It is common to see comparisons made between players from different eras, and rarely are they thoughtful or detailed -- usually neither. One frequently sees Kallis vs Sobers or Richards vs Lara.
The fact that younger cricket writers rarely absorb in-depth analyses of players they did not see is unfortunate, as it devalues their writing.
Cricket, like all sport, is entertainment, and one should always bear that basic tenet in mind when assessing players. One must also rely heavily on context, and that can only be done by listening to people who were around to see the old-timers.
For the 22 young female cricketers selected for Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) High-Performance Camp in Antigua, the opportunity to develop themselves extended well beyond the cricket field, with a series of sessions focused on mental development, media awareness, leadership, and preparing them for the demands of a career in international cricket.
The two-week camp, which immediately followed the 2026 Rising Stars Women’s Under-19 Championship, forms part of CWI’s deliberate pathway towards the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2027. While technical, tactical, and physical development were central to the programme, CWI placed equal importance on developing the personal qualities and professional skills required to succeed at the highest level.
A key component of the programme was a mental development session designed to help the players better understand the psychological demands of high-performance sport. The young cricketers were encouraged to consider areas such as mindset, confidence, managing pressure, resilience, and maintaining focus as they progress through their careers.
They also participated in a dedicated media training session, giving them practical experience in handling interviews, communicating effectively and understanding their responsibilities as representatives of West Indies cricket.
The Jamaica Kingsmen recorded their fourth victory of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a 7-run win over the Trinbago Knight Riders via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, as rain halted play just shy of 15 overs into the Kingsmen’s chase.
It was an unfortunate end to a match that was set up for a thrilling conclusion at the Queen’s Park Oval. Vitel Lawes might have bowled the over of the tournament with a three-wicket maiden that proved crucial in helping his team stay on the right side of the DLS margin.
Defending champions TKR lost three in a row before Friday’s win over the Tridents. Openers Colin Munro and Sunil Narine carried their form forward 24 hours. The two have so far combined for 197 runs across two opening partnerships. They bettered their previous effort with a 101-run stand as Narine (53) got his second half-century in as many nights before he was dismissed by Keemo Paul.
Munro went on to secure his first half-century (52) and, in the meantime, put himself at the top of the tournament run charts. The Knight Riders were going nicely at 120 for 1 before Lawes’ triple-wicket maiden in the 14th over.
South Africa’s Tazmin Brits is also set to feature
Former Australia captain Meg Lanning and South African all-rounder Marizanne Kapp are among 19 overseas signings confirmed for the 2026 Women’s Caribbean Premier League to be played in Barbados from September 5 to 17.
Jamaica Empress
Lanning, who led Australia to four T20 World Cup titles, joins expansion team the Jamaica Empress for what will be her debut WCPL season after injury prevented her from featuring for the Trinbago Knight Riders in the 2024 edition.
The Jamaican franchise has also secured the services of Ireland wicketkeeper Amy Hunter, South African left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, White Ferns seamer Rosemary Mair and Pakistani all-rounder Syeda Aroob Shah.
Kingsmen 182 for 7 (Ayub 102, Paul 25; Hasaranga 2-18) beat Patriots 171 for 6 (Fletcher 55, Shanaka 35*; Blades 2-50) by 11 runs
Saim Ayub’s outstanding all-round performance helped earn the Jamaica Kingsmen a tense 11-run win over the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots at Warner Park on Thursday, their third of the Caribbean Premier League campaign.
Ayub struck a brilliant 102 (58 balls) to power the Kingsmen to 182 for 7 before claiming crucial figures of 1 for 20 to help restrict the Patriots in their chase.
Naseem Shah’s early double strike left the Kingsmen wobbling at 12 for 2 in the third over. Despite Wanindu Hasaranga’s middle-over exploits, Ayub wrestled control of the innings before accelerating in the last seven overs.
