West Indies earned a famous victory over Australia as Shamar Joseph overcame injury to inspire them to an eight-run victory at the Gabba.

Joseph had retired hurt while batting on day three after being hit by a Mitchell Starc yorker but claimed figures of seven for 68 in only his second Test to rip through the batting order and earn a first Windies win on Australian soil since 1997.

Steve Smith carried his bat for 91 but none of his colleagues reached 50.

The hosts started day four 60 for two, needing 156 runs to secure a win in the second Test, and looked to be going well as Smith and Cameron Green added 71 for the third wicket.

Joseph ended the partnership with a brilliant delivery to send the top of Green’s off-stump flying.

He struck again the following ball to send Travis Head back to the pavilion with a king pair and Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey soon followed as the Australia batting line-up began to dwindle.

Starc fought back alongside Smith, scoring 21 off 14 before being caught by Kevin Sinclair off Joseph, and captain Pat Cummins was unable to recreate his first-innings heroics as he fell to Joseph for two.

Alzarri Joseph picked up his second wicket of the game to dismiss Nathan Lyon before Smith ran out of partners and was left stranded as Joseph wrapped up a famous win by bowling Josh Hazlewood to earn the tourists a series draw.

It is the first time the Windies have avoided a Test series defeat in Australia since 1993.

Shoaib Bashir rejoined his England team-mates on Sunday after finally arriving in India with his delayed visa.

The uncapped spinner was unable to join the rest of the squad when they transferred from their training camp in Abu Dhabi last weekend due to a hold-up with his paperwork.

Although born in Surrey, the 20-year-old’s family heritage in Pakistan caused lengthier than expected checks and he was ultimately forced to fly back to London to receive a stamp at the Indian high commission.

He finally landed in Hyderabad on day four of the first Test and made his way to link up with the side at the Ranjiv Gandhi Stadium.

The 20-year-old made his way out to the field of play at the lunch break and was soon playing his part, feeding throws to head coach Brendon McCullum as he warmed up his slip catchers ahead of India’s fourth-innings chase.

England captain Ben Stokes had expressed sympathy for Bashir on the eve of the match, saying: “I’m pretty devastated that Bash has had to go through this.

“As a leader, as a captain, when one of your team-mates is affected by something like that, you get a bit emotional. It’s obviously a frustrating situation, more importantly, for him.”

The Somerset off-spinner could now come into contention for a Test debut next week in Visakhapatnam, with Jack Leach suffering from a knee injury.

Ollie Pope was last man out for a stunning 196 as England’s rousing resistance left India chasing 231 to win the first Test on day four in Hyderabad.

Pope fell four short a deserved double century, clean bowled attempting to scoop Jasprit Bumrah over his shoulder with just the injured Jack Leach for company, as the tourists fought their way to 420 all out in a stirring fightback.

They added 104 runs in the morning session as they became just the ninth away team in history to pass 400 in their second innings on Indian soil. When Ben Stokes departed midway through the third day, leaving the score at 163 for five, such an outcome seemed almost impossible.

Pope resumed on 148, a knock hailed by team-mate Joe Root as an “absolute masterclass”, and made it clear he was not finished yet as he reached 150 then sent a sizzling cover drive racing away for four.

His seventh-wicket partnership with Rehan Ahmed reached 64, the teenager contributing 28, before Bumrah had the 19-year-old caught behind.

That looked like a window of opportunity for India but the arrival of Tom Hartley confounded them even further, the tall left-hander looking entirely untroubled as he joined Pope in a stand of 80 in 106 balls.

The hosts were increasingly listless as England took the game on, Hartley producing a no-look scoop early in his innings before charging Ravichandran Ashwin and lacing him for four down the ground.

The arrival of the new ball did not bring the desired effect, Pope quick to flip it over his head for four more and Hartley pinging Ravindra Jadeja over the top.

When Ashwin did beat the bat, an increasing rarity, the ball nipped past Pope’s outside edge and skimmed away for four byes. Moments after unfurling a glorious straight drive Pope was granted a life on 186, fencing Mohammed Siraj to slip only for KL Rahul to spill a low catch.

