Barbados News
Darren Bravo hits hundred for West Indies v Barbados Select
2014 News Archive
Sammy signs T20 deal with Glamorgan
Darren Sammy, the hard-hitting West Indian allrounder, has signed a deal with Glamorgan to play in the NatWest T20 Blast until the Caribbean Premier League begins.
Sammy has received a No Objection Certificate from the WICB and will arrive in time for Glamorgan's next T20 Blast fixture, against Sussex on Friday. He could be available for seven matches before returning to the West Indies to captain St Lucia Zouks in the CPL.
The deal is one of few secured by the counties for overseas players in the new T20 Blast which is spread over the course of the season.
Gayle to seek treatment for back injury
Chris Gayle has said he will seek treatment in Germany for an injured back to ensure he is fit for the home Tests against New Zealand. Gayle is eyeing a return to fitness for the first Test in Kingston, which begins on June 8. If he plays, it will be his 100th Test match. The opening batsman suffered the injury after the World T20 in March and missed a few games for his franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore, at the start of IPL 2014.
"It started at the end of the T20 World Cup. I thought initially it was a simple thing but I went back home for a couple of days," Gayle told Indian Express. "Then I travelled back to Dubai to play in the IPL and when I started training I found it difficult. I could not bat properly and bending was a problem and sprinting between the wickets was a problem even though you guys don't see me running much. It was difficult but I tried my best."
Is it too late for West Indies?
In a recent column on ESPNcricinfo, former Australia captain Ian Chappell considered what is required to revive flagging interest in Test cricket. One of his suggestions was for a special ICC think tank to decide how to make teams in the bottom half of the rankings stronger and more capable of challenging those in the top half.
"On the matter of greater competitiveness, the first priority is to ensure West Indies get going again," Chappell declared. "When playing well they are one of the top draw cards, and Test cricket can't afford to have them languishing."
WICB statement about the title winners of the Regional 4-Day Tournament
WICB Press Release
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – After a few queries and conflicting media reports about the title winners of the Regional 4-Day Tournament, the West Indies Cricket Board wishes to make clear a number of points about the award of the WICB President’s Trophy and the Headley/Weekes Trophy.
First, the Playing Conditions of the Regional 4-Day Tournament were widely circulated prior to the start of the Tournament to territorial boards and the Media. On page 20, the first paragraph addresses the topic of the Regional 4-Day champions and the winners of the WICB President’s Trophy – and is quite unambiguous.
It stated: “This stage (the league competition) of the tournament will involve seven rounds of matches at the end of which the team with the most points will be declared the Regional 4-Day Champions and earn the WICB President’s Trophy.”
Secondly, the WICB wants to make it pellucid that the format of the Regional 4-Day Tournament was changed from the previous year, including the way that the titles for the Tournament were awarded – and was approved by the Board of Directors.
This format is not entirely new and it was first adopted during the years of the Carib Beer sponsorship of the Regional 4-Day Tournament, when international A-Teams took part, and there was a Territorial champion and an International Challenge winner.
Neither is it unique when only regional teams are taking part. Research has shown that the 2006-2007 Regional 4-Day Tournament, then sponsored by Carib Beer, was contested by only the traditional six territorial sides – Barbados, like they did this year, won the league tournament, were declared the Regional 4-Day champions and earned the Carib Beer Cup before they lost in the Final two weeks later to arch-rivals Trinidad & Tobago, who were awarded the Carib Beer Challenge Trophy.
Hence, as previously published:
a. Barbados are the bona fide Regional 4-Day champions, having won the league format as per the Playing Conditions – and retained the title they won last year – thus they are winners of the WICB President’s Trophy.
b. Jamaica are the Headley/Weekes Trophy winner, having accumulated the most points in the Final which they contested against Windward Islands last month in St. Lucia as per the Playing Conditions – and received the Headley/Weekes Trophy.
The WICB hopes this puts this matter to rest and congratulates both Barbados and Jamaica for their respective title successes during the past Regional 4-Day Tournament season.