Barbados Today article.

West Indies cricketing icon Sir Everton Weekes believes that making Test cricket as monetarily attractive as the shortest form of the game could be one means of keeping the region’s best players interested in that format.

Speaking to Barbados TODAY this evening, the legendary batsman said Test cricket was still the true measure of a cricketer’s ability and excellence, despite whatever performances were produced in the other versions of the game.

He noted however that the other formats, especially Twenty20 franchise cricket, were more attractive to players because there was greater financial reward to be gained than the longer version.

“I believe that if a cricketer plays a game over five days, then the monetary incentive should be there for the individual to play for that duration of time. That is not the case now and cricketers make significantly more playing the game over a shorter period of time so that attraction is there,” he said.

Sir Everton, who had a stellar career in which he played 48 Tests between 1948 and 1958 while scoring 4 455 runs at an average of 58.61, said that at the end of the day cricketers were remembered for what they achieved in the longer format of the game. Though not knocking Twenty20 cricket and stressing he was pleased that cricketers were making financial rewards from it, the cricketing knight nevertheless said performances in franchise cricket around the globe were often quickly forgotten.

He also said there were aspects of the shortest form of the game that bordered on unfair play. He said when one side set a field based on a batsman’s left-handedness or right-handedness and he subsequently switched at the crease to play a stroke, that could be viewed as an element of cheating the game.

Sir Everton noted that while paying cricketers more for Test cricket might be one means of maintaining their interest in that format, he was not sure what could be done specifically to rekindle the interest of spectators in Test cricket, which he added had dwindled over the years.

Sir Everton’s views have been echoed by Cricket Australia’s chief executive officer James Sutherland. He said today that everything should be done to ensure international cricket retained its position as the most attractive form of the game for cricketers across the globe. He acknowledged, however, the financial lure which leagues such as the Indian Premier League, The Big Bash League and others, have in comparison to International cricket matches.

Sutherland said cricket was at an interesting stage of its growth, where players were confused whether to play Test cricket for their nations or represent their franchises in domestic cricket leagues.

He said that international cricket’s future could only be secured by making it more financially lucrative than domestic leagues. He added this was the only way that it would remain at the pinnacle of the game.

He noted that efforts had to be made to ensure that the rewards on offer for Test cricket were continually increased and worked in parallel with any additions of domestic leagues, or other T20 tournaments to a calendar year.

A study conducted by ESPN Cricinfo during the 2015 – 2016 West Indies Tour of Australia revealed that, while West Indies players earn $5000 in match fees for a Test match, the Australians received US $11,200 approximately per home Test and US $15,700 approximately for overseas matches. This was only the tip of the iceberg, however, as there was a greater imbalance when one compared their annual retainer contracts.

The West Indies Cricket Board contracted players are split into three categories earning between US$100,000 and $140,000. By contrast, the lowest ranked Australian contracted player gets US $182,500 approximately in addition to their match payments. The top-contracted players, meanwhile, earn around US $1.1 million.

The Australian executive suggested that one way of encouraging greater spectator attendance at the longest format of the game was day-night Test matches.  He said the cricket boards of all major Test-playing nations had thrown their support behind day-night matches and nearly half intended to host a game under lights in the next 12 months.

First Published In The Barbados Today.

Barbados Today article.

There is significant potential for growth in women’s cricket and more corporate sponsorship may help with its development, says young West Indies batter Kyshona Knight.

Knight made the comment following a presentation of gifts from Banks Beer to the Barbadian T20 champion cricketers during a recent Q In The Community event at Brereton, St Philip.

“I think they [corporate sponsors] need to put more support into the women’s game because the men have a lot more support, so if the games are advertised and more persons could come out and support that would be excellent,” she said.

Making the presentation, Charles Walcott, category manager for Banks (Breweries) Limited stated that the company looked forward to building on their relationship with West Indies cricket and wished both players and administrators the best of luck in the future.

“Banks Beer’s mutually beneficial association with West Indies cricket has become even more exciting with the introduction of T20 cricket, and Caribbean excitement is what our new “Life Nice” campaign is really all about,” he said.

Also speaking on behalf of the group, off-spin bowler Ashley Nurse said: “It was a tremendous feeling to bring smiles back to the faces of Caribbean people.”

First Published In The Barbados Today.

CricBuzz article.

When West Indies toppled England in the 1979 World Cup final, the game's defining moment was the partnership between Collis King and Sir Vivian Richards.

King who hailed from Barbados, played one of best finals innings in men's World Cup history - blazing 86 from 66 balls to aid the West Indies recovery from a precarious position of 99 for four. It was probably the only time in the career of Viv Richards, where he was playing supporting cast on such a grand stage.

Fast forward to 2016 when West Indies Women clinched their maintain World Cup title, it was another player from Barbados in Hayley Matthews whose efforts on the day that will live long in memory, while star player Stafanie Taylor played second fiddle. The performance has created great expectations on what the West Indies Women can achieve in the upcoming years and the likely leading role Matthews will play in this potential development.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, the 18-year-old Matthews elaborated about her career upbringing leading up to that World Cup final performance and future ambitions in the sport.

How did you start and when did your interest in playing cricket grow?

I started playing cricket around the age of 5 - just being outside with my brother and father in our yard. They both play competitive cricket in Barbados and every time they would go to cricket on a day, I would follow them. I guess that's basically how I learned the sport, being around so much.

What was your cricket history and record while playing cricket at school level?

The primary school I attended was called The People's Cathedral Primary. Whilst there, I played cricket in the primary school tournament. I started playing for that school at the age of 10 and in my last year, when I was 11, I captained the school team of boys. I then moved on to my secondary school called Harrison College. That was where my cricket really started developing. I played under-13, 15 and 19 cricket for them, captaining the under-13 team in my last year of that as well.

What about your cricket club in Barbados?

The cricket club I started with is Wanderers cricket club. That is located kind of between town and the south coast of Barbados. I was playing there probably from the time I was about 8 until I moved to another club around age 10 called Passage road cricket club located in Bridgetown, which is the main town of Barbados.

Who are some of the cricketers that you have looked up to?

The male cricketer I would definitely have to go with is Ricky Ponting. From the time I was young, I loved the way he played. Female cricket is hard because I actually didn't really start watching the game properly till about 4 years ago.

I do remember the watching the Australia women and Jess Cameron's playing style caught my attention, so I would go with her at that time.

Which cricketer did you model your game on and who are some of the coaches that played a key part in your career development?

I would say it was more my coaches that played a big part in my game. I believe that the coach who really took my game from one point to another would have to be Richard Clarke. He was my coach at Passage road. The way I played when I first went to him vs the way I could play when I left him about 5 years later was unbelievable.

After them, it was more about a lot of fine tuning which I must give credit to Henderson Springer, Ezra Mosely and Vasbert Drakes who still work with me.

How much did playing in the Women's Big Bash help to improve your game?

It helped me a lot, both on and off the field. On field, the coaches that I worked with, Julia Price and David Drew, helped me sort out my technique and some flaws I had with my game. Off field, my confidence and experience of the game grew so much while playing down there.

Although everyone will forever remember your innings in the final, you are also a very capable off-spin bowler. Do you constantly work on your bowling?

Although many people may see me as a batsman, I still believe I have the ability to make a name for myself with the ball. I always bowl in the nets at training and may sometimes even do spot bowling after training.