Hartley, who joined Pope in using the reverse sweep to quell the spin, was finally undone for 34 by a shin-high grubber from Ashwin and that was the turning point India needed. Mark Wood came and went for a duck, caught behind off Jadeja, and when Leach hobbled to the crease Pope decided to force the issue.

With lunch approaching he decided to stoop low paddle Bumrah over the wicketkeeper, a plan that ended with his off stump out of the ground. It was the end of a career-best knock and the seventh highest ever scored by an Englishman in the second innings.

Shamar Joseph has been cleared of a fracture to his toe after retiring hurt following a blow from a Mitchell Starc yorker, raising the prospect that he could yet play a part on the fourth day at the Gabba as West Indies aim to defend 216 for a famous victory.

Starc speared the delivery into Joseph's boot and it was initially given lbw before the third umpire called a no-ball, but by then Joseph was already on the ground in pain. He quickly took off his shoe and sock as the physio came out and it was soon decided he couldn't continue and was helped off the field. His retirement brought an end to West Indies' second innings. After initially being iced in the dressing room, it was later confirmed he would be heading for scans and they brought good news later in the evening.

"He will continue to be monitored by the medical team and assessed tomorrow," a statement posted on X said.

Shamar Joseph's injury had left West Indies with just two frontline quicks, Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph, supplemented by allrounder Justin Greaves and the offspin of Kevin Sinclair as they tried to earn a first victory in Australia since 1997 in what would go down as one of the biggest upsets of all time. By the close they removed Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne to keep their hopes alive although Steven Smith was looking solid.

Alazarri Joseph said they were all wishing for the best for Shamar, but had to focus on the task at hand and retained belief they could secure victory.

"At the end of the day the game has to go on and we have a job to do. Can't worry about who's not there," he said. "Think we bowled pretty well. It's just for us to come tomorrow and keep pegging away. We still have eight wickets to get, you never know what could happen on the fourth day. As long as we bowl the ball in the right areas we can still win this game."

"I like the fight the boys have put in with bat and ball," he added. "We'll take quite a bit of confidence from this series but the game isn't done yet so there could be more."

Shamar Joseph became an overnight sensation on his Test debut when he claimed Steven Smith with his first ball in Adelaide and went on to finish with 5 for 94. He also impressed with the bat at No. 11, making 36 in his first innings.

In Brisbane, he removed Alex Carey in the first innings as West Indies threatened to secure a big lead before Australia drew nearly level before declaring.

Ollie Pope had his England team-mates in awe with a remarkable century in the first Test against India, leaving Joe Root scrambling for superlatives.

Root finally settled on “absolute masterclass” as he tried to sum up Pope’s unbeaten 148 on day three in Hyderabad, fine words from a man with more than 11,000 Test runs and 30 centuries under his belt.

England were 190 runs behind when they started their second innings, but Pope defied the perilous match situation, an unpredictable pitch and a world-class bowling attack to produce a career-best knock.

He overcame all three as he hit 17 fours over 208 deliveries and he carried the tourists to 316 for six – a handy lead of 126, in circumstances that could easily have produced an innings defeat.

That it all came in his first match back after six months sidelined by shoulder surgery, on a surface where the next best score from either team stands at 87, was even more impressive.

Should England somehow find a route to an unlikely victory over the next two days, it will surely go down as an all-time classic.

“I’m speechless really…it’s one of the best knocks I’ve ever seen,” said Root.

“I’ve seen a lot of cricket, I’ve played and batted out there in the middle with a lot of brilliant players and to witness that was was really special. There’s a lot of people in our dressing room that have seen and played a lot of cricket that are of the same mind as I am.

“The way that Popey played today, honestly, it’s an absolute masterclass in how to bat in these conditions as an overseas player. We all know he’s got an array of shots and can score all round the wicket, but to have the self-belief and desire to put a score together for the team and get us to where we are now was outstanding.

“The maturity he showed, the smarts, the way he manoeuvred the field…it was unbelievable. You sit here very emotional being part of it, but I’m sure I’ll sit back and still be impressed and wowed by the way he’s played.”

