Mon, Jul 6, '20
A good number of the West Indies side defending the Wisden Trophy have career-best performances against England and though statistically Kemar Roach’s lie elsewhere there is no doubt in his mind he sits among them.
The six for 48 claimed as a young tearaway quick in his second Test against Bangladesh in 2009 sits top of his figures but his personal favourite? The English evisceration in Barbados last year that set up a memorable 2-1 home series victory.
England, bouncing on from a 3-0 win in Sri Lanka, believed they had kept the hosts to a serviceable first-innings 289 after losing the toss and by most definitions they probably had. Come tea on the second day, however, this notion sat in flames, their batsmen rolled for 77 in 30.2 sorry overs.
Roach, a bowler some feared might never fulfil that early promise owing to a rebellious body, whipped his Kensington Oval home into a nostalgia-filled frenzy that afternoon, his five for four in the space of 27 balls a display of laser-like accuracy during a collectively hostile assault from West Indies’ pace battery.
Now ready to lead the attack alongside Shannon Gabriel once more, the 32-year-old Bajan has shared a desire for a repeat come Wednesday’s first Test in Southampton and stressed how important this tour is to his teammates.
“That day in Barbados is top for me,” says Roach at the team’s training base at Old Trafford. “It was the best I have ever felt; my body was healthy, the ball was coming out perfectly, I was expressing myself. There was no added pressure, just total comfort. That’s how I got the best out of myself.
Read more at The Guardian
Sun, Jul 5, '20
Cricket West Indies (CWI) is set to nominate outgoing English and Wales Cricket Board chief Colin Graves over former CWI President Dave Cameron for the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairmanship.
The Sunday Gleaner understands that CWI President Ricky Skerritt is well in favour of Grave’s nomination and is keen to back the Englishman for the top ICC post, which has become vacant as India’s Shashank Manohar had announced in December that he would not be seeking a third two-year term.
Manohar stepped down as ICC chairman on Wednesday, one week before the election process for his successor is announced.
Deputy chairman Imran Khwaja, formerly of Singapore Cricket Association, has stepped in as the interim chairman.
In the media release on Wednesday, the ICC said that the board would finalise the nomination process to elect Manohar’s full-time successor “within the next week”.
Read more at The Jamaica Gleaner
Sun, Jul 5, '20
Joshua Da Silva was just 17-years-old when he turned up at Old WImbledonians CC in Surrey for a stint of club cricket as part of the Kieron Pollard Scholarship programme. He did well in that 2017 season, averaging over 60 with the bat and keeping wicket tidily. Unassuming, polite, a bit shy, the club loved him too. Everything that summer went as well as could be. Except for one match. "I remember that like yesterday," Da Silva laughs. "That one still irks me."
Old Wimbledonians were hosting Staines in a league game. Da Silva was left trying to chase down a total of 204 almost singlehandedly after the rest of the batting line-up had collapsed in a heap. He had just passed 50 when he was joined by the number 11. Da Silva farmed the strike, played a few shots and had somehow managed to get to 115 when, just a few runs short of leading his side to what would have been a remarkable victory, he went for one shot too many.
Read more at Cricbuzz
Sat, Jul 4, '20 by SHAM SAMAROO
Ondrive with Sham Samaroo
New York, August 30, 2003
This article is reprinted in memory of Sir Everton Weekes who passed away on Wednesday July 1, 2020.
Last Saturday, I had the proud honour and esteem privilege of sitting with both Sir Everton Weekes and Sir Gary Sobers at the Canarsie Ground during the Lawrence Samuel Memorial game in New York. It was a very special moment for me, and one, I am sure I will cherish forever: Flanked by cricket’s royalty with Sir Everton on my left, and Sir Garry on my right. Actually, I met Sir Garry twice before, but this was the first time meeting Sir Everton – and he is so easy to talk to. Over the years, I have met a number of famous sports personalities, each of whom has left an indelible impression on me, but, my goodness, I think Sir Everton is right up there. What a kind and genteel soul. Immortalized as one of the 3 W’s, Everton de Courcy Weekes was later knighted for his batting exploits. Sir Everton, now 78 years old, is considered by many to be the finest of the 3W’s: an opinion shared by a very dear friend and an acknowledged cricket connoisseur, fellow Barbadian and former USA national player Tony Gilkes.
As wide-eyed teens, you always dreamt of meeting such idols – these colossal heroes of West Indies cricket. In this childish fantasy, you would ask and get answers to all the questions that you and your buddies have argued over endlessly. And at school the next day, you would be the most popular guy. Why, even the girls, who have no interest in cricket, think you are so cool. But what would it be like meeting them as an adult? Of course, we would be more mature, no longer in awe, right? Well, as my freshman class would say, you are so not right!! Last Saturday I had just such an opportunity, and for a moment there I was dumbstruck…what was it I wanted to ask again? I vaguely remember mumbling something about the golden era of West Indies cricket – the era of the 3 W’s. Sir Everton smiled, but disagreed. “There were other eras equally good”, he graciously shared.
Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Frank Worrell, and Sir Clyde Walcott were born within a mile and within a year of each other. All three debuted in 1948 against England, and the Guyanese fans were privileged to see them win their first test match, a seven-wicket drubbing of England at Bourda, and Sir Frank notching his first test ton. The following year on the tour to India, Sir Everton completed one of the most phenomenal batting feats and one that might never be matched – centuries in five consecutive test innings. In the sixth, Sir Everton was “adjudged” run out for 90. During that incredible run (pun intended), his scores read: 141, 128, 194, 162, 101, 90, 56, 48, 52, 1, 63, 63, and 129. When asked about this, Sir Everton seemed almost embarrassed. “I don’t like talking about myself”, he admitted. I was pleasantly surprised by his humility, and this absence of vanity endeared him to me. We chatted on about greats of the past - Sobers, Kanhai, Worrell, Walcott, Richards. Whenever we talk of the past, we have a tendency to elevate the players of that era, at the expense of the present ones, but not Sir Everton. He gestured to Lara (who was fielding at the time) and said, “Here is one of the finest batsmen in the world today, who could easily take his place among any list of stars of West Indies cricket”. We also talked about the late Sir Frank Worrell and that memorable tour to Australia in 1961. “It was such a wonderful time for West Indies cricket”, he reminisced.
I asked Sir Everton about cricket in the USA. He told me that he “first visited New York in 1947”, and hoped that someday he “might see a game here at a proper ground with real facilities”. He reminded me that, unlike 1947, there are many West Indians now living and voting in New York, and that we have the power to make it happen. Before I said goodbye, I had one last question for Sir Everton: Do you think the West Indies will be ready to host the 2007 World Cup? “Absolutely, there is no doubt in my mind”, was the gleeful reply. I remarked that it would be wonderful if West Indies were to win it. Sir Everton smiled in agreement and said that he hoped that he would be around to see it.
The next day, Sunday, I went to Long Beach to watch a softball game. Railton Matthews was the Umpire. For those of you who don’t know Railton, he is a cricket fanatic. At the break, I asked him if he had ever seen Sir Everton bat. “Sure I did”, Railton boasted. “He was robbed out for 94 at Bourda against England in 1953”. What do you mean? I asked. “The Umpire ruled him out bowled by Locke, but it was the quick hands of keeper Godfrey Evans that did the trick. He deflected the ball back onto the stumps and caught the Umpire napping”. (When I got home, I checked and the match report did indeed suggest that it was a questionable decision).
So what do you think of him as a batsman, how was his technique? “The man was pure class, Sham”, Railton assured me, and went through the motions of a classic forward defense to punctuate his point. Nothing grabs your attention like someone talking passionately, reverently, about the greats of long, long ago. I have often listened to my friend Tony Gilkes reminisce about his many talks with Sir Everton. I envy you Tony. I envy the fact that you had the privilege of seeing one of the finest exponents of the art of batting in full-cry at Kensington Oval – a thrill that, unfortunately, I shall never be able to experience.
Thanks for the memory, Sir Everton, and see you at the 2007 World Cup Final, Sir!
Footnote: It is to the WI Cricket Board's collective shame that this colossal icon of West Indies cricket was not even afforded the courtesy of an invitation to opening ceremony of the 2007 World Cup.
Everton de Courcy Weekes
Born: 26 February 1925, Pickwick Gap, Westbury, St Michael, Barbados
Major Teams: Barbados, West Indies.
Known As: Everton Weekes
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Leg Break
Other: ICC Match Referee
Test Debut: West Indies v England at Bridgetown, 1st Test, 1947/48
Last Test: West Indies v Pakistan at Port-of-Spain, 5th Test, 1957/58
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1951
Career Statistics:
TESTS: Matches (48); Innings(81); Runs(4455); HS(207); Ave.(58.61);Tons(15).
Fri, Jul 3, '20
England's cricketers will wear a Black Lives Matter logo on their shirts during the upcoming Test series against West Indies.
The design, created by Alisha Hosannah - the partner of Watford footballer Troy Deeney, is also being worn by the tourists during the campaign. It features a clenched fist in place of the letter 'A' in the word 'black'.
In a statement, the ECB said: "The decision was taken by the England and Wales Cricket Board, fully supported by the England players led by Test captain Joe Root and stand-in captain for the first Test Ben Stokes. In a mark of solidarity, the team will join the West Indies and carry an identical logo on their playing shirts."
The ECB say they "reject any politicising of the [Black Lives Matter] movement and confirm their support endorses ‘progress and societal change’ only".
Read more at The Cricketer