The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
West Indies middle order batsman Marlon Samuels tuned up for the first Test against Zimbabwe with a quickfire century as the tourists took a massive 408-run lead after two days against Zimbabwe 'A'.
Samuels, who is believed to be one of players receiving a 'shape up' warning from chief selector Viv Richards, scored an undefeated 109 between Tea and stumps as the West Indies cruised to 246 for five in the second innings.
Two events occurred in Guyana recently which caused most of us who are interested in the field of cricket considerable mental anguish and concern for the future. I refer to the attack on Ronnie Sarwan by the Guyana Indian Heritage Association (GIHA) and the appointment of Shivnarine Chanderpaul as Captain of Guyana for the Red Stripe Bowl in preference to Sarwan.
West Indies batsmen Daren Ganga and Shivnarine Chanderpaul helped themselves to centuries to push the visiting side to 404 for five declared against Zimbabwe A at Harare.
Ganga stroked 21 boundaries in a knock of 110 that virtually assures him of a place in the line-up for the first Test on November 4. Chanderpaul was even more devastating, slamming a quickfire 102 (22x4, 1x6, 104 balls) before retiring.
(Trinidad Guardian)
Ellis Lewis has been elected president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board in an election that was as near to a rubber stamp as possible. Can you imagine, his opponent, a man contesting the highest post had been barred from the election hall! Nevertheless, let us wish the new president a successful term in office.
Australia is waiting in the wings as the "fall-back option" to host the 2007 Cricket World Cup because of mounting concerns about the ability of the West Indies to stage the event, according to a report in The Age newspaper.
"As the International Cricket Committee prepares for meetings in Barbados starting tomorrow -- at which preparations for the next World Cup will be discussed -- fears that the cricketing infrastructure of the Caribbean might not measure up are growing," the report said.