Root has long been England’s standard-bearer in Asia, where he has scored five centuries, including doubles in Galle and Chennai, but suggested he would happily pass the torch to Pope.

“I’m not any more, I think that’s the benchmark,” he said.

“I might have scored a few runs in the sub-continent but not on a surface like that, against an attack like that.

“I didn’t even mind when he ‘big dogged’ me and said, ‘Can you do the press tonight?’ He spoke this morning in front of the group and and he’s grasped the moment, taken responsibility and backed it up in his actions. That’s what you want from leaders within the dressing room.

“As an old-timer in this team, it’s great to see these young lads coming in, really putting their stamp on things and leading from the front.”

England will want to add plenty more runs on day four to flip the pressure back on their opponents and will be hampered in the fourth innings by an injury to lead spinner Jack Leach.

It is understood he is suffering from pain and swelling, but Root is full of positivity about the way his side have taken the fight to hosts who have lost just three times in their last 46 games at home.

“Regardless of what happens for the rest of the game, I think we’ve laid down some good markers and shown that we have got the tools and skills to really compete in these conditions,” he said.

“Dream the dream. We’ll go to bed and think of what could be tomorrow, then throw everything at the day.”

Ollie Pope led the resistance with a brilliant, battling century as England fought hard to keep the first Test against India alive in Hyderabad.

Faced with the unenviable task of overturning a 190-run first-innings deficit, the vice-captain dug deep to make an unbeaten 148 as his side found their way to 316 for six at stumps on day three.

While the tourists still have plenty of work ahead of them to turn the pressure fully back on India, they showed admirable steel to build a lead of 126 with four wickets still in hand.

Pope’s fifth Test hundred was the mainstay, marking a welcome return after six months out following surgery on a dislocated shoulder.

The Surrey batter had not played since the second Ashes Test last summer and, without any warm-up games to find his feet, looked short of rhythm when he was dismissed for just one on the first day.

He started sketchily again, aiming an errant reverse sweep at his second ball as he searched for scoring shots, but grew in stature as he put together an innings of real substance.

Having bounded along to his half-century in just 54 deliveries, he took 100 more to reach three figures.

The longer Pope took, the more controlled he appeared, and this was a knock that reinvigorated a contest that seemed destined to slip away from England in a hurry.

The scoreboard looked ominous when skipper Ben Stokes fell at 163 for five, India still 27 ahead, but Pope and Ben Foakes, with 34, gritted their teeth in a partnership worth 112.

India began the day on 421 for seven and were mopped up efficiently for the addition of just 15 runs.

Joe Root, continuing his unexpected emergence as his side’s most threatening bowler, snapped up two in two balls, Ravindra Jadeja lbw for 87 and Jasprit Bumrah for a golden duck. Rehan Ahmed provided the finishing touch when he zipped one low through Axar Patel.

If India losing three wickets without a run caused jitters in the away dressing room they were not evident in a dashing opening stand of 45 between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett.

Crawley reverse swept with authority and lifted Patel down the ground for six, but was gone for 31 before the end of the 10th over, nicking Ravichandran Ashwin to slip.

Pope’s presence was not immediately reassuring, hitting fresh air almost immediately as he attempted to get off the mark with a reverse sweep of his own, but Duckett’s arsenal of sweeps proved a reliable source of runs.

England took lunch at 89 for one and were up to 113 when a masterful spell of reverse swing from Bumrah cut their fightback down.

He should have had Duckett lbw but saw his appeal wrongly shrugged away by the on-field umpire and his captain.

Undeterred he came again, shaping the ball through the air, through the gap that Duckett’s lavish drive left and sent his off stump flying for 47.

Root followed after just six balls, trapped in front by another that tailed in and thudded his front pad. On a pitch that had rendered the pace bowlers an afterthought for so long, it was an exceptional intervention from Bumrah.

It was credit to Pope that he not only survived it but also kept his score moving, picking off boundaries and topping them up with hard running between the wickets.

He needed a partner to help but lost Jonny Bairstow for 10, offering no shot to Jadeja’s arm ball, and then saw Ashwin snake one past Stokes’ outside edge and into the top of off.

