West Indies beat Pakistan in last-over thriller to take T20I series
Wed, May 1, '24
A stunning death-overs implosion from Pakistan amidst more all-round heroics from Hayley Matthews helped West Indies take an unassailable 3-0 series lead over Pakistan in the T20I series.
Another commanding half-century from Matthews – 68 off 49 balls – guided West Indies to the series’ highest total of 132 – but Pakistan were cruising at 115-2, spearheaded by Sidra Ameen‘s 63 off 58, needing 18 off the last 23 balls.
But Matthews took two wickets in as many deliveries to kickstart a stunning collapse and Pakistan lost six wickets for 10 runs in 20 deliveries. The hosts fell apart spectacularly, with West Indies sneaking home by two runs.
Pakistan won the toss and put West Indies in to bat. Fatima Sana struck early to remove Rashada Williams, but the hosts ran into the familiar brilliance of Matthews, and couldn’t find a way to stem the dazzling strokemaking that flowed.
The best they could do was work around her, and although taking wickets was a problem, Pakistan’s success in keeping one end relatively quiet ensured West Indies did not get up to the 150 mark, something Matthews said the side had been aiming for.
Read more at Newsroom
Campbell cleared to return to cricket in August
Wed, May 1, '24
Jamaica and West Indies batsman John Campbell is set to make a return to competitive action in August after a reduction in his suspension for a world anti-doping code violation.
The 30-year-old left-handed opener and part-time off-spinner received news last Thursday that his four-year suspension from the sport was reduced to 22 months following a successful appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
Campbell was slapped with the suspension two years ago after a three-member independent panel of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission found him guilty of evading, refusing, or failing to submit to a blood sample collection for testing for banned substances in April 2022 at his home in the Jamaica capital of Kingston.
The West Indies Players’ Association, headed by former Jamaica captain and West Indies batsman Wavell Hinds, supported Campbell in his appeal of the decision to the CAS and hailed the decision of the court.
Read more at Barbados Today
West Indies legend defends T20 players in country vs club debate
Wed, May 1, '24
ALTHOUGH being one of the most vocal critics of T20 cricket, Jamaica and West Indies great Michael Holding says he fully understands Caribbean players’ decision to focus more on franchise than international cricket due to the significant financial rewards it offers in the long run.
Regarded as one of the region’s best players of all time, the “Whispering Death” claimed close to 400 wickets in 162 caps for the Windies in Test and One-Day International cricket combined. The Jamaican pacer, who made his debut in 1975, also won the World Cup in 1979 while finishing as the fifth-best wicket-taker with eight wickets from four matches.
During his commentary career, which he retired from in 2021, Holding refused to be part of any T20 international match or tournament broadcast, stating that “it’s not even cricket”.
Over the last decade, the commitment of players from the region has been questioned due to their participation in international franchise tournaments while the West Indies have underperformed in all versions of the game.
However, Holding has come to their defence and says it makes sense for them to secure their long-term future.
“What we need to recognise in the Caribbean is that we need cash to care. We are cursing cricketers at the moment for not making themselves available to West Indies to play in a lot of our tournaments and a lot of our series around the world but we have to recognise that cricket today is a career and a living. Cricketers, and sportspeople in general, do not have a long time at their sport or their profession so they have got to maximise their earnings,” he said.
Read more at Jamaica Observer
WI Retired Players Foundation receives US$500,000 after ten-year wait
Tue, Apr 30, '24
WEST Indies legend Deryck Murray said it is important for past cricketers to feel appreciated for their efforts. Murray was speaking following the news that the West Indies Retired Players Foundation received US $500,000, that apparently went missing.
The money, a gift by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), was sent to CWI between 2013-2014. The funds were never received until recently.
Queen's Park Cricket Club president Dr Nigel Camacho, a committee member of the West Indies Retired Players Foundation which was formed in 2013, spoke about the money at the Caricom Cricket Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain on Friday. Camacho thanked president of CWI Dr Kishore Shallow and CWI CEO Johnny Grave. "Thank you Dr Shallow, thank you Mr Grave that this month the money finally arrived in the account of the (West Indies) Retired Players Foundation," Camacho said.
"My message to you is that finally we have a retired players foundation that hopefully is for the retired players, to help the retired players after their playing days...given the legacy of our magnificent team of the 1970s and 1980s I look forward to the future."
Read more at Newsday
CWI receives TTCB statement on missing funds
Mon, Apr 29, '24
CRICKET West Indies (CWI) president Dr Kishore Shallow said he is aware of concerns of alleged financial mismanagement in the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB), saying he will continue to advocate for greater accountability.
In December 2023, then TTCB treasurer Kiswah Chaitoo revealed that approximately $500,000 was allegedly misused over a five-year period. Another TTCB employee has since resigned following the revelation.
TTCB board members passed a motion of no confidence against former treasurer of the board Kiswah Chaitoo in February.
For Chaitoo to be removed, two-thirds needed to be in favour of it. At the end of the voting process, 35 wanted him to leave and 12 were against, which is more than two-thirds.
Chaitoo, an experienced forensic accountant, said he wanted to protect his name and reported the matter to the Fraud Squad.
Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding said he was disappointed to hear what was happening in the TTCB. He was speaking virtually on day one of a Caricom Cricket Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain on April 25.
“Just recently, I saw a report about something happening in the TTCB where someone (Chaitoo) saw the discrepancies and reported it and that person was sidelined,” Holding said. "Come on, folks, we have to face things like that and do the right thing.”
Read more at Newsday
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