Sports

Guyana Harpy Eagles win West Indies Championship Title

Leon Johnson “proud” to lift Headley Weekes Trophy in his final match

Georgetown, Guyana – Guyana Harpy Eagles secured a thrilling 17-run victory over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes to win the West Indies Championship title and claim the Headley-Weekes Trophy. Kevin Sinclair’s six-wicket haul sealed the deal for Guyana as they bowled out Leewards for 125 on the fourth and final morning on Saturday at Guyana National Stadium.

Off-spinner Sinclair’s career-best figures of 6-33 from 16.5 overs combined with left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who took 3-44, as nine wickets fell on the final morning. Captain Leon Johnson had the honor of raising the Headley-Weekes Trophy, capping off the final day of his professional career. The presentation was done by Enoch Lewis, Director of Cricket West Indies.

“This was a great performance … a great team performance and I’m massively proud of everyone who contributed towards us winning. We worked hard before the season, and we worked hard throughout this season. We were really tested in this final match, and we responded to the challenge with a magnificent win,” Johnson said.

“One of the great things about the season was the progress made by the young players in the team. As various time they stood up with major performances and that was great to see. We made progress. Also, tribute to the senior players who also led from the front, offered invaluable advice and made my job as captain easier on and off the field. Thanks to the fans and all those persons who backed us from start to finish. As a proud Guyanese I retire from the game lifting this prestigious trophy and also happy that I can bring smiles to the faces of the supporters.”

Chasing 143 to win, the Hurricanes started the day on 81-1, and at 91-1, they looked set for a comfortable victory. However, Sinclair’s incredible spell of bowling removed two key Hurricanes batsmen and caused a collapse that led to their defeat.

Guyana ended the tournament with 84.0 points, Windward Islands Volcanoes were second on 74.2 points, while last year’s champions Barbados Pride ended third on 55.6 points.

Looking ahead, the new Headley Weekes Series will feature two teams drawn from the top performers in the 2023 West Indies Championship and players outside the starting West Indies Test XI. The two teams will play each other and the West Indies Academy in a three-match Series running from April 18 to May 6, to be played at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

POINTS STANDINGS

Guyana Harpy Eagles – 84

Windward Islands Volcanoes – 74.2

Barbados Pride – 55.6

T&T Red Force – 49.4

Leeward Islands Hurricanes – 46.2

Jamaica Scorpions – 25.6

LEADING PERFORMERS

Most Runs – Alick Athanaze (647)

Most Wickets – Rahkeem Cornwall (35)

Most Dismissals- Jahmar Hamilton 19 (17 catches, 2 stumpings)

Most Catches -Zachary McCaskie (13)

Sports

FINAL T20I WASHED OUT

Article by David Harris

Rain washed out the fifth and final T20I match between the West Indies and England at the Darren Sammy Cricket Stadium in St Lucia on Sunday evening.

Only five overs were possible before the heavens opened up forcing the players to leave the field, and eventually play was called off a few hours later.

During the five overs, the West Indies raced to 44 for no wickets as openers Evin Lewis (29) and Shai Hope (17) continued from where they had left in the fourth T20 I on Saturday night.

Chasing 219 for victory, the West Indies scored 221 for five wickets in 19 overs, Lewis (68) and Hope (54) shared an opening stand of 136 runs in 9.1 overs that laid the foundation for the Caribbean side consolation win in the series.

England had already won the series after defeating their hosts by three wickets in the third T20 I at the same venue.

The West Indies international season continue with two Tests, three One Day Internationals, and two T20Is against Bangladesh.

The Test series starts at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua on November 22.

Sports

A CLOSE WIN FOR ENGLAND AGAINST THE WEST INDIES

Article by David Harris

England won the T20I against the West Indies after defeating the regional team by three wickets in a close match at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia on Thursday night.

Set a target of 146 for victory England scored 149 runs in 19.2 overs. The visitors losing the wickets of Phil Salt, Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell for 43 runs at the end of the Power Play.

Opener Will Jacks (32) and Sam Curran (41) steadied the innings with a fourth wicket partnership of 38 runs. Jacks faced 33 balls and counted three fours, after Jacks’ dismissal, Curran and Liam Livingstone (39) added 39 vital runs for the fifth wicket.

Livingstone received three chances during his stay at the crease. Wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran dropped him on six, off fast bowler Alzarri Joseph returning from his two-match suspension.

His second chance came when he was dropped by Pooran off left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie on eight, and Shimron Hetmeyer failed to clasp a low chance at midwicket off Motie when Livington had scored 21.

Livingstone made the most of his reprieves, he struck Joseph for 16 runs in the 18^th over before being caught at long-off by Ramario Sheperd off Motie, by then England was within sight of victory. Motie was the most successful bowler for the West Indies with four wickets for 27 runs.

Earlier England won the toss for the third consecutive time and opted to field; the West Indies innings began disastrously losing five wickets for 37 runs in the sixth over, Rovman Powell (50) and Shepherd repaired the damage with 73 runs for the sixth wicket that took the score to 110 runs in the 16^th over.

The West Indies looked set to make a big score when fast bowler Jamie Overton trapped Shepherd lbw and picked up the wickets of Powell and Motie.

Joseph 21 not out and Akeal Hosein who was unbeaten on eight added 23 runs in the final two overs to take the score to 145 for eight wickets.

Man of the Match pacer Saqib Mahmood who took the early wickets at the start of the West Indies innings captured for 17 runs, and Overton picked up three wickets for 20 runs.

Sports

ENGLAND LEADS WEST INDIES 2-0

Article by David Harris

England took a 2-0 lead over the West Indies with an emphatic seven wicket victory at Kensington Oval on Sunday night.

Chasing 159 runs for victory captain Jos Buttler smashed a 45-ball 83 which included eight fours and six sixes to guide England to victory in 14.5 overs; Will Jacks contributed 38, and Liam Livingstone made an unbeaten 23 runs.

England had an early setback in the chase when opener Phil Salt who made a century in the first match was dismissed by left –arm spinner Akeal Hosein for a golden duck; but Buttler and Jacks shared a massive second partnership of 129 runs that placed the visitors on the road to victory.

Buttler and Jacks were dismissed by medium pacer Romario Shepherd in the 13^th over with the score on 130 by then England needed 29 runs to win the match, and Livingstone blasted three fours and a six to take the Englishmen over the line in the 15^th over. Shepherd took two wickets for 42 runs from 3. 5 expensive overs.

Earlier, the West Indies scored 158 for eight wickets after England won the toss and decided to field. Even though England bowlers were wayward with their lines they picked up the early wickets of Brandon King, Evin Lewis and Roston Chase to leave the West Indies wobbling at 35 for three wickets in the fourth over.

Captain Rovman Powell made 43 and Shepherd got 22 but their score 158 was insufficient to prevent the West Indies suffering a second consecutive defeat by England in two days.

Pacer Saqib Mahmood took two wickets 20 runs, Liam Livingstone captured two wickets for 16 runs with a mixture of off-breaks and leg-breaks, and off-spinner Dan Mousley picked two wickets for 29 runs.