England were still 18 behind at the start of the evening session but Pope and Foakes knuckled down to turn that into a workable lead.

Foakes watched the ball on to his bat and took minimal risks, while Pope showed real poise as he built his score with a new sense of calm.

By now the reverse sweep that had left him looking vulnerable earlier was coming out of the middle of the bat and providing a vital supply of boundaries.

He gradually became more inventive as he sought gaps in the field, leaving India scratching their heads as they tried to pin him down.

He scrambled three off Jadeja to reach a hard-won hundred, his first in the second innings and third overseas, and marked it in under-stated fashion.

Foakes’ stay was ended by a grubber from Patel, who blotted his copy book by dropping Pope on 110.

That allowed Pope to walk off unbeaten at the close with Ahmed at his side, dreaming of further heroics on day four.

England were fighting to keep the first Test alive after a double strike from Jasprit Bumrah tightened India’s hold on day three in Hyderabad.

Faced with the unenviable task of overturning a 190-run first-innings deficit, the tourists reached 172 for five at tea, with Ollie Pope unbeaten on 67.

Bumrah took the lead with a magical spell of pace bowling on a pitch that has largely rendered the seamers as an afterthought, removing the fluent Ben Duckett and key man Joe Root.

Pairing speed through the air with devilish reverse swing he sent Duckett’s off-stump flying for 47 and then trapped Root lbw for just two to reassert India’s strong position.

England had enjoyed a positive start to the day, taking three quick wickets in the morning session to bowl India out before reaching a promising 113 for one at a lively scoring rate.

Bumrah’s classy intervention knocked the stuffing from their burgeoning counter-attack and when captain Ben Stokes was beautifully bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin late in the afternoon session the net closed further still.

Play began with India on 421 for seven, adding another 15 before losing their remaining wickets without scoring.

Root snapped up two in two balls, Ravindra Jadeja lbw for 87 and Bumrah castled for a golden duck. Rehan Ahmed provided the finishing touch, zipping one low through Axar Patel and ushering the game along to its decisive moment.

Zak Crawley and Duckett made a typically positive start, zoning out the precarious match situation to clear 45 from the deficit despite considerable scoreboard pressure.

After a couple of polite new-ball overs from Bumrah it was spin at both ends and the initial signs were good.

Crawley sent a couple of reverse sweeps to the boundary boards before trying something even more expansive, moving his feet to the pitch and lifting Patel for six down the ground.

He hurried along to 31 in 33 balls but his fun was shut down in the 10th over, Ashwin clipping the outside edge with a precise delivery that nestled in Rohit Sharma’s hands.

Pope started sketchily, busy but uncertain in his movements, while Duckett was poised. Trusting his arsenal of sweeps and reverses he guided the score to 89 for one at lunch, with the hosts’ lead just into three figures.

England continued chipping away until Bumrah returned to the fray early in the afternoon. He should have had Duckett lbw for 39 but saw his appeal shrugged away by the on-field umpire and his captain, who declined to call for DRS.

Undeterred he came again, shaping the ball through the air, through the gap that Duckett’s lavish drive left and violently into the off stump.

Root was next to succumb, beaten on the crease after just six balls and trapped in front. He sent the decision upstairs but found no reprieve.

Pope was still making the odd mistake but he rode his luck and continued scoring briskly as he brought up his first half-century in India at nearly a run-a-ball.

England still needed a big partnership and were unable to find one as the spinners found their rhythm.

Jonny Bairstow was bowled for 10 offering no stroke to Jadeja, mis-reading one that skidded on with the arm, and Stokes saw Ashwin clip the top of off with a ball that snaked past his outside edge.

Zak Crawley was an early casualty as England set about the mammoth task of overturning India’s 190-run lead on day three of the first Test in Hyderabad.

Crawley hurried along to 31 from 33 balls but was first man down when he nicked Ravichandran Ashwin to first slip in the 10th over of England’s second innings.

The tourists took lunch on 89 for one, still 101 behind, with Ben Duckett settling well on 38no.

They started the day by taking the last three Indian wickets for 15 runs as they finished 436 all out in the morning session, Joe Root dismissing Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah with successive deliveries to collect four for 79.

