ST. JOHN’S, Antigua –Pacers Uthman Muhammad and Terrance Hinds shared six wickets and gave Trinidad & Tobago Red Force an early edge over front-runners Barbados Pride in the West Indies Championship on Thursday.
Muhammad and Hinds exploited a green-top Kensington Oval pitch to lead the Red Force attack and the Pride were dismissed in their first innings about half-hour before the close on the first day of fifth round matches in the Championship.
Consistent batting right down the order helped Windward Islands Volcanoes overcome rain and the experienced spin duo of left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo to keep five-time defending champions Guyana Jaguars in the field all day.
West Indies star allrounder Andre Russell is set to undergo a fitness test with a view to making him part of the region’s bid for a third lien on the Twenty20 World Cup set for Australia this year.
It has been more than a year and a half since Russell last represented the West Indies in a T20 International with the 2019 World Cup marking the last time he suited up for the side.
During that World Cup Russell was unable to finish a game without treatment and seemed in real pain. He had to do knee surgery after limping out of one game, but seems on the comeback trail, having played in a number of domestic T20 games around the world.
“Hopefully, in the next few weeks he will undergo what is described by the medical team as a return-to-play protocol,” said Cricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave.
QUEENSLAND, Australia- The West Indies Women defeated Pakistan women by 19 runs in the third unofficial practice match at the Tewantin cricket ground, thereby winning the three-match series two nil. The second match of the series was called off due to rain.
The West Indies Women won the toss and elected to bat first. Hayley Matthews and LeeAnn Kirby got the Caribbean ladies’ innings off to a flyer. Matthews was the aggressor of the pair, carting the Pakistani bowlers to various parts of the ground. She struck five boundaries on her way to a quick 27 runs. Not to be outdone, Kirby also got in on the action, as she took a liking to the fast pace of the opening Pakistan bowlers. She struck a lofty six and three fours for her 32 runs but going for a big heave was bowled by Iqbal.
Deandra Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle once again combined for a quick partnership of 38 runs, with Dottin scoring 18 of them. Despite the threatening rain the West Indies Women crossed 100 on the scoreboard as they batted out the overs.
Jamaica and West Indies pacer Jerome Taylor has signed a 3 year deal with English County club Gloucestershire. 35 year old Taylor will be available for the west country side in all formats in 2020. Gloucestershire will be the his fourth county, having previously played for Leicestershire, Sussex and Somerset.
Taylor will initially join Gloucestershire as a Kolpak player, with the possibility of becoming an overseas player at a later date, depending on the impact Brexit has on the Kolpak ruling. Gloucestershire’s head coach Richard Dawson described Taylor as an exciting player noting he will add pace and international experience to their bowling attack.
Batsman Shimron Hetmyer has been included in Guyana Jaguars squad for the fifth round West Indies Four-day Championship clash against Windward Islands Volcanoes, starting Thursday (February 13) in St. George’s, Grenada.
The squad departed Guyana on Monday, but without Hetmyer, who is expected to travel on Tuesday. It is understood the left-hander had some issues with a particular travel document.
Hetmyer, who was overlooked for the West Indies upcoming ODI Series against Sri Lanka for failing to meet the new minimum fitness standard outlined by Cricket West Indies, has replaced wicketkeeper/batsman Tevin Imlach in the Jaguars set-up.
