TRINIDAD and Tobago Red Force had arguably their best day of the 2024 West Indies Four-Day Championship competition on Wednesday, led by fast bowler Anderson Phillip. Phillip grabbed a five-wicket haul as leaders Windward Islands Volcanoes were dismissed for 191 on day one before Red Force closed on 89/1 at the Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair.
West Indies batsman Alick Athanaze showed his class for the Volcanoes, but other batsmen struggled to stick around with the left-hander.
Athanaze struck 54 to top score for the Volcanoes, playing with his usual elegance.
However, it was Phillip’s day as he ended with figures of 5/37 in 13 overs. Phillip’s fast bowling twin Jayden Seales had a solid day at the office also, ending with 2/48 in 14 overs.
Left-arm spinner Khary Pierre, despite only bowling seven overs, picked up 3/21.
After losing openers Jeremy Solozano for eight and Johann Jeremiah for 14, West Indies Test player Kavem Hodge and Sunil Ambris led a response.
Barbados Pride grabbed three wickets in the final 34 deliveries of day one to lead a fightback in their fourth round match of the West Indies Championship against the Guyana Harpy Eagles at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Battling the defending champions, the Pride were under pressure for most of the day before some late heroics by their seamers.
From a comfortable position of 219-2, Guyana slipped to 231-5 in the final over of the day’s play, at the hands of the experienced fast-bowling duo of Kemar Roach and Jason Holder.
The two internationals, who have played a combined 145 Test matches, are playing their first regional 4-Day match since 2020 and shared the final three wickets.
THE WEST Indies Academy, on the back of three half-centuries, piled up 324 runs against the Jamaica Scorpions on the opening day of their fourth-round West Indies Championship match at Sabina Park yesterday.
The Scorpions will resume today’s second day on 20 without loss, still trailing the Academy team by 304 on first innings.
It was evident that the bat dominated the ball on the opening day as the Sabina Park surface served up some runs, with 17-year-old Barbadian debutant Joshua Dorne leading the way with 83 and Jamaica’s Jordan Johnson weighing in with 61. Opener Kadeem Alleyne scored 52.
Dorne faced 133 balls and hit 12 fours and one six as the right-hander shared in a 77-run second-wicket partnership with Alleyne, who hit five fours and three sixes in his half-century knock before he went lbw to pacer Ojay Shields.
The Barbadian Dorne was looking set to score his maiden first-class century, however, left-arm spinner Jeavor Royal, playing in his first game, had him caught behind by wicketkeeper Romaine Morris, with the score on 197 for four.
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua- Following discussions during the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr. Kishore Shallow, President of Cricket West Indies, affirmed the organization's commitment to ensuring accessible ticket sales for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Acknowledging the region's reliance on cash transactions and the importance of inclusive access to sporting events, Dr. Shallow emphasized Cricket West Indies' leadership in facilitating widespread participation in the tournament.
"At Cricket West Indies, we prioritize the inclusion of all cricket enthusiasts in experiencing the excitement of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup," stated President Shallow. "In alignment with discussions during the CARICOM meeting, we are committed to making tickets available at retail outlets across the Caribbean, ensuring that our fans across the region can engage with the tournament directly."
West Indies white-ball coach Darren Sammy has praised the strength of the regional side’s batting ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup but said adjustments were needed in the bowling department in order to make the side a truly formidable unit for the June showpiece.
The Caribbean side captured all three of the series they contested last year against heavyweights South Africa, India, and England, winning eight of the 13 T20 Internationals up for grabs.
And while they tasted defeat at the hands of Australia in a three-match series Down Under last month, Sammy said the batting had continued to impress.
“The way my batters batted, I think it’s the first time a team had scored over 200 three consecutive times whether batting first or chasing, and it speaks volumes of the power that we have in that squad,” Sammy said.