Rehan Ahmed closed the innings when he spun one low through Axar Patel, ushering the game along to a crucial phase as England returned to the crease.

Having been bowled out for 246 inside 65 overs on day one, they knew they would need to do considerably more on a wearing pitch to have a chance of an unlikely success.

Crawley and Duckett made a typically positive start, clearing 45 from the deficit in the face of considerable scoreboard pressure. After two polite overs from Bumrah, it was spin at both ends and the initial signs were good.

Crawley sent a couple of reverse sweeps to the boundary boards before trying something even more expansive, moving his feet to the pitch and lifting Patel for six down the ground. It was a bold beginning but it ended all too quickly, Ashwin clipping the outside edge with a precise delivery that nestled in Rohit Sharma’s hands.

Ollie Pope started sketchily, busy but uncertain in his movements, but Duckett was poised. Trusting his arsenal of sweeps he hit five boundaries as he smothered the turning ball with some style.

The Nicholas Pooran-captained MI Emirates on the back of a superb bowling spell from Akeal Hosein, registered their third win on the trot, as they slammed Sharjah Warriors by 106 runs in a lopsided International League Twenty20 (ILT20) encounter at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

After being sent to bat, MI Emirates led by top scores of 42 by Andre Fletcher and Kusal Perera respectively, and 37 from Pooran, posted 180-7 from their allotment, before Hosein bowled with skill and accuracy to grab 4-23 in restricting the Warriors to a paltry 74.

Scores: MI Emirates 180-7 (20 overs); Sharjah Warriors 74 all out (12.1 overs)

Hosein first accounted for fellow West Indian Johnson Charles (one), who for the first time since the start of the tournament, failed to get in on the runs. The Trinidad and Tobago left-arm spinner then snared another three wickets -Joe Denly (six), Basil Hameed (zero) and Daniel Sams (zero) -in the eighth over.

In fact, Hosein thought he had a fourth in the over and, by extension, the first hat-trick in ILT20 history when he had Englishman Chris Woakes adjudged leg-before-wicket. However, the decision was later overturned on review, as the ball pitched outside the leg stump.

New Zealander Martin Guptill (17), Sri Lanka's wicketkeeper/batsman Niroshan Dickwella (22) and England's Lewis Gregory (10), offered minimal resistance in the Warriors dismal innings.

Earlier, 'Spiceman' Fletcher and Sri Lankan Perera put together a 92 second-wicket stand that was the foundation of the MI Emirates innings. Fletcher slammed four fours and two sixes in his 31-ball 42, while Perera had three fours and three sixes in his 25-ball 42.

Pooran chipped in with a 37 off 29 balls, which includes a solitary four and two sixes, with Australian Tim David being the next best scorer with a 16-ball 20. 

Pakistani Muhammad Jawadullah was the pick of the Warriors bowling with 3-31 from his over overs.

With the win, MI Emirates remain atop the standing on six points, the Warriors are fifth on two points.

Dominica’s Stephan Pascal hit a half-century while St. Maarten’s Nathan Edward starred with ball and bat to help the West Indies U-19s secure a narrow two-wicket victory over England to confirm their progression through to the Super Sixes stage at the ICC Under-19 World Cup at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom.

Edward, 18, got the ball rolling almost immediately with the wicket of England opened Jaydn Denly just four balls into the contest after the West Indies won the toss and put England in to bat.

Skipper Ben McKinney and Noah Thain then put on 50 for the second wicket before McKinney was Edward’s second victim for 26 in the 11^th over.

Thain and new batsman Hamza Shaikh then added a further 47 for the third wicket before Thain went for 40 in the 21^st over.

England then lost their next four wickets at 99, 120, 135 and 147 before eventually being bowled out for 192 in 46.3 overs.

Shaikh went on to top score with 53 while Edward, who also took two catches, finished with 3-28 from his 6.3 overs.

He was well supported by Raneico Smith (2-28), Isai Thorne (2-40) and Tarrique Edward (2-40).

The West Indians then lost eight wickets in a nervy chase, eventually bringing up the win reaching 196-8 after 41 overs.