What was your mindset going out to chase target in the final. Did Captain Stephanie Taylor tell you much during that partnership?

When Australia set the target of 148, I just tried to look at the positives. I kept telling myself that it was a good batting wicket and that if they made it look so easy to bat, we could too.

With the batting line up we had, I just tried to be as confident and positive as possible. Stef [Stephanie Taylor] and I didn't even mention the total but all through the game, we were just talking about keeping with the run rate without taking too many risks.

Captain Taylor recently said in an interview that their needs to be a "new recruitment drive for women's cricket in the Caribbean" following the ladies' World Cup triumph. As a young player that has come through the system, what are some of the things you think the West Indies Cricket Board should do to make this a reality?

I really do think that some structure in the West Indies for women's cricket would be great. Like Stef was saying, we need to start from young. The best idea I think would be to go into the schools and start getting girls out to play. Especially now that they have seen what you could get out of playing from our recent victory.

What now have you set as your career goals following the World Cup?

I guess, really helping your team to win a World Cup is what some people would consider the highest you could get. On a personal level though, I would like to go much further. I do really want to help my team as much as possible yes, and with that I'd like to grow and become one of the best players in the ranking.

My whole career goal would be to reach the number one batsman or all-rounder spot by the end.

First Published On CricBuzz.

NEW DELHI, India, CMC – West Indies opener Dwayne Smith stroked an up tempo half-century while seamer Dwayne Bravo remained calm under pressure to bowl a decent final over, as Gujarat Lions held on to beat Delhi Daredevils by a single run in the Indian Premier League here Wednesday.

Playing at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Lions piled up 172 for six after being sent in with the right-handed Smith carving out 53 and opening partner Brendon McCullum top-scoring with 60.

In reply, South African Chris Morris hammered a career-best unbeaten 82 to get the hosts within touching distance of their target.

However, with 14 runs required from the final over, Bravo managed to hold his nerve to and see the visitors over the line.

The victory was Lions’ fifth in six outings and it pushed them top of the standings on ten points, two ahead of the chasing Kolkata Knight Riders.

Delhi, meanwhile, remained third on six points.

Smith and McCullum gave Lions a flying start, putting on 112 off 64 deliveries.

In only his second game of the IPL, Smith faced 30 deliveries and clobbered five fours and three sixes while New Zealander McCullum hit six sixes and three sixes in a 36-ball knock.

Smith eventually fell in the 11th over when he missed one from leg-spinner Imran Tahir which skidded on, and was lbw.

His wicket signalled a collapse which saw six wickets tumble from 30 runs.

Seamer Dhawal Kulkarni then grabbed three wickets to stun Delhi and leave them on 16 for three in the fourth over before Morris and JP Duminy, with 48 off 43 balls, came to their rescue.

Morris faced only 32 balls and slammed four fours and eight sixes while Duminy hit three fours and a six off 43 deliveries.

Bravo claimed one for 40 from his four overs but more importantly, managed to keep Morris quiet in the final over.

Barbados Cricket Association article.

Bridgetown, Barbados - Summarised scores and results of play in Series 3 matches of the 2016 BCA Everton Weekes Under-13 limited overs Championship on Wednesday, April 26:

ZONE A

At Husbands:

Queen’s College v Grantley Adams.

NB: Match rescheduled for Friday, May 28th due to CXC PE exams.

-

At Beckles Road:

Deighton Griffith beat Graydon Sealy by three wickets.

Graydon Sealy 92 all out (31.2 overs) (Rashoun Archer 27, Makail Gittens 23; Akobe Earle 3-2, Matthew Alleyne 2-8, Brandon Pilgrim 2-24).

Deighton Griffith 93-7 (29.4 overs) (Romario Brathwaite 16, Matthew Alleyne 16 not out, Nicholas Callender 14, Peri Alfred 13 not out).

Points: Deighton Griffith 4, Graydon Sealy 0.

BYE: Nicholls Baking Combermere.

ZONE B

At Cane Garden:

KFC Ellerslie won by default from Lester Vaughan.

Points: Ellerslie 4, Lester Vaughan 0.

-

At Six Roads:

Harrison College beat Princess Margaret by 47 runs.

Harrison College 200-2 (34 overs) (Jacob Bethell 77 not out, Leonard O’Garro 43, Tor Burrowes 26, Kyle Lewis 13 not out).

Princess Margaret 153-9 (34 overs) (Rashawn Ramsay 37, Jaquan Callender 26, Tarique Harris 15; Jacob Bethell 3-12, Zane Corbin 3-33, Jahdai Belle 2-24).

Points: Harrison College 4, Princess Margaret 0.

BYE: Foundation.

ZONE C

At Trents (St. James):

Frederick Smith beat St. Michael by eight wickets.

St. Michael 112 all out (29.2 overs) (Dondre Babb 19, Allisa Scantlebury 17; Elon Davis 2-14, Avinesh Singh 2-16, Shomari Depeiza 2-23).

Frederick Smith 116-2 (23.1 overs) (Thierry Walcott 35, Shomari Depeiza 22, Gevonte Depeiza 22, Ty Farrell 16).

Points: Frederick Smith 4, St. Michael 0.

At Trents, St. Lucy:

Coleridge & Parry beat Daryll Jordan by 164 runs.

Coleridge & Parry 180-9 (31 overs) (Shomar Davis 63, Jaydan Roberts 21, Tyriq Daniel 10; S. Norville  3-18).

Daryll Jordan 16 all out (10.2 overs) (Tyrese Alleyne 3-2, Depedro Jordan 3-4).

Points: Coleridge & Parry 4, Daryll Jordan 0.

-

BYE: Milo Lodge

ZONE D

At Constant:

Alexandra beat St. George by six wickets.

St. George 55 all out (12.4 overs) (Diego Walton 10; Malik Young 5-2, Renacko Belgrave 2-17, Dejuan Toppin 2-17).

Alexandra 58-4 (7.2 overs) (Renacko Belgrave 12, Baggio Worrell 11; Shaquan Shepherd 4-20).

Points: Alexandra 4, St. George 0.

-

At Pine:

St. Leonard’s won by default from Parkinson.

Points: St. Leonard’s 4, Parkinson 0.

BYE: Alleyne.

-

POINTS (After Series 3):

ZONE A – Combermere 8 (2), Graydon Sealy 8 (3), Deighton Griffith 4 (2), Grandly Adams 0 (1), Queen’s College 0 (2).

NB: Queen’s College v Grantley Adams: Match rescheduled for Friday, May 28th due to CXC PE exams.

ZONE B – Foundation 8 (2), Harrison College 8 (3), Princess Margaret 4 (2), Ellerslie 4 (2), Lester Vaughan 0 (3).

ZONE C - Frederick Smith 12 (3), Lodge 4 (2), Coleridge & Parry 4 (3), St. Michael 4 (2), Daryll Jordan 0 (2).

NB: Frederick Smith won by default from Daryll Jordan in Series 1.

ZONE D - Alexandra 8 (2), Alleyne 8 (2), St. Leonard’s 8 (3), Parkinson 0 (3), St. George 0 (2).

Series 4: Saturday, April 30 (Home teams mentioned first):

ZONE A - Deighton Griffith v Queen’s College; Grantley Adams v Combermere; BYE: Graydon Sealy.

