A decision will be made tomorrow morning, as to whether West Indies captain Jason Holder will take the field against South Africa in the final preliminary round match of the Ballr Tri-series at Kensington Oval later in the day.
The 24-year-old fast bowler sent down only two overs in Tuesday’s six-wicket loss to Australia before he was forced from the field with a left-hamstring strain.
He was expected to undergo scans on the injury on Wednesday but instead will now receive treatment and be monitored ahead of the upcoming game. His absence forced the West Indies to use occasional legspinner Andre Fletcher and stand-in captain Kieron Pollard as part of the bowling effort.
In honour of the 80th birthday of National Hero Sir Garfield Sobers and Barbados’ 50th year of Independence, the 50th Anniversary of Independence Secretariat, Sir Garry at 80 Committee and Sir Garfield Sobers International Schools Cricket Tournament Committee have come together to dedicate next month to the cricketing icon. A series of celebratory events will be held from July 3 to 31.
The Sir Garfield Sobers International Schools Cricket Tournament kicks off on July 3 and runs until July 20 with 16 competing teams. Eleven regional teams including Vishnu Hindu Boys, Presentation College and Fatima College of Trinidad and Tobago, Queens College of Guyana and French Verandah St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College compete in Zone A.
Marlon Samuels' lightning struck Australia twice, in Barbados, as he repeated his spinal innings for West Indies in St Kitts with a handsome hundred that left Steven Smith's side needing a steep chase at Kensington Oval to avoid triangular series eleimination
The winner of the match will go through to face South Africa in the final, but a defeat for Australia would mean an early exit. Despite sporting a young side shorn of considerable experience, it was would be a major humiliation for Australia, the world's No. 1 ODI team and World Cup champions, to fail to progress.
The wash-out between Australia and South Africa in Barbados on Sunday has left all three teams still in with a chance of reaching the tri-series final. Two round-robin games remain - West Indies against Australia on Tuesday and West Indies against South Africa on Friday. Should Jason Holder's men defeat Australia on Tuesday, the final will be settled - West Indies would play South Africa, and Australia would go home.
But if Steven Smith's team prevails, Australia will be guaranteed of a place in the final and West Indies and South Africa would play off for the other spot on Friday. And despite South Africa's two bonus points, it would be a straight shoot-out, because the tri-series rules state that number of wins takes precedence if teams are equal on points. A West Indian win on Friday would put them level with South Africa on points, but with one more win.
The upshot is that this game is must-win for Australia, but not for West Indies. Like all three sides in this tournament, Australia have been up and down throughout. The likely presence of Mitchell Starc is a potential key - his workload has been managed throughout the series and Australia have only lost the matches in which he did not play. His ability to swing the white ball could well turn a chase - West Indies' preferred option is always to bat second.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Only a single over was possible as rain wrecked the seventh game of the Tri-Nations Series between Australia and South Africa forcing a no-result here Sunday.
Asked to bat first, South Africa had reached eight without loss when persistent rain swept across historic Kensington Oval about ten minutes after the 1 pm scheduled start, driving players from the field and bringing an abrupt end to the contest.
Rain continued unabated throughout the afternoon for the next 3-1/2 hours before finally subsiding, allowing ground-staff to remove the covers.
Personnel then worked feverishly to ready the playing area but after two inspections by umpires, the rain returned and play was eventually abandoned at 6:30 pm.
Each side walked away with two points, leaving leaders South Africa having virtually qualified for next Sunday’s final on 12 points, with Australia in second on 11 points.
West Indies, who play the Aussies on Tuesday, lie third on eight points and need a win to pull themselves back into contention for a place in the final.