Captain Stephan Pascal led the way with 58 off 84 balls while Edward made a match-winning 49* off 80 balls including five fours and a six.

After the wickets of Jordan Johnson for a rapid 17-ball 31 including four fours and two sixes, Mavendra Dindyal for 14 and Jewel Andrew, the tournament’s leading run-scorer heading into this game with scores of 130 against South Africa and 64* against Scotland, for just two, the West Indies were reeling at 98-5 in the 16^th over.

Pascal was then joined at the crease by Edward and the pair put on 51 before Pascal inexplicably tried to go over the top off leg-spinner Tazeem Ali only to be caught at mid-off in the 32^nd over.

The subsequent quick dismissal of Nathan Sealy for one in the 35^th over put the Windies in a tough spot at 156-7 but Nathan and Tarrique Edward were able go hold their nerve.

Tarrique Edward was eventually dismissed for 5 in the 40^th over with the Windies needing just one to win.

The West Indies are now through to the Super Sixes phase of the competition.

The top three from each group qualify for the Super Sixes stage. From there, the 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six each. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

The second Test between West Indies and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane remains finely poised after a riveting second day's play. At stumps, the West Indies, who scored 311 in their first innings, were 13 for 1, holding a slender lead of 35 runs after Australia declared their first innings reply on 289-9.

The visitors faced a tricky half-hour's play under the lights, and Tagenarine Chanderpaul became the sole wicket in the last over of the day, caught behind off the bowling of Josh Hazelwood for four.

Earlier in the day, Australia's innings experienced a rollercoaster ride, recovering from a precarious position of 54-5 to declare on 289-9. West Indies' fast bowlers, Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph, wreaked havoc, with Joseph claiming 4-84 and Roach providing crucial support with 3-47.

However, a remarkable counterattacking display by Alex Carey, who scored a brisk 65 in a partnership with Usman Khawaja, and an aggressive unbeaten 64 from Captain Pat Cummins, guided Australia back into contention. The hosts were struggling at 24 for 4 at dinner and 54 for 5 not long after, but the innings turned around with resilient performances.

Carey's innings, reminiscent of the legendary Adam Gilchrist, featured fearless strokes, but he fell for 65 from 49 balls before tea. Khawaja played the anchor role, contributing 75 runs, but was eventually dismissed by Kevin Sinclair. Mitchell Starc's departure on the stroke of tea left Australia in a precarious position.

A crucial moment occurred when a delivery from Shamar Joseph narrowly missed dislodging Carey's off bail, providing a stroke of luck for the Australian batsman. He capitalized on this fortune, striking three consecutive boundaries and displaying aggressive strokes. However, his dismissal at a critical juncture added to Australia's challenges.

In the final overs, West Indies' Chanderpaul fell to Hazelwood, setting the stage for a closely contested Test match. The fate of the game remains uncertain, with both teams aiming to seize control in the upcoming sessions.

At the start of play the West Indies resumed from their overnight score of 266-8 with Kevin Sinclair on 16. Kemar Roach joined him at the crease and together they resisted the Australian attack without much bother.

The pair batted through the first hour without loss with Sinclair doing the bulk of the scoring. The partnership was finally broken after Roach defended a ball to mid-off and called for a single, but Sinclair caught a glimpse of Labuschagne swooping in and made a very late call of no with Roach already halfway down. He slipped over trying to put the brakes on and was run out with ease.

Australia could have removed Sinclair on 30. He poked Pat Cummins straight to gully and Green spilt a sitter at thigh height. The Guyanese bowling all-rounder made Green and Australia pay with some excellent shots thereafter, sweeping Nathan Lyon for four and then lofted him inside-out over mid-off in consecutive balls to bring up his half-century.

He fell next ball, stumped by Alex Carey, for a well-played 50.

Mitchell Starc ended with 4-82 with Hazlewood taking 2-38 and Lyon 2-81.

 7 m

GraceKennedy (GK) has announced its renewed sponsorship of the 2024 Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Grace Shield under-19 cricket competition.

