BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Jason Holder stumbled across success earlier than most. He gathered his maiden Test hundred in only his fourth match and had been entrusted with the one-day captaincy by age 23, and with just 21 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) behind him. Just months later and two shy of his 24th birthday, Holder was handed the cherished mantle of the Test captaincy, with just eight Tests under his belt. And while one would have understood the temptation to chase personal glory, the giant yet mild-mannered all-rounder has preoccupied himself with the concept of team, and the role of his abilities in the overall collective. He is almost philosophical as he articulates his role as a young captain and his expectations of the teams he leads, and deliberately never disconnects his performances from that of his unit. Holder turns 26 today, and after 28 Tests, just over 1,200 runs and a shade over 50 wickets, says that he has found his footing in international cricket and now struck the right blend between leadership and player.
Centuries by Tion Webster and Yannic Cariah brought T&T Red Force right back into their Digicel Professional Cricket League (PCL) second round contest against the Jamaica Scorpions at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy yesterday. Chasing a mountainous 432, the locals began the day on 133 for 4 and declared at 379 for seven, after Webster’s wonderful 178 and Cariah’s workmanlike 127. At the close of the third day, the Scorpions batting a second time reached 29 for 1, for an overall lead of 82 runs with nine wickets standing.
Jaguars beat Volcanoes for second straight win
GROS ISLET, St Lucia, (CMC) – Guyana Jaguars made it a little messy in the end but rattled off their second straight win in the Regional four-day championship when they defeated Windward Island Volcanoes by seven wickets inside three days here Saturday. The three-time reigning champions limited the hosts to 244 all out in their second innings, with frontline left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul claiming four for 53 and West Indies A fast bowler Keon Joseph picking up three for 53.Nineteen-year-old seamer Sherfane Rutherford supported with two for 50 to end the match with an eight-wicket haul.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the former Windies batsman, has penned a new one-year contract with the English County, Lancashire, for the 2018 domestic season. The veteran batsman was in good form during the 2017 County Championship, compiling 819 runs at an average of over 50.
"I'm very excited to return for the 2018 season having thoroughly enjoyed last year's campaign," he noted. "The club is extremely ambitious and there is a group of hugely talented young cricketers in the squad," he added.
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe – If West Indies head coach Stuart Law had his way, the 15-man squad which toured Zimbabwe would remain unchanged for the two-Test Test series in New Zealand starting later this month.
The Australian told reporters that the current group, retained from the England tour last August, were developing nicely as a unit and to make any changes would be disruptive going forward.
“I’ve made it pretty open and pretty clear to the chairman of selectors (Courtney Browne) and the selection panel that I think that this group we have together is worth working with,” Law said following the drawn second Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club yesterday.
“It’s a short turnaround between now and New Zealand as well. To bring someone else in or a number of players in, I don’t think would be a great move in the sense that we would have to start again with those players.”
GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Left-hander Vishaul Singh turned the page on his recent ordinary form for West Indies A by stroking his seventh first class hundred, as three-time reigning champions Guyana Jaguars snatched the advantage on day two of their second round encounter against Windward Islands Volcanoes.
The visitors piled up 357 in their first innings on Friday at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground to lead Volcanoes by 206 runs, with Vishaul gathering a typically controlled 119 and wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble missing out on three figures with 90.
Sherfane Rutherford, batting at number eight, smashed an entertaining 51.
Left-arm seamer Obed McCoy grabbed three for 56 on first class debut while off-spinners Tyrone Theophile (2-48) and Shane Shillingford (2-67), along with pacer Sherman Lewis (2-81) all claimed two wickets each. Volcanoes then found themselves in early trouble when experienced opener Devon Smith fell without scoring, pulling a short ball from fast bowler Keon Joseph to be caught square on the on-side by Rutherford, with only 10 runs on the board in the third over of the innings.
Red Force vs Scorpios
AROUBA, Trinidad, CMC – Fabian Allen’s superb unbeaten hundred and seamer Derval Green’s lethal burst rattled Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and put Jamaica Scorpions firmly in control of their second round encounter of the Regional four-day championship here Friday.
Allen stroked a career-best 169 not out as Scorpions converted their overnight 246 for four into an intimidating 432 all out in their first innings on the second day of the contest at the Brian Lara Stadium.
Scores:
SCORPIONS 431 (Fabian Allen 169 not out, Brandon King 98, Derval Green 29, Dennis Bulli 28; Bryan Charles 3-64, Roshon Primus 2-69, Imran Khan 2-127)
RED FORCE 133 for four (Yannic Cariah 52 not out, Tion Webster 49 not out; Dervan Green 3-36)
