CWI Media Release: a letter from Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams
CWI has developed a new Coach Accelerator Program to assist in the development of our regional coaches, with the aim of preparing them to lead and effectively coach our professional teams. The program which will begin in mid-April, will be individualized, coach-centered, and delivered in the coach’s usual team-coaching environment. CWI will also be using the program to assist it in its search for a full time Head Coach for the Senior Men’s Team. This specialized course is only available to coaches with a minimum qualification of Level III.
This correspondence is intended to make you aware of the program and to advise you that due to limited spaces for this course, CWI will assess the replies received, and respond to you by March 8, 2019 indicating whether your application was successful.
While CWI will place value on this succession planning program in its recruitment for a full time Head Coach, the recruitment process will also consider regional coaches who have been unable to participate in the program.
Please indicate your interest by sending your Cover Letter and CV to the email address recruitment@windiescricket.com by February 8, 2019.
We take this opportunity to wish you every success and look forward to working with you on this program.
ICC Media Release: The Windies captain has leapfrogged Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and India’s Ravindra Jadeja to grab the number one spot for the first time in his career.
Captain Jason Holder has become the first Windies player in 45 years to top the list of all-rounders in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings after slamming an unbeaten double-century that helped script a memorable 381-run win over England in the first Test in Bridgetown.
Sir Gary Sobers was at the top last in March 1974 and Holder has now emulated him following his 202 not out off 229 balls in the second innings in Bridgetown, which is the third highest score by a number eight batsman in Test history after the Pakistan pair of Wasim Akram (257 not out) and Imtiaz Ahmed (209).
Holder shared an unbeaten seventh-wicket stand of 295 with Shane Dowrich Holder shared an unbeaten seventh-wicket stand of 295 with Shane Dowrich Holder, who was associated in an unbeaten seventh-wicket partnership of 295 with Shane Dowrich (116 not out), leapfrogged Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and India’s Ravindra Jadeja to grab the number one spot for the first time in his career. Holder has also moved up the batting rankings to take a career-best 33rd position, after gaining 25 places.
Dowrich has moved up to a career-best 47th position among batsmen, having also scored 81 in the first innings of the match. Others to benefit in the update, that also took into account performances in the first Test in Brisbane which Australia won against Sri Lanka by an innings and 40 runs, included Shimron Hetmyer (up 11 places to 40th) among batsmen and Kemar Roach (up five places to 20th) and Roston Chase (up 14 places to 41st) among bowlers. For England, Ben Stokes has moved up one place to 29th among bowlers.
A rampaging Roston Chase tore through England's batting line-up to hand West Indies a comprehensive 381-run victory inside four days in the first Test in Barbados.
Chase finished with career-best Test figures of 8-60 off 21.4 overs to almost single handedly bowl England out for 246 in their second innings but, in truth there were many more architects of the West Indies' victory.
Kemar Roach's devastating haul of 5-17 in England's first innings when the tourists were bowled out for just 77, West Indies captain Jason Holder's unbeaten second-innings 202 and team-mate Shane Dowrich's 116 not out which put the target out of reach and some dire shot selection by England batsmen in their second innings combined with Chase's impressive haul to deliver a memorable victory for the home side.
While on the subject of selection, questions are sure to be asked at the England team selection table ahead of the second Test, starting in Antigua on Thursday. The obvious one: was leaving Stuart Broad out on a pitch where the pacemen initially ran riot such a good idea? And: How will England respond to an underwhelming batting performance throughout this Test?
The tourists were always going to face a huge battle over two days to hold out for a draw when they resumed on 56 with no wickets down but opener Rory Burns provided a period of positivity with a controlled 84 off 133 deliveries before he was bowled by Chase with a ball that slid inside his defensive push to hit off stump.
In a little over a month from now, (February 28 to be exact), the nation will know whether Mark Neita would have been successful in his bid to unseat Wilford “Billy” Heaven as president of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA). I will have more to say on that election as the date gets closer. For now, though, I would advise that whoever wins takes up the matter of the waning interest in high-school cricket in Jamaica. No matter what other lofty plans they may have, if the issue of the rapidly declining participation in cricket in high schools is not addressed, then cricket in Jamaica will never make it to the heights that we all want it to.
18 wickets fell on Thursday, none on Friday. Just to add to the freak nature of how the Windies-England contest has unfolded at the Kensington Oval is the eight wickets that fell on the opening day, making it three contrastingly different turn of events. What has changed in a more level progression is Windies' dominance in the Test.
In a period of 13 balls before Shane Dowrich had walked out to bat on Thursday, Windies had lost 4 wickets for 1 run. From thereon, the 'keeper batted and batted and batted, till the point England were deflated to a point where they were just waiting for the declaration.
But while Dowrich held one end up with steady defense, it was Jason Holder's assault from the other end that flattened England's challenge. By the time the Windies skipper had walked out to bat on Thursday, the hosts were already in command courtesy a half-century stand between Shimron Hetmyer and Dowrich. However, he ensured that not only did he take the game away from England but also punctured their morale.
After a day where 18 wickets were lost, England would have hoped that their pacers will have a role to play to dismiss Windies at the earliest, with their last three having limited credentials with the bat. But courtesy some risk-free cricket, Dowrich and Holder ensured England never went past them. Having batted for almost five hours on Friday, the duo remained unbeaten, stitching a 295-run partnership - the third highest for the seventh wicket in Tests - to take Windies to 415 for 6 before declaring their innings, setting a 628-run target.
