Sports

Team Barbados Shines At Regional Shooting Competition

Barbados’ shooting teams won two of the four team events and several individual gold medals at the Barbados Rifle Association Regional Shooting Standoff, held over the weekend.

This year’s International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) Level 3 competition ran from August 30 to September 1, marking the 10th anniversary of the Smoking Barrel series. It was held at the Barbados Rifle Association range, Paragon, Christ Church.

Regional Director, IPSC Barbados and Chief Range Officer, Dr. Kevin Grant said: “The 10th anniversary of the Smoking Barrel competition is a significant milestone for us. Our journey began in 2010, and over the years, we’ve seen the sport grow in Barbados and across the region.

“Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, we were determined to bring this event back in 2024, and the overwhelming support we’ve received from participants around the world has made it all worthwhile.”

The event featured 15 challenging stages and attracted top shooters from across the globe, including participants from Jamaica, Colombia, the UK, the United States, Trinidad, Guyana, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Suriname. Barbados was represented by a strong contingent of skilled competitors, who showcased their talents on home soil.

“Barbados has a proud tradition in shooting sports, and our team is fully committed to upholding our nation’s reputation. While some of our counterparts from other regions have had more opportunities to practise, we remain confident in our abilities … in the various divisions, both individually and as a team,” the Chief Range Officer noted, as he spoke with the Barbados Government Information Service (BGIS).

Dr. Grant also called for greater support from the Government and corporate sector, emphasising the potential of shooting sports as a form of sports tourism. He said: “Shooting is an Olympic discipline, and it’s time we invested in promoting Barbados as a prime destination for international shooting competitions by investing financially and marketing our brand effectively. We can elevate the sport and create opportunities for Barbadian athletes to compete on the Olympic stage.”

Barbados took first place in the Standard Division Teams Challenge. The members included Gerald Gill, Richard Durant, Dexter Williams and Ryan Hunte. Second place went to St. Lucia.

In the Production Optics Division Teams Challenge, Barbados came second. The team included Cliff Roett, Ryan Best and Nicholas Branker. Jamaica was the winning team.

In the Production Division Teams Challenge, first place went to Barbados. The team comprised Adrian Marshall, Dennis Bellamy, Gregory Wood and Kevin Sealy. Jamaica came second.

The Open Division Teams champions were the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, followed by Barbados, while third place went to Jamaica. (PR/GIS)

Caption: First place winning team for Barbados, Production Division, Kevin Sealy; Adrian Marshall; Dennis Bellamy and Gregory Wood.

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.