ZONE B - Ellerslie v Princess Margaret; Foundation v Lester Vaughan; BYE: Harrison College.

ZONE C - St. Michael v Daryll Jordan; Lodge v Frederick Smith; BYE: Coleridge & Parry.

ZONE D - St. Leonard’s v Alexandra; Alleyne v St. George; BYE: Parkinson.

First Published On bcacricket.org.

MUMBAI, India, CMC – Kieron Pollard equalled the fastest half-century of the Indian Premier League this season and became only the sixth player in history to eclipse 6 000 Twenty20 runs, as he propelled Mumbai Indians to an emphatic six-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders here Thursday.

Set 175 for victory at the Wankhede Stadium, the hosts romped to their target with two overs remaining, with Pollard blasting an unbeaten 51 from a mere 17 deliveries.

He arrived at the crease at the end of the 13th over with the reigning champions Mumbai still requiring 69 for victory, and dominated the remainder of the innings striking two fours and six sixes.

Captain Rohit Sharma struck an unbeaten 68 off 49 deliveries while Ambati Rayudu chipped in with 32.

Pollard’s West Indies teammate and fellow Trinidadian, off-spinner Sunil Narine, produced a brilliant spell of two for 22 from his four overs but was unable to halt Mumbai’s charge.

West Indies all-rounder, Andre Russell, went wicket-less from his three overs of seam which leaked 28 runs.

Earlier, Gautam Gambhir top-scored with 59 off 45 balls in a 69-run, first-wicket stand with Robin Uthappa, who made 36 from 20 balls, after KKR were asked to bat.

Batting at number five, Russell stroked 22 off 16 balls with three fours before he was bowled by Kiwi paceman Tim Southee in the 18th over.

In reply, opener Parthiv Patel (1) fell to the seventh delivery of the innings with the score on eight for one but Rohit and Rayudu added 59 for the second wicket to launch the recovery.

But three wickets fell for 39 runs in the space of 37 balls to derail the run chase and much rested on Pollard’s shoulders when he arrived at the crease.

He announced his intention with two boundaries off left-arm spinner Shakib al Hasan in the 15th over and followed up in the next over by blasting three sixes off medium pacer Rajagopal Sathish in an over which cost 23.

Both he and Rohit were kept quiet by Narine who returned for his final over in the 17th but Pollard finished the game in style in the next over from left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat.

He clobbered the third delivery over mid-wicket for six, cleared the ropes at long on with the following delivery before finishing the game by smashing the final delivery – a full toss – over long off for this third six.

Pollard, who now has 6009 runs, is the second West Indies player in the 6000-run club along with Chris Gayle who leads the career T20 aggregates with 8840 runs.

With the victory, Mumbai moved into third spot on eight points, behind KKR only on net run rate, with Gujarat Lions two points clear at the top.

Barbados Nation article.

April has been a special month for Randy Brooks.

He celebrated his 45th birthday on the day that West Indies won the men’s and women’s World Twenty20 championships, and a cricket photograph he took in 2015 was chosen as one of the best in the world.

Brooks, younger son of renowned lensman Gordon Brooks, made the final shortlist in the Wisden-MCC Cricket Photograph of the Year competition with a shot of Barbadian twin sisters Kycia and Kyshona Knight celebrating victory in a super over after the third and final Twenty20 international between the West Indies and Pakistan was initially tied at the Grenada National Stadium. He revealed to SUNSPORT that he first entered the competition two years ago.

The husband and father of a 13-year-old son said rather modestly that a breakthrough photograph depended sometimes on luck and being around for an entire day. “I believe it [also] all comes down to your creative imagination,” he said. “Sometimes you have to create something when it’s not happening and it calls for patience. Cricket calls for a lot more patience than the other sports.”

Outstanding photos

The introduction of the Twenty20 as the game’s shortest form has provided greater opportunities stemming from its fast-paced nature, he said.

Sitting behind the desk in his office in which hangs two outstanding photos of Kensington Oval taken in 1993 from on board a helicopter, Brooks let on that a lot of his knowledge was passed on from his father, whose business Brooks LaTouche Photography was set up in the year Randy was born. “I learnt a lot from him,” he said of his father. “I didn’t go to photography school. I went to the school of Gordon Brooks and Brooks LaTouche Photography.

I got first-hand knowledge on the job. I can’t say that I learnt everything that I know. There’s more now that I know than when I started but most of the things that I know, especially with cricket, I learnt from him.”  Randy Brooks talking about the picture of the Knight twins that earned him recognition from Wisden/MCC.

Reminiscing on the past, Brooks said his father had to travel often but his absence did not disrupt the close-knit family connection. Older brother Enrico took his place within the studio, while Randy would eventually travel the world perfecting his craft.

“Growing up we were close but we could have been closer. [Dad’s] job took him around the Caribbean and around the world a lot, which meant he was home less and less but when I called on him he was always there.” Nonetheless, as he got older they worked together, making the bond between father and son even greater.

Celebrity

With an uncontrollable smile on his face, he mentioned that being the son of a well-known photographer somehow made him a bit of a celebrity at school. He said his father took a photo of him which appeared on the cover of a publication and on seeing it everyone at the school surrounded him.

Those were the days when cameras and camera phones were not so ubiquitous. The move from Gordon Brooks’ son to Randy Brooks the photographer was kind of an instantaneous one. “I just woke up one day and said, ‘Look, my father is not going to be here all the time, it is time for me to take this more seriously’,” he said. He also recalled his father making a significant comment that hinted at the transition.

“Randy, I realise something,’” dad had said, ‘when we started together I had to wake you up on mornings to get ready; now you are waking me up’.” Gordon Brooks retired a little while after. However, moving into the industry as an independent was a natural step, as Randy not only shot photos for the NATION but as the official photographer for the West Indies Cricket Board and later the Caribbean Premier League.

That independence has also landed him quality friendships with some of the legends of the game, including Sir Wes Hall and Sir Everton Weekes.  The very walls of the Brooks LaTouche photo studio breathe history, adorned as they are with pictures of other cricket greats such as Desmond Haynes, Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh, and Curtly Ambrose. “A lot of them recognised me because I am Gordon Brooks’ son and I would have worked with them before, so the ball is almost instant. With the current crop of players, the respect is there also because they see me all the time,” Brooks said.

Spanning both eras of film and digital, he referred to digital as a godsend, as a cameraman can take as many pictures as he likes and still concentrate on the game. He added that even the editing process was faster with a number of other benefits.

“With film that meant you had to walk around with something called a darkroom kit. It was basically a bag and you would have a case with chemicals because everything was wet. You’re shooting film, so you’re trying not to shoot too many rolls. You’re concentrating on the game a lot more and you’re shooting less. You process that film and you dry that film, scan it and send the photographs electronically.”

Love

Brooks revealed his love for photography extended beyond cricket, and also involved landscapes, seascapes and abstract. His son is also keen on photography, but Brooks said he was encouraging him to remain focused on school.

“He loves the camera but he is more into athletics. Boys are very easily distracted, I know that from my own experience. He could be distracted with the camera [when he may have] to take interest in school. Following in my footsteps is good. It would be great to have a third generation,” Brooks said with an ear-to-ear smile. Who knows; maybe there will be a third generation but until then Brooks will just keep doing what he does best, bring images to life.

First Published In Barbados Nation.

CricBuzz article.

