Fri, May 23, '14
WICB Press Release
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – After a few queries and conflicting media reports about the title winners of the Regional 4-Day Tournament, the West Indies Cricket Board wishes to make clear a number of points about the award of the WICB President’s Trophy and the Headley/Weekes Trophy.
First, the Playing Conditions of the Regional 4-Day Tournament were widely circulated prior to the start of the Tournament to territorial boards and the Media. On page 20, the first paragraph addresses the topic of the Regional 4-Day champions and the winners of the WICB President’s Trophy – and is quite unambiguous.
It stated: “This stage (the league competition) of the tournament will involve seven rounds of matches at the end of which the team with the most points will be declared the Regional 4-Day Champions and earn the WICB President’s Trophy.”
Secondly, the WICB wants to make it pellucid that the format of the Regional 4-Day Tournament was changed from the previous year, including the way that the titles for the Tournament were awarded – and was approved by the Board of Directors.
This format is not entirely new and it was first adopted during the years of the Carib Beer sponsorship of the Regional 4-Day Tournament, when international A-Teams took part, and there was a Territorial champion and an International Challenge winner.
Neither is it unique when only regional teams are taking part. Research has shown that the 2006-2007 Regional 4-Day Tournament, then sponsored by Carib Beer, was contested by only the traditional six territorial sides – Barbados, like they did this year, won the league tournament, were declared the Regional 4-Day champions and earned the Carib Beer Cup before they lost in the Final two weeks later to arch-rivals Trinidad & Tobago, who were awarded the Carib Beer Challenge Trophy.
Hence, as previously published:
a. Barbados are the bona fide Regional 4-Day champions, having won the league format as per the Playing Conditions – and retained the title they won last year – thus they are winners of the WICB President’s Trophy.
b. Jamaica are the Headley/Weekes Trophy winner, having accumulated the most points in the Final which they contested against Windward Islands last month in St. Lucia as per the Playing Conditions – and received the Headley/Weekes Trophy.
The WICB hopes this puts this matter to rest and congratulates both Barbados and Jamaica for their respective title successes during the past Regional 4-Day Tournament season.
Fri, May 23, '14
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - NEVISIAN batsman Kieran Powell has been touted as a future leader for the West Indies team by President of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Dave Cameron.
Speaking on Sportsmax Zone on Monday (May 19), Cameron blasted former WICB CEO Ernest Hilaire’s comments, stating that the WICB practices “narrow nationalism” that led to the axing of Darren Sammy as Captain.
The St. Lucian said that as a result, insularity and “narrow nationalism”, continued to permeate West Indies cricket.
“I think in West Indies cricket we know what has to be done. What is needed is the will to make it happen and to stay the course,” Hilaire said in an interview following the sacking of Darren Sammy as Test Captain.
On Monday however, Cameron scrutinised the former CEO’s comments, stating that Nevisian Powell has been earmarked as a future captain of the regional side.
“Kieran Powell from Nevis is somebody we are looking at and I can say that publicly for the leadership of the team. He has captained our ‘A’team...Nevis is probably the smallest island in the region and we have Kirk Edwards as well as another potential leader for the team.”
Last year Powell captained the West Indies ‘A’ team to victory over India ‘A’ team and is the current Leeward Islands Captain.
Copied from the SKNVibes
Fri, May 23, '14
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (CMC) – Pacer Trent Boult says he is not expecting wickets friendly to fast bowlers in the Caribbean when New Zealand take on the West Indies in a three-Test series starting next month.
The Black Caps depart tomorrow, heading to Jamaica’s Montego Bay for a 10-day camp, which includes two warm-up games, ahead of the first Test in Jamaica, beginning on June 8.
Boult, who has formed a formidable partnership with Tim Southee as New Zealand’s dangerous new ball-duo, says the use of the new ball and the reverse swing will factor heavily in the outcome of matches.
Fri, May 23, '14
Cricket fans in the Caribbean can expect a treat in the coming months, as Brian Lara and Ian Botham are both expected to take to the field for a charity match in the lead up to the Caribbean Premier League final in August.
'Beefy's Bash', an all-star charity T20 game involving Botham, Lara and television personality Piers Morgan, is set to take place in St.Kitts on August 12 and will bring together a host of celebrities, cricketing legends and current stars.
Thu, May 22, '14
In-form West Indies batsman Lendl Simmons smashed the first century of the Indian Premier League (IPL) yesterday to give Mumbai Indians a slim chance of advancing to the play-off stage of the competition.
Simmons played shots all over the park to complete an unbeaten even century, leading a run chase that swept Mumbai to a seven-wicket victory over Kings XI Punjab, the current table toppers.
The attacking Trinidadian batsman hit 14 fours and two sixes from the 61 balls he faced to carry Mumbai safely to 159 off 18 overs after Punjab scored 156 for eight in their 20 overs at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.