The sponsorship is being undertaken by GK General Insurance (GKGI) and First Global Bank (FGB) and is valued at approximately J$9 million. 

GK’s sponsorship of the ISSA Grace Shield began in 2001. 

GK Group CEO Don Wehby commented, “Our longstanding support of schoolboy cricket in Jamaica is a part of our long-term commitment to our youth, our schools, sports development and our country.

This competition is the gold standard, and we see it as a great way to give back to our community, help develop future cricket stars and contribute to a sport that impacts so many Jamaicans in a positive way.”

Speaking at the competition’s media launch held at GraceKennedy’s headquarters in Kingston today, President of FGB, Radcliffe Daley explained, “For over a decade, First Global Bank has been a proud supporter of cricket in Jamaica, fostering youth talent and promoting the sport at the grassroots level. Our belief in the significance of the sport is why we've partnered with ISSA, committing to 'go further together' in developing our athletes at every stage of their journey.” 

Daley added, “Our commitment extends beyond the field; we invest in programmes that provide educational and life-skill opportunities for young athletes.” 

This year’s staging of the ISSA Grace Shield and Headley Cup will run from January 26 to April 30 and will see the participation of 43 schools from across the island, 28 in the Headley Cup and 15 in the Grace Shield.

Action in both competitions gets underway on Tuesday with four matches in the Headley Cup and three in the Grace Shield.

In the Grace Shield, St. Jago will play Ardenne, Jonathan Grant will face Wolmer’s Boys and Bridgeport will face Norman Manley while in the Headley Cup, Ocho Rios will play Ferncourt, Herbert Morrison will play Browns Town, Green Pond will take on York Castle and Cambridge will play Cornwall College,

Chaluk Richards, General Manager, GKGI, commented, “At GK General Insurance, we believe in the transformative power of sports. We are excited to support a competition that not only promotes healthy competition but also brings together schools, communities, and families in a celebration of talent, hard work, and sportsmanship.” 

Richards concluded, “We look forward to witnessing the incredible talent that our schools have to offer, the spirited matches, and the camaraderie that this competition will foster.”

England prospects of salvaging something from the first Test were fading fast after India left them toiling for meagre rewards on day two in Hyderabad.

The home side ended the day with a lead of 175 – sizeable on any surface but surely emphatic on a pitch that their spinners will expect to cause havoc on.

They reached stumps in full control on 421 for seven, roared on by a holiday crowd of close to 30,000 on India’s Republic Day.

Still 127 ahead overnight, and with Joe Root’s first-over dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal leaving India two down, the tourists had a brief opportunity to turn their first-innings mark of 246 into a competitive score and saw it disappear from view.

The limitations of their bowling attack were plain to see as they failed to generate the same problems as the hosts, whose mastery of local conditions is matchless.

Debutant Tom Hartley had a better day after his baptism of fire on Thursday, banking his first two international wickets, but neither he, nor teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, could disguise their novice status at this level.

Senior spinner Jack Leach was hampered by a knee problem – bowling just 12 balls in the morning session and appearing in a series of short spells thereafter – and Mark Wood’s pace was a footnote, meaning England leaned heavily on Root’s part-time off-breaks.

He played his role admirably, taking two for 77 in 24 overs and asking more difficult questions than the rest combined. But relying so visibly on Root exposed shortcomings that may prove intractable over the course of this five-match series.

KL Rahul (86) and Ravindra Jadeja (81 not out) moved their side into a dominant position but it may have been worse still for England, who profited from some soft dismissals.

Their batting unit must now look to produce a remarkable second innings to make a fight of things. Recent history, where breaking 200 has been the exception rather than the rule for touring England teams, suggests that will be a huge ask.

The explosive Jaiswal gave England a major headache on Thursday evening, piling into Hartley and thrashing 76 at almost a run-a-ball, but he added just four runs before succumbing to the fourth ball of the day. Root, opening up after going unused the night before, turned one just enough to evade the middle of the bat and reached above his head to pluck a caught-and-bowled.

Ben Stokes had pondered the idea of handing Root the new ball, fancying his off-breaks to cause problems for the left-handed Jaiswal, and may regret waiting so long to test his theory.

