Sports

WI to have two separate Head Coach positions

On the recommendation by the independent three-member World Cup Review Group, Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Wednesday announced that there will be two Head Coach positions for the West Indies Senior Men’s Teams.

There will no be a Red Ball Head Coach for Test and ‘A’ Team cricket, as well as a White Ball Head Coach for One-Day Internationals (ODI) and T20 International (T20I) cricket.

According to Jimmy Adams, CWI’s Director of Cricket, the decision to separate the Head Coach roles was made with reference to the recommendation by the independent three-member World Cup Review Group to consider splitting coaching duties as one factor to help improve team preparation.

Adams, said: “After recently completing an independent review of our 2022 ICC World Cup performance, which included a closer look at the roles of the current Head Coach position, we believe it is now necessary to split the role and engage separate coaches for red and white ball formats. The increased frequency of back-to-back multi-format tours combined with the specific demands of the respective formats no longer provides enough time for one individual to adequately plan, prepare and review across bilateral series and franchise itineraries that are so condensed.”

“Separating the roles will also provide the Head Coaches with more time to oversee players’ ongoing development away from tours directly, and through increased engagement and planning with suitable high-performance programmes and coaches.”

The World Cup Review Group was appointed by CWI to conduct a comprehensive review of the West Indies Men’s team’s early exit from at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia last year. The Group was chaired by Justice Patrick Thompson Jr., a High Court Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and included Brian Lara, the West Indies batting legend, along with former South African, Pakistan, and Sri Lankan international coach, Mickey Arthur.

The position of West Indies Men’s Head Coach became vacant when Phil Simmons resigned following the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, and subsequently relinquished the post following the end of the West Indies tour of Australia last December. Andre Coley is the current Interim Head Coach for the recent Test series in Zimbabwe and the current multi-format tour of South Africa. Recruitments for both Head Coach positions are expected to commence shortly.

Sports

BARBADOS PRIDE WINS

Article by David Harris

Barbados Pride defeated Cricket West Indies Academy by an innings and 54 runs in the session before lunch on the final day of their day/night contest at Kensington Oval on Saturday afternoon. Off-spinner Jonel Warrican (six for 104) and left-arm pacer Ramon Simmonds (four for 43) shared all 10 wickets to set up the convincing victory.

The Academy started the day at 211 for six wickets still needing 136 runs to erase the follow-on, and were dismissed for 288, the not-out batsmen were Carlton Bowen-Tuckett on 71, and Zishan Motara yet to score. Motara added 10 runs before he was bowled by Warrican with the score on 232.

Johann Layne joined Bowen-Tuckett and the pair added exactly 50 runs. In between Bowen-Tuckett raised his maiden first-class century, compiled in 154 balls inclusive of 13 fours over 201 minutes at the crease.

The Academy lost their eighth wicket at 282 when Layne, attempting to clear the long on boundary, became Warrican’s fifth victim when he holed out to Kevin Wickham for 27 runs which included two fours and two sixes.

Simmonds dismissed McKenny Clarke for one, after Clarke edged to wicketkeeper Leniko Boucher. Warrican sealed the win for Pride after bowling last man Jediah Blades for four to wrap up the Academy’s innings on 288.

Sports

VICTORY IN SIGHT FOR BARBADOS PRIDE

Article by David Harris

Barbados Pride were on the verge of victory against the West Indies Cricket Academy at the close of play on the third day in their day/night West Indies Cricket (CWI) Championship match at Kensington Oval on Friday night.

Starting the day on 111-3 with Rivaldo Clarke and Jediah Blades on 69 and one respectively, the Academy were bowled out for 239 in reply to Barbados massive total of 581 for nine declared.

Bades added a single to his overnight score before he was trapped lbw by off-spinner Chaim Holder, and Clarke who played several attractive strokes on Thursday night was caught by wicketkeeper Demetrius Richards off Holder for 78.

At that stage the Academy were in deep trouble at 127 for five wickets and the floodgates were open as four wickets fell for just 29 runs, leaving the Academy tottering at 156 for nine wickets.

An entertaining tenth- wicket partnership of 83 runs between Joshua Bishop (57 not out) and McKenny Clarke (30 off 20 balls) lifted the Academy’s spirits, Bishop faced 26 balls and struck nine fours, and two sixes.

Eventually, the Academy were bowled out for 239 off 64.5 overs. Holder picked up six wickets for 70 runs from 16 overs, and left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican took two wickets for 57 runs.

Following on with a deficit of 342 runs, the Academy are 211 for six wickets at the close of play, still trailing Barbados by 131 runs.

Once again, their top-order faltered, Ackeem Auguste (32), Justin Jagessar (six) and Rivaldo Clarke (10) were dismissed with just 99 runs on the scoreboard.

Captain Teddy Bishop stopped the slide with 58 runs off 98 balls spiced with eight fours; but when Bishop and Mavendra Dindyal were dismissed by left-arm seamer Ramon Simmins with the score on 121, Barbados would have hoped to wrap up the match on the third day.

A fighting six wicket partnership of 87 between Carton Bowen-Tuckett and Joshua Bishop will have to wait until the final day to win the match.

Bishop was bowled by Warrican for 28 just before the close of play, and Bowen-Tuckett is unbeaten on 71, so far, he has faced 107 balls, and struck 12 fours.

Simmond has taken three wickets for 29 runs from eight overs, and Warrican three-72.

Sports

SECOND DAY ADVANTAGE FOR HE BARBADOS PRIDE

Article by David Harris

Barbados Pride have the advantage over the West Indies Cricket Academy at the close of play on the second day of the second day in the day/night match in Cricket West Indies (CWI) Four Day Championships at Kensington Oval on Wednesday night.

The Academy were 111 runs for three wickets off 39 overs in reply to Barbados’ formidable total of 581 runs nine wickets declared. The Academy’ innings got off to a rocky start; they were stumbling at 22 for two wickets in the 11^th over after opener Ackeem Auguste (four) was caught at mid-wicket by Matthew Forde off left-arm seamer Ramon Simmons, and the captain Teddy Bishop (nine), was trapped lbw by Forde.

Rivaldo Clarke who is unbeaten on 69 and Justin Jagessar (26) repaired the damage with a partnership of 85 before Jagessar was bowled off-spinner Chaim Holder. So, far Clake has struck eight attractive fours and a couple of towering sixes during his innings, but the Academy will be under pressure when play resumes on the third day as they are trailing Barbados by 470 runs.

Barbados started the day at 354 for three wickets and amassed their highest total (581) in regional first-class cricket since the creation of the Shell Shield tournament in 1966.

Kraigg Brathwaite who was on 143 runs overnight scored an excellent double century (212); the West Indies Test captain faced 335 balls, and counted 19 fours during an innings that lasted eight hours and 24 minutes, Brathwaite’s long stay at the crease ended when he was caught was caught at short fine-leg by Jediah Blades off pacer Johann Layne in second over after the lunch break.

Brathwaite shared a fourth wicket partnership of 86 with Demetrius Richards (38) and added a further 86 runs for the fifth with Leniko Boucher (60).

Layne captured four wickets for 85 runs off 25 overs, and left-arm spinner Josh Bishop picked up 4-137 from 37.3 overs.