Expecting a monotonous reply, I asked: "Is there something that you regret not achieving in cricket?" The question, designed to draft an end to the conversation, offered a human touch instead.

"Yes, it's just gone," the tone of Dwayne Smith's voice drops with each word that he utters, giving away a poignant cocktail of emotions that he is trying to suppress by avoiding an eye contact. "I really wanted to play the last World Cup," he tells Cricbuzz.

As video clippings of the 'Champion' dance from the Caribbean islands and other parts of the world went viral following West Indies' World Twenty20 win, Smith sat sulking in front of his television set still wondering what wrong he did not to merit a place in the squad. "But what can you do? You can't do nothing about it now. It's gone. I liked that the guys won it. But I'm really really disappointed," he says overcoming the choke in his voice. The very statement turned the mood of the conversation in which Smith was, until then, a proud narrator.

"I'm thinking it was going to be my last World Cup, so I really felt sad and disappointed at not getting selected after knowing that I've the second-most runs in T20 cricket since 2011." He was quite accurate with his numbers, and if purely cricketing reasons are to be argued, there was very little that went against him. In fact, just before the team was selected for the World Cup, he had smashed a couple of half-centuries in four matches, including a Man of the Match innings in the Pakistan Super League final.

He chuckles at the idea of playing another global tournament and says nonchalantly, "I'll say that I don't know. I don't know what the selectors will be thinking, I don't know what will be going on."

Being brought up in a cricketing family at Codrington Hill in St Michael, Barbados, Smith feels cricket was in his genes or that everybody in the West Indies wanted to be a cricketer. Despite having his father Wilbur Bruce playing competitive cricket, it was his uncle who took special interest in getting Smith, the eldest sibling in the family, involved in the game. It was as a five-year-old, that Smith remembers, being taken to watch a cricket match by his uncle.

"My uncle started teaching me how to bowl first. Then he got me to bat. The only thing that I knew at that time was playing cricket."

Despite having an endless list of legends in Barbados to look up to, Smith tried to base his game on Viv Richards. "My favourite was Viv Richards, Sir Viv Richards now," he corrects himself. "He is the closest to my batting style."

While he hasn't quite been able to replicate the success of the Antigua legend, he has surely carried along the aggression. It is no surprise that today, Smith says, with a bit of cockiness, "Dwayne goes soft on nobody. He attacks every bowler."

The start to his first-class career wasn't the merriest as he finished each of his first two seasons with Barbados with a batting average in the mid-20s. There was little noteworthy contribution with the ball to talk about. However, cricket seemed better in limited overs. After getting out for a duck on his List A debut, he finished the Red Strip Bowl season with an average of close to 40. That season, following Marlon Samuels's knee injury, paved way for his international debut with no lesser than Viv Richards himself, in popular Barbadian folklore, claiming to have seen something of himself in Smith.

While it seemed a surprise selection in the cricketing circles, Smith wasn't taken aback by the call-up to play for West Indies. "Actually, I had got the inside info," he laughs as he revealed the little secret. "Corry Collymore and Fidel Edwards were on that tour and they had called me and given me a heads up that I might be selected. I was playing a trial game at that time at home. And I got a call after the trial game that I will be joining the team and travelling to South Africa."

It turned out to be a memorable debut as he scored an unbeaten run-a-ball century in the New Year Test to help West Indies save the third match at Newlands in Cape Town. The knock that came against a bowling attack comprising of Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel and Jacques Kallis, not only helped save the match for the visitors, but also put them in a position to chase down the mammoth target of 441 runs, but for the lack of time.

Sadly for him, that remained his only century (till date) in international cricket. His Test career went on an unhindered downward slide. He went on to play only nine more matches in which he failed to go past the half-century mark again and his average plummeted below 25.

His One-Day International (ODI) stint, which began on the same tour, got off on an average note with some decent contributions against South Africa, followed by England at home. However, then followed his most successful international series, where he won back-to-back Man of the Match awards against Bangladesh. In the same series, he registered his maiden ODI fifty and also bagged his first wicket.

However, much like his Test exploits, there was no upward swing to his ODI career. Amidst innumerable under-10 scores were the occasional half-centuries. He has failed to score a single ton in over 100 ODIs.

Not surprisingly, following West Indies' Super 8 exit in the 2007 World Cup, he was left out of the ODI side for nearly three years. He played for them in the inaugural World T20. But following their failure in that event, he was shown the door in the shortest format too.

"The three years that I was left out was the toughest period, it felt awful. I thought I was putting in the work, I just wasn't getting selected. But it happens. I always knew that the coaches were behind me and telling what to do.

"At that time, Queen's Park Cricket Club had taken some interest in me, took me up in a period where I was not playing any cricket, they gave me cricket and supported me right through until I got back into the (national) team."

He also signed up with Sussex in the 2008 season for the Twenty20 tournament and after initial success, signed a two-year deal with the side as a Kolpak player. His success as a player transformed to his side as they reached various finals and even won Pro40 Cup and the Twenty20 Cup.

His time away from the national team was also a time when international cricket was rapidly evolving. Twenty20's success had most boards hopping to take it up seriously and formed their own leagues, starting from the IPL. New shots and new deliveries were being invented. And it didn't take time, for T20's impact to fall on ODIs, Tests and even domestic cricket.

However, Smith refused to disregard his natural talent, relying on his power, while not bringing in any unconventional innovations to his batting. "I've the power to get the ball away. So I don't really have to try much." Even his coaches Henderson Springer, Roddy Estwick and Dale Alcock asked him to keep his cricket simple. "All of them had told me one thing 'try to hit the ball. Don't go for the cheeky shots'. So I stuck to what I know best and what gave me the best result."

While praising the likes of Darren Lehmann, Mark Robinson and Robin Singh - coaches with whom he has worked with while representing different teams in other countries, he took a subtle dig at some of coaches who held the reins of West Indies. "I never changed anything. Basically what I did was tried to make sure I'm getting the correct practice. And I keep repeating that all the time. I never change my game. I know some of the coaches would like me to, but I never change my game because that's what works for me."

He did make his comeback into the West Indian side for the series in Australia in 2010. It was also a period when West Indies cricket was going through an all-time low. The fact that their first-class structure was collapsing, players weren't getting paid adequately and that they weren't playing with the same kind of spirit that had made them world dominators in cricket for nearly two decades had been going on for long. But, never earlier, had it reached this low.

Playing his comeback series in Australia, he returned with an average of 61.5 in four matches.

He was a regular pick in the IPL, coming in as a replacement for Dwayne Bravo in 2008, being picked by Deccan Chargers the year later in which they emerged as the winners. However, there were only rare instances of significant contributions from him before 2012 when Mumbai Indians bought him as a replacement for Mitchell Johnson.

He may not have been their chosen opener in that tournament, but he did get his opportunity initially as a middle-order batsman. In Match 49 of that edition, he slammed a six and two boundaries off Ben Hilfenhaus to take Mumbai Indians home off the last ball with two wickets to spare against Chennai Super Kings. In many ways, that is where the dissection of Smith's career can be done - before that knock and after it.

Smith was soon moved to open the batting with Sachin Tendulkar, a position from where consistency found a chapter in his career. "One of my dreams come true was playing cricket with Sachin (Tendulkar) and actually going out and opening the innings with him. I never thought that would happen, but it did happen and I'm very proud of that."