Things almost got even better when Rahul nicked Root two balls later on nought but wicketkeeper Ben Foakes was not able to pull off what would have been an excellent, and important, catch.

Hartley began at the other end, Stokes eager not to overprotect the 24-year-old after his previous struggles, and he responded with a tighter spell. Where his first nine overs cost 63, this time he got through the same number for 30. More importantly, he opened his account.

Shubman Gill, who never really got going in his 23, flicked Hartley off his leg stump and picked out Ben Duckett at midwicket. The left-armer sprinted away in a mix of celebration and relief.

Yet India never seemed at risk. Rahul proceeded to a comfortable half-century and things got more ragged as the day unfolded. Unable to locate the demons India had unlocked in the pitch, they went searching and made mistakes.

Rahul blasted India into the lead with a pair of sixes off leg-spinner Ahmed, the second a horrible drag down. The teenager was not alone in serving up the occasional freebie as England offered a steady supply of boundary balls. Ahmed did get on the board when Shreyas Iyer aimed a slog-sweep towards the stands but failed to clear Hartley, holing out for 35.

With a century up for grabs Rahul succumbed to the latest unforced error, skying an unthreatening long-hop from Hartley into Ahmed’s hands when he could have hit it anywhere.

With Jadeja at the tiller, India added another 106 after tea, every one of them adding to the size of England’s task. Root got a deserved second, KS Bharat lbw on the sweep, and a mix-up saw Ravichandran Ashwin run out but there was little cause for optimism by the close.

England’s bowlers were striving to stay in the first Test as India began building a dangerous lead on day two in Hyderabad.

By tea the hosts had cleared their overnight deficit of 127 and moved 63 in front on 309 for five, leaving their opponents with a mountain to climb.

It could have been worse for England, who largely relied on some overambitious strokes for their breakthroughs, as their limitations in sub-continental conditions were exposed.

There were two wickets for debutant Tom Hartley, who rallied gamely after a chastening first day to pick up Shubman Gill and top-scorer KL Rahul (86), while Joe Root had the satisfaction of striking with the fourth ball of the morning.

Explosive opener Yashasvi Jaiswal gave England a major headache on Thursday evening, piling into Hartley and thrashing his way to 76 at almost a run-a-ball, but he added just four runs as he succumbed to the fourth delivery of the day, Root reaching above his head to pluck a caught-and-bowled chance off the inside edge.

Ben Stokes had pondered the idea of opening the bowling with Root on the eve of the series, fancying his off-breaks to cause problems for the left-hander, and may regret waiting so long to test his theory.

Things almost got even better when Root had Rahul nicking two balls later on nought, but Ben Foakes was not able to pull off what would have been an excellent catch behind the stumps. That Root was England’s most consistent threat spoke of his own resourcefulness but also cast an unflattering reflection on his fellow spinners.

Hartley began at the other end, Stokes eager not to overprotect the 24-year-old after his previous struggles, and he responded with a tighter spell. Where his first nine overs cost 63, this time he got through the same number for 30. More importantly, he opened his account.

Gill, who never really got going in his 23, flicked Hartley off his leg stump and picked out Ben Duckett at midwicket. The left-armer sprinted away in a mix of celebration and relief.

India took lunch 24 behind, having scored 103 in the first session, with Rahul reaching a tidy half-century before the interval.

There were concerns over the fitness of lead spinner Jack Leach after he was restricted to two overs in the morning, but he took a larger share of the load in the afternoon. England were mostly unable to locate any demons in the pitch, though, and Rahul blasted India into the lead with a pair of sixes off leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed.

The second was a horrible drag down but the teenager was not alone in serving up the occasional freebie as England offered too many boundary balls. Ahmed did get on the board when Shreyas Iyer aimed a slog-sweep towards the stands but failed to clear Hartley, holing out for 35.

With a century up for grabs Rahul succumbed to the latest unforced error, skying an unthreatening long-hop from Hartley into Ahmed’s hands when he could have hit it anywhere.

Ravindra Jadeja ensured India did not let their momentum slip, hitting sixes off Leach and Hartley as he reached 45 not out by tea.