West Indies ODI & T20I Squads Revealed for Australia Tour
St. John’s, Antigua – The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Selection Panel has named both 15-man squads to play against Australia in three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20 Internationals (T20Is) from 2 to 13 February 2024.
The ODI squad features two debutants, Grenadian top order batsman Teddy Bishop and Guyanese wicketkeeper batsman, Tevin Imlach.
Bishop has impressed with the bat on assignments for the West Indies Academy during the recent CG United Super 50 Cup and Academy series against Emerging Ireland. Imlach, who is currently in Australia with the test team, averages 30.1, having played 26 List A matches.
Heaven yet to make election strategy
JAMAICA Cricket Association (JCA) President Billy Heaven says although he is seeking re-election this year he has not fully strategised for his campaign.
But Heaven says that while the JCA annual general meeting (AGM) will be sooner rather than later, there will be time to prepare.
"We're still in the early days; I have not really addressed my mind to that part of the process," Heaven said. "If you look at the time frame here maybe you're looking at March, so we have some time. I have not really settled down to put some serious thought into that."
Heaven, who has served as JCA president since 2013, faces a potential challenge from Dr Donovan Bennett who now serves as the JCA's first vice-president (VP). This is not the first time Heaven has been challenged by a sitting JCA VP as Mark Neita opposed him unsuccessfully in 2019. Fritz Harris also contested the presidency in 2016 while serving as the JCA's honorary secretary.
But Heaven says he was not caught off guard by persons he trusted to make up his executive body being among those wanting to challenge him.
Read more at Jamaica Observer
J’ca’s reluctance, USA’s rise could threaten future of C’bean cricket
Jamaica’s reluctance to make a bid to commit to hosting matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup should be a cause for concern for Cricket West Indies especially with the emergence of the USA which is establishing itself as a viable destination for games in the future.
The West Indies and the USA will co-host the T20 World Cup from June 1-29, with the Sates set to play host to 16 of the tournament’s 55 matches.
Former West Indies director Baldath Mahabir has warned that the Caribbean’s northern neighbours could possibly host an international event on their own in the future while former West Indies manager Omar Khan described the situation with Jamaica not hosting any matches in the World Cup as “definitely concerning”.
“Jamaica are a major part of CWI and I am sure fans would love to see cricket played at Sabina Park,” Khan told the Express yesterday. “CWI needs to sit with the government officials in Jamaica and have a face-to-face meeting to find out what can be done to safeguard the game.”
Read more at Trinidad Express
Dujon on Test squad to Australia: ‘Lambs to the slaughter’
FORMER West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman Jeffrey Dujon believes the squad selected to participate in an upcoming two-Test series against world number one ranked Australia is similar to sending lambs to the slaughter. The Kraigg Brathwaite-captained team is comprised of seven uncapped players, and Dujon added that this is bit of an embarrassment for the Caribbean team.
“It’s a bit of an embarrassment because Australia doesn’t suffer from the same situation like us. Maybe their players are more patriotic, but this is like sending lambs to the slaughter. It would have been better if we had sent a young team like this to play a weaker nation, but I don’t think there’s a whole lot to be gained sending a team with seven debutants against a team so experienced, established and powerful,” Dujon explained.
The last time a West Indies team defeated Australia in a Test series Down Under was back in the 1992/93 series when the West Indies won 2-1. The announcement of the inexperienced squad caught the attention of former Australia captain Steve Waugh, who shared that he wants cricket’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), to intervene.
Read more at Jamaica Gleaner
PM Mottley calls Barbados 'cricketing mecca' after securing T20 WC final
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Barbados's Prime Minister Mia Mottley has lauded the country's "high level of organisation" after Kensington Oval was awarded the final of this year's Twenty20 World Cup.
In a statement Friday, Mottley said the country had "firmly established itself as a cricketing mecca" while the storied Kensington Oval had cemented its place among the world's leading sporting venues.
The International Cricket Council announced Friday that Barbados could host the final of the June 1-29 showpiece, in addition to three Super Eight second-round games and five group stage matches.
"It is with a sense of pride and excitement that I join cricketing fans here and across the region in celebrating Barbados being selected to host the International Cricket Council 2024 Men's T20 World Cup Final," Mottley said.
"That Barbados will host this final as well as eight other games throughout the tournament — three of which are Super 8 (quarter-finals) games — is nothing short of a privilege and an honour.
Read more at Jamaica Observer