Next year again, with Mumbai buying Ricky Ponting and appointing him as the captain of the side, there was no place for Smith. However, a run of poor scores, prompted Ponting to give up captaincy and his place in the team. Smith was his replacement in the Playing XI, and the West Indian didn't disappoint. In fact, his consistent scoring at the top of the order throughout the the season helped Mumbai Indians lift their maiden IPL trophy and followed it up with their first Champions League win.

Crediting Robin Singh for his success in India, he said, "He's worked so hard on my batting, I want to thank him for the rest of my life." He further went on to explain the technical changes that the Mumbai Indians coach suggested. "It was basically about keeping my head position still, watching the ball longer and staying a lot lower, because the pitches in India keep a lot lower. I took his advice positively, and for me it still does work. He still calls me and gives me information as and when he can."

He found his place back in the national team and became a popular pick in T20 leagues across the world. Next year, Chennai Super Kings bid Rs 4.25 Crore for Smith and made him the regular opener of the team alongside Brendon McCullum. The West Indian finished as the second highest run-getter in the 2014 season with 566 runs.

As far as his his form wearing the West Indian maroon went, 2012 turned out to be a good year, possibly his best so far, as he put up consistent performances in both limited-overs formats. However, in the year that followed bizarre selection calls kept him away from the game yet again. "Some of the times there were downs, a lot of information (spread) around the team and stuff like that."

Having played only one match in West Indies' successful campaign in the 2012 World T20, he was drafted into the side ahead of the 2014 competition and was a regular opener throughout the tournament. He continued to hold on to his place in the ODI and T20 side till the 50-over World Cup, where West Indies crashed out in the quarterfinals.

Somewhere caught in the midst of the endless drama over pay disputes and numerous other non-cricketing reasons argued by the West Indian cricketers, selectors, board and the players' association, Smith never got a chance back in the side. "I hope it does get sorted out because I'm sure we have some promising youngsters coming through in our cricket and I hope it doesn't go to waste."

Even though he has just turned 33, he feels the clock is ticking on his career, not too optimistic of a long future in the game. Speaking on whether he is content on what he has achieved with his career so far, Smith says, "At the moment, I think I have enough. To be honest, you never have enough. It is enough until I'm getting selected again. I'm not getting any younger and there are youngsters coming through and I don't want to stop that. And once they come through, I hope they have a better position and push from the coaches as well.

"A lot many guys are looking to play just for money. But there are guys like Carlos Brathwaithe, Jason Holder, Shane Dowrich, Jonathan Carter and some of those guys are going to come through and I hope they get enough facilities, practice and work from the coaches to push them."

On peppering him with the question of what change has he noticed in the West Indian team over the last decade - from his debut till date, he confirms observing a drastic change in the way players practice and adds, "The first-class cricket isn't as competitive as it used to be. I keep listening to Desmond Haynes because I play golf with him. Listening to him, and hearing how their competition was when they were coming up was so much different for it was for us."

It did paint a merry picture for him, watching the men from Caribbean islands bully cricket teams around the world. As he grew up, sadly, the world changed and the reality of it all was strangely different. "At a point of time, it (the dream) was (to play) cricket for the West Indies. Now they have IPL and all that stuff. Playing at the highest level for me and performing is the best (dream)."

With a bit of pain, sadness and self-induced motivation, he concluded, "I know I've been through a lot. But I know I'm strong and nothing can pull me down."

First Published On CricBuzz.

PUNE, India, CMC – Dashing West Indies opener Dwayne Smith stroked a high-class half-century in a Man-of-the-Match performance, to help leaders Gujarat Lions beat Rising Pune Supergiants by three wickets off the last ball in their Indian Premier League contest here Friday.

Set an imposing 196 for victory at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Lions scrambled the nine runs needed from the last over to pull off their sixth win in seven outings, to move four points clear at the top of the standings on 12 points.

Smith pioneered the run chase with a superb 63 from 37 balls to record his second half-century in three days, and extend his rich vein of form.

The Barbadian right-hander counted nine fours and a six and put on 93 for the first wicket with New Zealander Brendon McCullum whose 43 came from 22 balls and included five fours and two sixes.

Captain Suresh Raina chipped in with 34 from 28 balls while wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik hit 33 from 20 deliveries.

Australian stroke-maker Steve Smith had earlier pummelled his maiden T20 hundred to help fire Supergiants to 195 for three off their 20 overs, after they were sent in.

The classy right-hander carved out 101 off 54 deliveries with eight fours and five sixes, adding 111 for the second wicket with opener Ajinkya Rahane who made 53 off 45 balls and a further 64 for the second wicket with captain MS Dhoni, who slammed an unbeaten 30 from 18 balls.

West Indies medium pacer Dwayne Bravo accounted for Smith in the final over to finish with one for 40 from his four overs.

Smith and McCullum then set the run chase on course with a flamboyant opening stand which saw Lions race to 62 without loss after just five overs.

Dropped on 35 off off-spinner Ravi Ashwin, Smith moved into the 40s with a six off seamer Rajat Bhatia before reaching his half-century off 28 balls by smashing the same bowler to the mid-wicket boundary, a couple of overs later.

McCullum fell in the ninth over and Smith eventually followed in the 11th over, inside-edging a full length delivery from Sri Lankan pacer Thisara Perera, into his middle stump.

Smith, overlooked for Lions’ first four matches, has now scored 148 runs from his three innings in the tournament.

Bravo, meanwhile, managed just seven from six balls before perishing in the penultimate over but James Faulkner scrambled the single needed from the last ball of the game to hand Lions victory.

LONDON, CMC – Hampshire will be looking to ex-West Indies paceman Tino Best to spearhead their attack, as they chase their first win of the new English County Championship season when they face Middlesex at the Ageas Bowl starting Sunday.

The 34-year-old is set to make his debut after replacing fellow Barbados and West Indies speedster Fidel Edwards, who broke his ankle last week and was forced to undergo surgery to correct the damage.

Hampshire’s Director of cricket, Giles White, said Best was highly motivated for the encounter.

“Tino has settled in well. He played for the Second Team this week and he bowled with pace and skill and he showed that he is ready to play,” White said.

“There have been some good individual performances in the first two matches and something to build on, but as always we’ll look to keep improving and get some results on the board.

“We are up against another strong side this week against Middlesex, but we feel in good form and we are ready to take them on.”

Best has signed a short-term deal to represent Hampshire to compensate for the loss of Edwards.

The fiery right-armer last represented West Indies two years ago but played for Barbados Pride in the WICB Regional Super50 last January before also turning out in the inaugural Masters Champions League in the United Arab Emirates.

Edwards broke his ankle last week while playing football during Hampshire’s warm-up ahead of the final day’s play of their encounter against Yorkshire.

PUNE, India, CMC – Gujarat Lions opener Dwayne Smith says he is enjoying his partnership at the top of the order with audacious New Zealander Brendon McCullum.

The pair put on 92 on Friday as Lions chased down an imposing 196 to beat Rising Pune Supergiants by three wickets and extend their lead at the top of the Indian Premier League standings to four points.

Last Wednesday in New Delhi, Smith and McCullum posted 112 in helping Lions defeat Daredevils by a single run and three days earlier, the pair put on 47 as Lions overhauled 181 to knock over Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets.

