and will be a key figure if South Africa are to challenge for the T20 World Cup, which begins next month.
Perera not backed up by team-mates
Perera got Sri Lanka off to a solid start with 30 from 25 balls, but his team-mates failed miserably to capitalise. The 31-year-old, making his comeback after recovering from COVID-19, hit a third of his side's runs, with only three others reaching double figures.
A remarkable run chase from the Barbados Royals ensured they ended their 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign with a victory against the Saint Lucia Kings at Warner Park on Sunday.
St Kitts & Nevis Patriots returned to winning ways with an eight-wicket victory over the Trinbago Knight Riders on Saturday night to seal a spot in the latter stages of the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League.
The Patriots bowled brilliantly and then backed that up with a dominant batting display that saw them knock off the victory target with 32 balls to spare.
It was Evin Lewis who was the star of the show, making 102 from just 52 balls.
The Knight Riders got off to a slow start in the face of some excellent bowling from the Patriots. They reached the end of their PowerPlay at 28-2 with both Lendl Simmons and Denesh Ramdin dismissed caught on the mid-wicket boundary. Ramdin could have gone an over earlier, but Ravi Bopara put down a simple chance. Thankfully for the Patriots, this did not prove too costly.
A 50-run stand between Darren Bravo and Colin Munro steadied the ship and brought the Knight Riders back into the contest. Munro would go on to top score with 47 but when Darren Bravo went for 22 the Knight Riders lost momentum once again. When Munro and Kieron Pollard went in successive balls bowled by Jon-Russ Jaggesar it looked as if the Knight Riders would set a sub-par total but some big hitting from Sunil Narine took his team to 159-7.
The Patriots innings got off to a flying start thanks to Evin Lewis and Chris Gayle who was promoted to open as a result of an injury to Devon Thomas. They reached 67-1 from their PowerPlay overs with Gayle the wicket to fall for 35 from 18 balls.
When Gayle went it was Lewis who took up the attack, passing his fifty from just 27 balls. While Narine was economical, returning figures of 0/10 from his four overs, the rest of the Knight Riders bowlers struggled for control in the face of the Lewis onslaught.
Bopara and Lewis shared an 85-run stand, and Bopara contributed just seven runs as the Patriots opener smashed the ball to all parts.
This win moves the Patriots back to the top of the table and guarantees them a space in the semi-finals on Tuesday 14 September.
Scores: St Kitts & Nevis Patriots 160-2 (Lewis 102*, Gayle 35; Pollard 1-20, Khan 1-54) beat Trinbago Knight Riders 159-7 (Munro 47, Narine 32*; Jaggesar 3-32, Drakes 3-32) by eight wickets
Guyana Amazon Warriors have one foot in the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) semi-finals following a 46-run victory over the Jamaica Tallawahs
The Amazon Warriors won the toss and elected to bat first and captain Nicholas Pooran led the way with a brutal 75 not out to set the Tallawahs 170 to win.
In reply, the Tallawahs succumbed to a heavy defeat as Odean Smith and Gudakesh Motie combined to bowl the Amazon Warriors to victory.
Guyana got their innings off to a steady start amassing 46 runs in the PowerPlay but they had to contend with the loss of Brandon King and Chandrapaul Hemraj in doing so.
Despite Shimron Hetmyer then running himself out, Nicholas Pooran and Shoaib Malik put together a partnership of 54 runs from 33 balls to place Guyana in a strong position with six overs to go.
Pooran then took on the responsibility of getting his side into a good position and his pyrotechnics at the back end of the innings ensured Guyana Amazon Warriors posted a very competitive 169/6.
The Tallawahs were able to keep pace with the required run rate in the early stages of their reply as Haider Ali and Kirk Mckenzie overcame the loss of Kennar Lewis to put on a 41-run partnership.
Odean Smith’s entry into the attack proved pivotal as his two wickets in two balls swung the pendulum back in Guyana’s favour and he wasn’t done there as he also got rid of Andre Russell in a wonderful wicket maiden over.
Alongside Smith, Gudakesh Motie spun a web as his three wickets helped ensure there was no chance of an unlikely win for the Tallawahs.
The victory for the Amazon Warriors means the Tallawahs will now have to win the return game to make the semi-finals.
A superb bowling spell from David Wiese helped Saint Lucia Kings gain their fifth win of the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and end any chance of the Barbados Royals qualifying for the semi-finals in the process.
The Royals won the toss and captain Jason Holder chose to field first, which looked like a good decision as the Kings lost two wickets in the Powerplay to the superb Mohammad Amir. However, Saint Lucia Kings captain Faf du Plessis once again produced a masterful performance, scoring 84 runs to take his side to a commanding 175 for 6.
Despite a strong start in reply, the Royals were sent into disarray in the ninth over as Wiese took three wickets, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope and Glenn Phillips all fell within five balls. Despite a late fightback from Holder and Hayden Walsh, it was not enough and the side finished on 154 for 8.
Saint Lucia Kings had reshuffled their batting order for this game, with Mark Deyal opening, yet it was to have little effect as both Andre Fletcher and Deyal were back in the pavilion after three overs, with Amir once again getting early wickets. It was left to du Plessis to build a big score, scoring 84 from 54 balls, partnering effectively with Tim David. A late cameo from Keemo Paul with the bat saw the Kings reach a substantial total.
The Royals lost Kyle Mayers in the third over but rebuilt with Charles and Hope looking confident at the crease. However, after three wickets fell in an over, they were unable to recover, losing more wickets as the run rate increased, notably Holder, who was looking dangerous on 34 runs off 24 balls. A rain delay saw their innings reduced by one over, and Walsh resumed play with a few boundaries to keep his side’s hopes alive. However, Wiese struck again and took Walsh’s wicket in the 19th over, his fifth wicket of the game, giving the Kings the crucial win.
With this loss, Barbados Royals can no longer qualify for Tuesday’s semi-finals and will be playing for pride when they face the Saint Lucia Kings once again in their final group game tomorrow.
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