NORTH SOUND, Antigua and Barbuda (AFP) — Sam Curran bounced back with a match-winning bowling display as England scored a series-levelling six-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second One Day International (ODI) in Antigua on Wednesday.
Curran was spanked for 98 runs off 9.5 overs on Sunday as England slumped to a four-wicket defeat in the series opener — the worst-ever performance by an England bowler in ODI cricket.
But the left arm seam and wing bowler responded superbly on Wednesday, bagging three of the first four wickets as the home side were bundled out for 202 off 39.4 overs in the day/night fixture.
Will Jacks then anchored the English response at the top of the order with 73 while there was a welcome return to form for Jos Buttler, the England captain taking his team to victory with an unbeaten 58 in an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 90 with Harry Brook (43 not out).
"It was tough the other day but just have to keep moving forward and try to bounce back," Curran said after his Man-of-the-Match performance at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
LOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (CMC) — Off-spin bowling all-rounder Kevin Sinclair further enhanced his reputation with a destructive spell that defied half-centuries from Khayelihle Zondo and Neil Brand and enabled West Indies 'A' to gain an edge against hosts South Africa 'A' in the deciding third "Test" on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old Guyanese ended with five for 44 from 14.4 overs, and the South Africans were bowled out for 274 in their first innings after they chose to bat on the first day of the four-day, firstclass match at Mangaung Oval.
Pace bowling fellow Guyanese Shamar Joseph supported with three for 65 from 15 overs, and Grenadian pacer Shermon Lewis bagged two for 68 from 13 overs to give the Caribbean side a strong start to the match.
Zondo hit the top score of 70 for South Africa A, their Captain Brand supported with 62, Zubayr Hamza made 30, Raynard van Tonder and Clyde Fortuin added 25 each, and Hardus Viljoen got 24.
West Indies A reached 17 for one at the close, with opener Zachary McCaskie not out on 12 and left-hander Kirk McKenzie not out on two.
COOLIDGE, Antigua (CMC) — Kevin Wickham's unbeaten hundred and Joshua Bishop's four-wicket haul combined to inflict Emerging Ireland with a heavy, 432-run defeat inside three days here Monday.
Well placed on 176 for four in their second innings overnight, Cricket West Indies Academy piled up 321 for eight declared, with Wickham carving out a superb, unbeaten 105 off 108 deliveries — his second first class hundred.
Set a mammoth 579 runs for victory, the visitors collapsed in a heap for 143 all out, Bishop claiming four for 36 with his left-arm spin to finish with match figures of eight for 54.
Liam McCarthy struck a top score of 35 not out from 32 balls with half-dozen fours at number nine while opener Stephen Doheny got 23 — but they were the only two to pass 20.
Captain Shai Hope produced a sublime masterclass in the form of his 16th One-Day International (ODI) hundred as West Indies pulled off a record run chase to stun England by four wickets in the opening ODI here yesterday.
Asked to chase a demanding 326 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, the home side overhauled their target with seven balls to spare, to register their highest successful run chase in the Caribbean and second highest overall.
The unflappable Hope was at the heart of his side’s enterprise, carving out a sparkling unbeaten 109 off 83 deliveries - his fastest ever ODI century.
He struck four fours and seven sixes – the last three of which came in the penultimate over from wayward left-arm seamer Sam Curran.
FOLLOWING THE Jamaica Scorpions’ horrible performance in the 2023 Regional Super50 tournament, which saw them finishing bottom of the table with six losses and a no-result from seven matches, senior player Andre McCarthy has sought to shed light on what he thinks impacted the team in Trinidad and Tobago.
“I think the planning wasn’t good and the coaching staff thought that they could just bring any squad and win. They (coaches) didn’t put anything in place, and some of the players weren’t comfortable and that wasn’t good for the cricket, as there was too much emotion,” he stated.
The 36-year-old McCarthy, who represented West Indies at the Under-19 World Cup back in 2006, said he was speaking on behalf of the younger players, who are fearful of speaking against the injustice within the Jamaican set-up, and added that players are left on their own to correct struggles.
“The players aren’t comfortable and a lot of coaching doesn’t take place. It’s about finding your way as they can’t tell you if you’re leaning too much to the left or right, and then there’s a curse word to follow. I’ve played for years and it was always an uphill task as I’m constantly fighting. The cricket can’t be like that, they (coaches) are too personal,” said McCarthy.