“I always enjoy opening, especially opening with Baz (McCullum). It’s been brilliant. I think we have so much partnerships now … and I hope that we can continue doing that,” said the 33-year-old Smith, whose alliance with McCullum dates back to his stint at the now suspended Chennai Super Kings.

“You can see from this match tonight. They started well but as soon as we got going I think they went back onto the back foot and it was good to see that Baz took up the mantle and took them on, and I just sat back and then had a go.”

The Barbados and West Indies player’s presence at the top of the order has been a refreshing one for the surprise IPL leaders.

He was overlooked for their first four games of the new season as Lions opted for Australian Aaron Finch, who reeled off half-centuries in his first three innings, to solidify his spot.

Injury to Finch, however, opened a door for Smith and scores of 32, 53 and 63 has seen him make a strong case to selectors.

The right-hander, who has played 246 T20 games, said he was excited by the high motivation in the Lions camp.

“The guys are really up for it and we have a good coach (Brad Hodge) too as well, and some good backup staff and it’s good to see that the boys are really up for it and I hope that we can continue.”

SkySports article.

'You can always fail, so just give it a go'

Considering Carlos Brathwaite walloped four successive sixes off Ben Stokes in the final over to win the World Twenty20 for West Indies, you wouldn't think he was an anxious batsman.

Yet the 27-year-old Barbadian all-rounder - who is currently part of Delhi Daredevils' squad in the star-filled Indian Premier League - insists that was the case a few years ago.

Brathwaite, though, says the remedy has been simple - graft away in training and accept that failure is inevitable.

"I realised that I could always hold my nerve with the ball but with the bat I was always a bit jittery," Brathwaite told Sky Sports' Mark Butcher.

"I have worked really hard in the nets and in the lead-up to games but I also know that, despite that, there could always be one ball with my name on it or one that I middle straight to the fielder.

At the beginning of that over [in the World T20 final] it was a matter of knowing what I needed to do, that if I failed it wouldn't be for a lack of preparation or trying, and that I should just give it a go. - Carlos Brathwaite

"I have now accepted that you can fail - you will do that more than you perform - and that it's not about failing but how you react; that has kept me in better stead than trying to hold my nerve.

"At the beginning of that over [in the World T20 final] it was a matter of knowing what I needed to do, that if I failed it wouldn't be for a lack of preparation or trying, and that I should just give it a go."

Give it a go he did.

With West Indies requiring 19 from six deliveries to lift the World T20 title for a second time - they previously won it by beating hosts Sri Lanka in 2012 - Brathwaite deposited Stokes into the stands at deep backward square, long-on, long-off and deep midwicket.

Marlon Samuels (85 not out) was at the non-striker's end but Brathwaite says at no point did he consider nudging for one and going against the positive approach West Indies had championed throughout.

"If you think '19 off six' you're next thought is 'no possible chance'," said the powerful right-hander, who took 3-23 in England's score of 155-9.

"So I tried to take myself out of the situation, out of the equation, out of the atmosphere, out of everything, and narrow it down to bat versus ball - watch the ball and react.

If I tried to hit a single after hitting a six and then missed out on a rank half-volley or a full toss and Stokes nailed fours yorkers against Marlon at the backend, then it was on me. - Carlos Brathwaite

"We had been preaching responsibility in the dressing room from the beginning of the World Cup so if I tried to hit a single after hitting a six and then missed out on a rank half-volley or a full toss and Stokes nailed fours yorkers against Marlon at the back-end, then it was on me.

"My mind-set was that if I sky one in the air and get caught but we cross then Marlon is batting, but if I get it away then there are less runs to get at the back-end of the over.

"I just tried to maximise every delivery - fortunately for me I hit four for six and we were World T20 champions."

Despite a second World T20 triumph in three tournaments, West Indies' form in Test and one-day international cricket has tailed off.

The Caribbean clan are languishing in eighth spot in the Test rankings, while they have failed to qualify for the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in England.

Brathwaite believes the team have become 'stagnant' in the longer forms but hopes their T20 success can boost their fortunes in all cricket.

"At this point we have the best T20 team in the world, but when it comes to other formats we are yet to find the correct structure and the way we want to play," he added.

"The longer the format, the more we are caught between wanting to play our natural game and putting that into a concept of stretching it to 50 overs or Test cricket.

"The quicker we find a way to mesh our natural game and the way the game is supposed to be played - or maybe we reinvent how we should play - that's when you'll see our results go up and up.

"Teams do go stagnant and some drop from the glories and never reach those heights again - we are probably stagnant and have been for a lot longer than we would like.

"But it only takes a little spark to take teams back and I hope this T20 victory and the passion it brought out in the Caribbean supporters gives the will to come back."

Watch Delhi Daredevils in action in the IPL on Sky Sports over the next few days. Brathwaite's side host Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday at 11am, Sky Sports 3 before they visit Gujarat Lions at 3pm on Tuesday on the same channel.

First Published On SkySports.

NEW DELHI, India, CMC – Twenty20 World Cup hero Carlos Brathwaite once again put his all-round qualities on display with a superb Man-of-the-Match effort as Delhi Daredevils trounced Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs in the Indian Premier League here Saturday.

In his first game in two weeks, Brathwaite belted a whirlwind 34 from a mere 11 deliveries as Delhi stormed to 186 for eight off 20 overs after being asked to bat at the Feroz Shah Kotla.

The West Indies all-rounder then returned with his medium pace to claim three for 47 as KKR were restricted to 159 all out off 18.3 overs.

For Delhi, the victory was their fourth in six outings and it moved them into second spot on eight points while KKR lost their third in seven games and slipped to third, remaining on eight points.

Brathwaite was a vital part of Delhi’s revival after the hosts slipped to 32 for three in the fifth over.

Karun Nair top-scored with 68 from 50 deliveries, adding 105 for the fourth wicket with Englishman Sam Billings whose 54 came from 34 balls and included three fours and two sixes.

When Nair and Chris Morris (0) fell in the space of three deliveries in the 17th over, Delhi were stuttering on 137 for five but Brathwaite and Billings put on a frenetic 37 off just 12 balls to give the innings impetus.

The first two deliveries Brathwaite faced disappeared for boundaries and he followed up by smashing left-arm spinner Brad Hogg over square leg for six in the next over which leaked 18 runs.

In the final over, he smote the first ball from West Indies teammate Andre Russell over mid-wicket for six but fell to the next delivery, caught at short fine leg off a slower ball.

Seamer Russell conceded only four runs from the remaining four deliveries to finish with the excellent figures of three for 26 from his four overs.

Off-spinner Sunil Narine, meanwhile, claimed three for 22 from three overs.

West Indies Test and one-day captain, Jason Holder, finished with none for 35 from four overs, in his first game of the season.

In reply, opener Robin Uthappa stroked 72 from 52 balls but Suryakumar Yadav with 21 was the only other batsman to pass 20, as KKR collapsed.

Brathwaite proved the architect of their demise, slicing through the middle order with a potent spell. He removed the dangerous Yusuf Pathan for 10 in his first over – the eighth of the innings – before accounting for Yadav in his third over and Rajagopal Satish for 17 in his final over.

RAJKOT, India, CMC – Dwayne Smith flattered to deceive while Dwayne Bravo suffered the indignity of a first ball ‘duck’, as leaders Gujarat Lions suffered a batting collapse to slide to a 23-run defeat to Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League here Sunday.

