Legendary West Indies fast bowler Curtly Ambrose has encouraged spinner Rahkeem Cornwall to silence critics by achieving success with his own unique style.
The 27-year-old was recently the target of criticism from legendary spin bowler Lance Gibbs, who doubted whether the spinner could be truly successful with such a short run-up. Gibbs was, in fact, critical of the current crop of regional spinners in general who he insisted did not turn the ball enough.
While not going into the specifics of Gibbs’ objection to Cornwall’s style, Ambrose insisted it was part and parcel of the sport for professional athletes. Ambrose went on to encourage the spinner to keep focused and get the job done in his way. Since bursting on the scene a few year ago, Cornwall has had some measure of success at the regional level but has also faced criticism for his weight.
Jamaica Tallawahs assistant coach and former West Indies middle-order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan has responded to serious allegations made by opener Chris Gayle during an outburst on Youtube on Wednesday.
Gayle, disappointed at not being retained by the Jamaica Tallawahs for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) broadsided Sarwan during the video.
In a scathing attack on Sarwan, Gayle accused the 39-year-old of playing a role in his departure. “What transpired with the Tallahwahs, you had a big part to play in this,” the big hitter charged in part two of the Breakdown of Release from Jamaica Tallawahs videos as he directed his comments to Sarwan. You want the franchise, have it. There’s no Gayle. You run the show.”
Sarwan in response said: "I was the focus of most of the onslaughts. I reply, not because I feel that Gayle’s rantings are worthy of it, but because I feel that the public’s record must be set straight and also, to protect the character and careers of so many people, whose image he sought to besmirch.
"No doubt, Gayle’s utterances have done immeasurable damage to the “gentleman’s game” of cricket, in particular, West Indian cricket. As a former International Cricketer, who had the privilege of donning West Indian colours, I feel compelled to speak in defence of this great sport which has unified the Caribbean more than anything else over the past 50 years.
There was nothing alien about fast-bowlers until the West Indies found themselves with four who clocked above 90 mph. And with a plan 'B'—as reserves for the traditional formats—school of thought ascribed to T20 cricket, it was the format's dons representing the Caribbean side, their domination of franchise cricket transcending internationally, that gave birth to the exotica factor of T20 specialists. West Indies playing their part in the ultimate revolution of cricket, yet again.
The West Indies cricket team, formed in the 1880s, was first assembled for tours of Canada and the United States. The region’s first official international Test match took place in 1928, two years on from its governing body, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), joining the game’s ruling body, the then-Imperial Cricket Conference (ICC) in 1926.
Great cricketers, good performances, and magical moments were always a part of West Indian teams; still, until the 1960s, the three seemed, in effect, mutually exclusive. Cue Clive Lloyd and his vision, assembling the likes of Vivian Richards, Michael Holding, and Andy Roberts, along with Colin Croft, Gordon Greenidge, Joel Garner, etc. The rest, as they say, is history—the 1970s gave birth to something unmistakeably remarkable: domination (through to the early-1990s), by arguably one of the greatest teams in sporting history.
THE Bible says it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
For a talented cricketer, a strict interpretation of the New Testament verse means forgoing millions of US dollars from lucrative Twenty20 tournaments around the world.
It’s been six years since Adrian Barath, now 30, turned his back on riches and glory to serve his God, as a devout Jehovah's Witness.
The stars had already aligned for Barath and the world was there for the taking. The attacking opener was already the youngest West Indies Test centurion (at 19), had the stamp of approval from Windies legend Brian Lara, a US$75,000 Indian Premier League (IPL) contract under his belt and was driving a Range Rover– when he seemingly had an epiphany in 2014 and walked away from the game.
The 2020 season of the CPL will be the last for Andre Russell with the Jamaica Tallawahs.
On the eve of his 32nd birthday, Russell, perhaps the most dangerous player in T20 cricket globally, in a rambling speech on Instagram Live on Tuesday night, accused the team’s ownership of poor communication and continued disrespect that helped create the impression that he was part of a conspiracy to get rid of Chris Gayle.
“I have another year’s contract with the Tallawahs and I am going to play and try and win because that is all I play for, but this will be my last because I have been getting mixed up with all these (expletive) that is happening,” he said, “and I can’t be playing cricket and I am not comfortable.
“And I think another franchise that has been coming last and fifth and fourth in CPL will appreciate me more. I am not getting it here.”
Russell revealed that he only heard about Chris Gayle’s departure from the team when the Universe Boss sent him a copy of a report in the Jamaica Gleaner that suggested that Gayle was not going to be retained by the two-time CPL champions and that there were going to changes to the coaching staff.
