by Jamal Bovell

Playing at the 3 W’s Oval yesterday in a rain affected game, the West Indies women relied on a solid team effort in the field and a good opening platform set by captain Hayley Mathews(44 from 40balls) and opening partner Qiana Joseph(60 from 58 balls) to take a 1-0 over the South African Women.

West Indies won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat first and the Proteas opening pair of Captain Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits set a solid platform that had some in the small crowd wondering if it was the right decision as they made their way to 73 from 15 overs before a sharp piece of fielding from Realeanna Grimmond helped to affect a run out to send Woolvaardt back for a watchful 27 from 49. Nondumiso Shangese came in next and struggled before a mix up led to her being run out for 2 from 11.

Game then seemed to swing more in the home team favor as they were able to remove Brits who was starting to look ominous and Annerie Dercksen in quick succession to leave South Africa women on 105/4 at the half way point. However, some responsible batting from Sune Luus(32 from 53) and wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta who added 40 in 9 overs before the later went. The visitors looked in dire straights after a couple more wickets fell before Nadine de Klerk hit an attacking 42 from just 38 balls to lift them to 232/9.

In their chase the home team started in a controlled manner and they made they way up to 27 without lost befoeafter 6 overs. Then Matthews cut loose in the 7^th and bludgeoned 16 off medium pacer Ayabonga Khaka. Joseph not to be left out then joined in with 12 from the next over to repay de Klerk with some the same aggression she had showed with the bat. From here the flood gates were opened and the runs came easily for the next few overs until Matthews fell to Ayanda Hlubi. Hlubi continues her good opening spell applying pressure to the Windies batters. Joseph tried to cut free once more but fell to Hlubi and the visitors smelt blood with the home team at 106/2.

South Africa must have thought they had entered the ascendancy as the home team struggled along to 127/4 losing Grimmond for 5 from 18 and Chinelle Henry for 11 from 10 before the rains came. However after the showers with a now revised score of 180 from 34 overs meaning the west indies now had to score a further 53 runs from the remaining 8.3 overs. Veteran Stafanie Taylor held the chase together to finish unbeaten on 30 from 34 balls and shephered the chase home with the West Indies winning in 32 overs to take the 1-0 series lead.

The series continues on Saturday at the 3 W’s oval from 10am. Admission is free.

by David Harris

England cruised to a 37-run victory in a high scoring match against the West Indies, in the third and final T20I at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Tuesday. 

England scored 248 runs for three wickets after losing the toss and being put sent in to bat, openers Ben Duckett (80) and Jamie Smith (60) raced to 120 runs off 53 balls; they pummeled the West Indies bowlers for 83 runs the first six overs with Duckett reaching his third T20I fifty off 20 balls, the fourth fastest in the format by an Englishman. 

Smith faced 26 balls and struck four fours and five sixes before he was caught by Shimron Hetmyer at deep square-leg off left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie. While Duckett hit 10 fours and two sixes off 46 balls. 

After the dismissal of Smith and Duckett, the onslaught on the West Indies bowlers was continued by Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook and Jos Buttler. 

Bethell and Brooks unbeaten on 36 and 35 respectively, and Buttler contributed 22; Bethell smashed Motie for three consecutive sixes in the 17^th over to take England past the 200-run mark in the 17^th over. 

Chasing 249 runs to win the match, and avoid a whitewash in the series, the West Indies scored 211 for eight wickets. Former captain Rovman Powell provided respectability with 79 not out, and the current Shai Hope got 45, while Hetmyer and Jason Holder contributed 26 and 25 respectively. Fast bowler Luke Wood took three wickets for 31 runs, and leg-spinner Adil Rashid picked up three wickets for 30 runs. 

The West Indies depart England without a victory across six white-ball matches; they travel to Ireland for a three-match T20I series beginning on Thursday. 

Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, has reaffirmed Government’s commitment to clean sport and regional collaboration in the fight against doping during a recent courtesy call with representatives of the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization (RADO) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The delegation, which includes officials from 18 countries across the region, is in Barbados for a week-long programme of workshops, training sessions, and the Annual General Meeting of RADO.

The meetings, being hosted at the Barbados Beach Club, are focused on building capacity, enhancing compliance with the WADA Code, and preparing the region for the implementation of the 2027 anti-doping standards.

Mr. Griffith welcomed the international delegation and praised the leadership of the Barbados-based RADO Secretariat. He emphasised the island’s readiness to continue supporting the regional anti-doping movement and highlighted Government’s openness to institutional reforms, including enhanced autonomy, staffing, and funding for the National Anti-Doping Commission (NADC).

“Barbados is proud to be a regional leader in anti-doping education and enforcement, but leadership comes with responsibility. We are prepared to support the vision of a more autonomous and better-resourced NADC, and to ensure our athletes, coaches, and federations are fully equipped to meet global standards,” the Minister said.

During the meeting, Mr. Griffith proposed that a regional anti-doping testing laboratory be developed, noting the high costs and logistical burdens associated with sending samples to laboratories in Canada or the United States of America. 

He also called for the creation of a tailored education programme for coaches, particularly those working with national teams, to ensure that both athletes and mentors understand the consequences of prohibited substances.

Executive Director of RADO, Dr. Sasha Sutherland, applauded Barbados for hosting the high-level meetings and for its long-standing commitment to advancing the region’s anti-doping framework. She emphasised that as the 2027 Code approaches, the region must invest in training, public education, and infrastructure to avoid non-compliance.

“The requirements of the new Code are extensive – from education to intelligence gathering and data privacy. Barbados has consistently led from the front, but we must bring the rest of the region with us,” said Dr. Sutherland.

Chairman of RADO and representative from Aruba, Patrick Werleman, and WADA’s Raphael Rezende echoed the call for greater operational independence and permanent staffing in national anti-doping organisations, stating that “volunteerism, while noble, can no longer sustain the scale and complexity of compliance required”.

The need for a national media blitz on anti-doping was also highlighted, especially considering the changing attitudes towards substances like marijuana.

Mr. Griffith offered the services of the Ministry’s digital media support team to assist in the creation and distribution of public service announcements and educational content targeting athletes, coaches, and national sports federations.             

He added: “This is not just about Barbados; it’s about protecting Caribbean athletes as a whole. We stand ready to lead and to support our regional counterparts.” (PR/GIS)

Caption: Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, greets Raphael Rezende of the World Anti-Doping Agency at the recent courtesy call. Looking on is Chairman of RADO and representative from Aruba, Patrick Werleman.