Chasing 155 at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Lion tumbled to 131 for nine off their 20 overs, to lose only their second game in eight outings this season.

Smith, with two half-centuries in his last three innings, seemed set to extend that form when he smashed a four and a six but eventually fell cheaply for 15.

Bravo, batting at number six, continued his poor form with the bat when he failed to score.

Lower order batsman James Faulkner top-scored with 32 from 27 balls while Ishan Kishan chipped in with 27 from 24 balls, but they were the only two to pass 20.

Lions slumped to 39 for five at the end of the seventh over and failed to recover despite the best efforts of Australian Faulkner and Kishan.’

Smith banged the second ball of the innings from seamer Sandeep Sharma to the cover boundary and followed up by clearing the ropes at mid-wicket with the final delivery of the over.

However, he watched opener Brendon McCullum (1) and captain Suresh Raina (18) fall before following them, becoming one of three wickets to fall in the seventh over bowled by left-arm spinner Axar Patel (4-21).

He holed out to long-off off the third ball of the over, Dinesh Karthik was bowled for two off the fifth ball before Bravo was bowled by the very next delivery, after finding himself frozen on the crease.

The Trinidadian’s best score this season has been 22 not out against Rising Pune Supergiants over two weeks ago.

Earlier, Bravo claimed two for 33 from four overs of medium pace as Kings XI rallied 154 all out off 19.5 overs.

Sent in, opener captain Murali Vijay top-scored with 55 from 41 deliveries while Wriddhiman Saha chipped in with 33 and South African Miller, 31.

LONDON, CMC – Leeward Islands Hurricanes batsman Chesney Hughes got a start but failed to carry on as Derbyshire kept Northamptonshire in the field for the entire first day of their English County Championship game here Sunday.

Playing at Wantage Road, the visitors finished on 275 for eight after opting to bat first, with number seven Shiv Thakor stroking an unbeaten 60, to prop up the innings.

Number nine Tony Palladino chimed in with 49, in a stand of 105 with Thakor for the eighth wicket.

The left-handed Hughes had earlier hit 39 at the top of the order as he posted 56 for the first wicket with captain Billy Godleman who hit 32.

Hughes, who faced 68 balls in 1-3/4 hours at the crease and counted eight fours, also shared a 45-run stand for the second wicket with Hamish Rutherford, who stroked 35.

At the Rose Bowl, ex-West Indies speedster Tino Best made his debut for Hampshire as they batted all day to post 315 for seven.

Best, signed last week to replace the injured fellow Barbadian Fidel Edwards, ended the day on eight not out and was partnered by middle order batsman Liam Dawson on 87 not out.

The day, however, belonged to Test discard Michael Carberry who hammered 107 to record his 34th first class hundred.

Barbados Cricket Association article.

Manchester, England - Talented Barbadian all-rounder Jameel "Salty" Stuart hit an unbeaten half-century in a winning cause by 132 runs for Sefton Park against Northop Hall on Saturday.

Playing on home turf, Sefton Park made 190 for seven with left-hander Stuart scoring 56 not out in what was his second match.

Northop Hall were bowled out for 58.

Stuart and fellow former Barbados Youth team player, left-arm spinner Chad Williams, are on five-month attachments in Manchester. Williams is representing Wavetree.

First Published On bcacricket.org.

SOUTHAMPTON, England, CMC – Barbados and ex-West Indies speedster Tino Best ensured Hampshire’s tail wagged but then went wicket-less as Middlesex made a steady reply on a rain-hit second day of their County Championship game here Monday.

Resuming the day on 315 for seven, Hampshire were eventually dismissed for 336 in their first innings, nearly three-quarters of an hour into the day’s play.

Liam Dawson, unbeaten on 86 overnight added just three before giving England seamer Steven Finn his second wicket of the innings but Best smacked an unbeaten 23 to hand Hampshire precious runs at the end.

Unbeaten on eight overnight, the right-hander entertained with a massive straight six off pacer Tim Murtagh as wickets fell around him.

Best then kept things tight with the new ball, sending down seven overs for just 19 runs as the visitors made it to 84 for three, before rain ended play prematurely.

Dawid Malan top-scored with a breezy unbeaten 40 from 52 deliveries.

The 34-year-old Best is making his debut for Hampshire as a replacement for the injured ex-Windies pacer Fidel Edwards, who underwent surgery on a broken ankle last week.

Barbados Cricket Association article.

Bridgetown, Barbados - Summarised scores and results of play in Series 4 matches of the 2016 BCA Everton Weekes Under-13 limited overs Championship:

ZONE A

At Kingsland:

Queen’s College beat Deighton Griffith by 14 runs.

Queen’s College 88 all out (26 overs) (Makaiya Moore 28 not out, Aaron Griffith 14; Jessie Greenidge 3-24, Nicholas Callender 3-13).

Deighton Griffith 74 all out (25.3 overs) (Lamar Cox 14; Dominic Brathwaite 4-9), Kevon Hinds 2-0, Christian Haynes 2-13).

Points: Queen’s College 4, Deighton Griffith 0.

At Blackmans:

Nicholls Baking Combermere beat Grantley Adams by ten wickets.

Grantley Adams 36 all out (15 overs) (Henry Phillips 10; Shayon Blenman 5-18, Ché Simmons 2-12, Tré Riley 2-12).

Combermere 38-0 (5 overs) (Nimar Bolden 16 not out).

Points: Combermere 4, Grantley Adams 0.

-

BYE: Graydon Sealy

ZONE B

At St. Stephen’s Hill:

KFC Ellerslie beat Princess Margaret by four wickets.

Princess Margaret 167 all out (34.5 overs) (Rashawn Ramsay 30, Omari Skeete 25, Jaquan Callender 16, Daniel Alleyne 14, Antonio Simmons 12 not out, Tyrique Harris 11, Tyrerie Browne 11; Recarlo Boyce 3-30, Xavier Springer 2-23, Kemami Richardson 2-28, Malik Holder 2-24).

Ellerslie 170-6 (34.5 overs) (Javonte Payne-Clarke 29, Recarlo Boyce 26, Shadico Lythcott 22, Quincy Jordan 15 not out, Malik Holder 14; Antonio Simmons 2-25, Dario Savoury 2-37).

Points: Ellerslie 4, Princess Margaret 0.

At Church Hill:

Foundation beat Lester Vaughan by 180 runs.

Foundation 213-6 (29 overs) (Jordan Reifer 51 not out, Jordan Knight 40 not out, Adjani Watkins 36, Jamario St. Hill 27, Shonari Clarke 16, Tyreque Nurse 15, Niekeel Connell 15).

Lester Vaughan 33 all out (15.5 overs) (Wayne Jones 3-5, Tyreque Nurse 2-0, Jordan Knight 2-12).

Points Foundation 4, Lester Vaughan 0.

BYE: Harrison College.

ZONE C

At Martindale’s Rd:

The St. Michael School won by default from Daryll Jordan who did not field the required amount of players seven (7).

Points: St. Michael 4, Daryll Jordan 0.

At Society ‘A’:

Milo Lodge beat Frederick Smith by five wickets.

Frederick Smith 123-6 (26 overs) (Thierry Walcott 40, Gevonte Depeiza 25, Shomari Depeiza 16, Ty Farrell 10; Che Taylor 2-19, Devon Stevenson 2-26).

Lodge 124-5 (24 overs) (Kwame Patton 53 not out, Florish Holder 26, Che Taylor 14; Thierry Walcott 4-22).

Points: Lodge 4, Frederick Smith 0.

-

BYE: Coleridge & Parry.

ZONE D

At Richmond Gap:

St. Leonard’s beat Alexandra by 35 runs.

St. Leonard’s 190-5 (32 overs) (Jeff Mayers 56, Jadyn Neil 47, Joshua Straughan 12; Renacko Belgrave 2-29, Dejaun Toppin 2-38).

Alexandra 155 all out (26 overs) (Dejaun Toppin 60, Shaqkere Parris 38, Cody Cumberbatch 11, Davionne Lovin 10; Joshua Straughan 4-36, Jadyn Neil 2-27, Tramaine Dowrich 2-25).

Points: St. Leonard’s 4, Alexandra 0.

-

At Belleplaine:

Alleyne beat St. George by 114 runs.

Alleyne 184-7 (32 overs) (Jayden Branford 36, Tristan Foster 18, Trevon Burgess 16; Teshon Moore 3-40, Jacoby Fenty 2-26, Jevon Knight 2-29).

St. George 70 all out (21.4 overs) (Anderson Hackett 12, Ialpha Nedd 13, Shaquar Shepherd 10; Venice Vaughn 3-16, Tristan Foster 3-24).

Points: Alleyne 4, St. George 0.

-

BYE: Parkinson

-

POINTS (After Series 4):

ZONE A – Combermere 12 (3), Graydon Sealy 8 (3), Queen’s College 8 (4), Deighton Griffith 4 (3), Grantley Adams 0 (3).

NB: Rescheduled Series 3: Queens’s College 216-7 (28 overs), Grantley Adams 107-7 (28 overs). Queen’s College won by 109 runs.

NB: Queen’s College have completed all of their matches.

ZONE B – Foundation 12 (3), Harrison College 8 (3), Ellerslie 8 (3), Princess Margaret 4 (3), Lester Vaughan 0 (4).

NB: Lester Vaughan have completed all of their matches.

ZONE C - Frederick Smith 12 (4), Lodge 8 (3), St. Michael 8 (3), Coleridge & Parry 4 (3), Daryll Jordan 0 (3).

NB: Frederick Smith have completed all of their matches.

ZONE D - Alleyne 12 (3), St. Leonard’s 12 (4), Alexandra 8 (3), St. George 0 (3), Parkinson 0 (3).

NB: St. Leonard’s have completed all of their matches.

-

Fifth and final Series: May 4 (Home Teams mentioned first):

ZONE A - Combermere v Graydon Sealy, Grantley Adams v Deighton Griffith, BYE: Queen’s College.

ZONE B - Princess Margaret v Foundation, Harrison College v Ellerslie, BYE: Lester Vaughan.

ZPNE C- Daryll Jordan v Lodge, Coleridge & Parry v St. Michael, BYE: Frederick Smith.

ZONE D - St. George v Parkinson, Alexandra v Alleyne, BYE: St. Leonard’s.

First Published On bcacricket.org.

ICC Media Release.

In the T20I update, ICC World Twenty20 2016 semi-finalist New Zealand has stormed up the chart to claim number-one position for the first time

New Zealand becomes No.1 ranked T20I side

ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 finalists Australia and New Zealand have retained the top two positions on the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings following the annual update. Results from 2012-13 have been dropped, while results from 2014-15 have been reduced to a weighting of 50 per cent. 

Australia, which won its fifth World Cup title in Melbourne last year, is now sitting on 124 points after dropping two points to lead New Zealand by 11 points. 

South Africa has swapped places with India to move into third position, while the West Indies has exchanged places with Pakistan to push the 1992 World Cup winners out of the top eight. 

Other sides to gain following the annual update include sixth-ranked England (103, up two), seventh-ranked Bangladesh (98, up one), eighth-ranked West Indies (88, up two), 10th-ranked Afghanistan (51, up four) and 11th-ranked Zimbabwe (47, up two). 

A significant date on the ICC events calendar is 30 September 2017, which is the rankings cut-off date for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. The host, England, and the seven next highest-ranked sides on the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings on 30 September 2017 will qualify directly for cricket’s biggest event, while the bottom four ODI ranked sides will join the top sides from the ICC World Cricket League in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 to fight for the two remaining positions. 

Although there will be another ODI team rankings annual update prior to this cut-off date, it is significant that from now on the results of all ODIs that will affect qualification will be weighted at 100 per cent whereas matches played between May 2014 and April 2016 will by then be weighted at only 50 per cent. 

All the teams bunched together in the middle of the table will have to win as many matches as possible in the forthcoming season, knowing it will help ensure direct qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, which will be staged from 30 May to 15 July in the United Kingdom. 

The latest Future Tours Programme lists the following ODI series until September 2016: 

Sri Lanka (104): vs Ireland (away, two ODIs, June) | vs England (away, five ODIs, June) 

Bangladesh (98): No ODIs scheduled 

West Indies (88): Tri-series vs Australia and South Africa (home, June) 

Pakistan (87): vs Ireland (away, two ODIs, August) | vs England (away, five ODIs, August) 

Zimbabwe (47): vs India (home, three ODIs June)

In the T20I update, ICC World Twenty20 2016 semi-finalist New Zealand has stormed up the chart to claim number-one position for the first time. 

Kane Williamson’s side has gained 12 points following the annual update and has consequently vaulted two places to join India on 132 points. However, when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point, then New Zealand is ahead of Dhoni’s side by +0.21. 

ICC World Twenty20 2016 champion West Indies has slipped to third after conceding three points. The main reason for the West Indies’ slip is that its results from the 2012-13 season, which includes victory in the ICC World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012, have now been dropped.

The West Indies now leads fourth-ranked South Africa by three points, which has broken away from England. 

To find out exactly how the forthcoming series will affect the ODI rankings table, please click here. The ODI and T20I rankings tables, unlike the Test rankings table, are updated after each match. 

MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings (following annual update)

MRF Tyres ICC T20I Team Rankings (following annual update)

PNG has T20I status but because it has not played eight rated T20Is during the period, it has not been ranked. 

*Figures in brackets denote changes in rankings and points post annual update. 

(Developed by David Kendix) 

ICC Media Release.

SkySports article.

Carlos Brathwaite made himself an instant hero in the Caribbean when he smashed four successive sixes off Ben Stokes to win the 2016 World Twenty20 for West Indies.

But who are the burly Barbadian's sporting heroes - on both the cricket field and the football pitch?

During an interview with Sky Sports' IPL reporter Mark Butcher - Brathwaite is currently playing for Delhi Daredevils in the competition - the 27-year-old explained why he looks up to India legend Rahul Dravid and revealed, perhaps surprisingly, that he used to bat like him!

The all-rounder also spoke about which of his West Indies team-mates and which headline-making former England batsman he admires.

Plus, Brathwaite, a fan of Manchester United and Fiorentina, discussed his respect for footballers Cristiano Ronaldo, Gabriel Batistuta and Rui Costa.

Watch the video above to hear Brathwaite discuss his sporting idols and then catch his Delhi Daredevils side in action against Rising Pune Supergiants at 3pm, Thursday, Sky Sports 2.

First Published On SkySports.