The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer :: The Federation's Poltically Independent News Source

Jan. 30 -- BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – UNICEF has hailed its partnership with the West Indies Cricket Board after jointly staging a training course on child protection for cricket coaches here Friday.

The course was conducted at the Sagicor High Performance Centre at the UWI Cave Hill Campus and was attended by Territorial Development Officers, Development Officers and Level 2 coaches from the Caribbean.

“UNICEF is pleased to partner with the West Indies Cricket Board on this training course in child protection for cricket coaches,” said Mrs Khin-Sandi Lwin, UNICEF representative for the Eastern Caribbean.

“Cricket is the sport of choice for scores of Caribbean children, especially boys, and this training in child protection will go a long way towards helping to safeguard them from some of the abuses to which children are subjected.

“It will also contribute towards the creation of a safe environment in which children can reach their full sporting potential.”

The training course was aimed at ensuring that children participating in the WICB youth and age group programmes are protected at all times.

UNICEF has developed a specific Child Protection Practices for Cricket Coaches Document for the WICB to use in all its training of coaches and officers who are directly involved in the junior cricket programmes.

Jan. 27 -- Bridgetown, Barbados – The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has congratulated Trinidad and Tobago following their superb display to win the WICB Caribbean T20 tournament for the second time.

Speaking on behalf of the Board, President Dr Julian Hunte described Sunday night’s victory over Jamaica as a “totally awesome display”. Playing before a large crowd at Kensington Oval, Denesh Ramdin’s side won by 62 runs to secure back-to-back Caribbean T20 titles.

Dr Hunte also highlighted the amazing crowd support from fans at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground and Kensington Oval in Barbados, noting that he was thrilled to see the “the level of enthusiasm, passion and involvement” as spectators turned out in record numbers.

Trinidad & Tobago suffered a defeat in their opening match against the Windward Islands, but fought back and swept all before them and took home the first prize of US$62,500 and the coveted Caribbean T20 trophy. They also qualified to represent the Caribbean for the third time at the Champions League.

“We saw a totally awesome display by the Trinidad and Tobago team as they again demonstrated their strength in all departments and showed everyone that they are the Number 1 in the Caribbean in the Twenty20 format.”

Dr Hunte added: “The way they fought back after the first round defeat and conquered all before them is exactly what true champions are made of. They were overflowing with confidence and in the end won convincingly. They were very well led and played a special brand of cricket with flare and flamboyance and smiles on their faces. This is the spirit for which they are known and which epitomises the spirit of the people of the Caribbean and the Caribbean T20.”

The WICB President praised the efforts of the other teams and lauded the superb job done by the tournament organisers, event staff and volunteers.

“We were also happy with the participation of the other teams who all gave of their best and all had special moments. We saw the progress of several young players and fans got the chance to see their favourite players in action. With the International Cricket Council’s World T20 Championship coming later this year, we believe West Indies will be strong contenders,” Dr Hunte added.

“This year we had record crowds at both venues and this tells us that cricket is still a favourite with West Indians of all ages. The party atmosphere with the colour, flag waving, dancing and singing is what we as West Indians have become known for and we saw this coming back during the last two weeks.

“I also want to thank and congratulate the CEO of the WICB, Dr Ernest Hilaire, Event Manager Cindy McLean and their team for a tremendous job to put on this tournament. Many thanks also to the organising committees in Antigua and Barbados and all the hard-working people who went beyond the call of duty and played a huge role in making the event a success.

“We were also delighted with the role of ESPN and the team which was responsible for producing the event. We also had a high-quality radio broadcast via the Line & Length Network and highlights packages on CMC - the regional broadcasters. This year we were delighted to have Sportsnet out of Canada on board as well as the TEMPO network. With these systems in place, the cricket world can see the quality we have here in the Caribbean. The entire tournament was a tremendous success.”

Of all domestic cricket tournaments globally, Caribbean Twenty20 received one of the widest live media coverage inclusive of live television broadcast, live radio commentary, live text commentary via CoverItLive on ct20.windiescricket.com and live score and other updates on Facebook and Twitter.

Additionally, the WICB also provided full photographic coverage of the event at http://www.flickr.com/photos/windiescricket through Brooks LaTouche Photography.

Jan. 26 -- BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Denesh Ramdin said winning the WICB Caribbean T20 tournament was a testimony to the strength and the depth of the Trinidad & Tobago side.

The T&T captain was speaking after explosive batting, led by Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, followed by crippling bowling coasted the “Red Force” to their second straight CT20 title on Sunday with a crushing 63-run victory over Jamaica in the Grand Final on Sunday at Kensington Oval.

Ramdin conceded that losing their first match of the tournament against Windward Islands was the reality check his side required to get them focussed on the job.

“We have a great bunch of players in this team and a superb support staff and that is what did it for us,” said Ramdin.

“We are known as the ‘Red Force’ and we showed we are a true force. We didn’t get it right in the first match, the Windwards gave us a kick up the backside, but we came back as a good strong force against Leewards and against Guyana as we found our range. He added: “After that it was smooth sailing because we know we have match-winners in all departments.

“We actually thought that Jamaica would have been stronger in the Final, but our bowlers did a fantastic job in the first six overs and that squeezed them. After that we knew we had the trophy in our hands.”

It was the second time T&T defeated Jamaica in a regional T20 final and avenged their loss in the Regional Super50 final last October in Guyana, preventing Jamaica from becoming triple crown champions.

This was also the first major tournament that T&T have won under new captain Denesh Ramdin, following the controversial resignation of the long-standing Daren Ganga. They qualify for a third trip to the lucrative Champions League T20 later this year in India, where they will face the World’s best T20 franchises.

Ramdin hailed the value of having star players like Bravo and Pollard in the line-up for important matches like the Final.

“It is always great to have these two fantastic players on the field for us,” he said. “Once you have Dwayne and Polly on the field it makes the job of captain that much easier.

“They can do damage to the opposition and make life very difficult for them as we saw here. I also want to congratulate our bowlers – Sunil Narine, Samuel Badree, Ravi Rampaul and Kevon Cooper – who did everything right.”

Ramdin also welcomed the support his side received in the second phase of the competition in Barbados, with a sea of red spread across the World-famous ground for the Grand Final.

“It was great to see the way our fans came out and supported us here in Barbados for the semi-finals and the Final,” said Ramdin. “It was like a home away from home.

Also we were delighted that the games were being seen on ESPN all over the World, so the fans could see the talent in our team as well as all the talent in the other teams across the Caribbean.”

Jan. 25 -- Andre Russell and Shawn Findlay have said that a lack of unity in the Jamaica team cost them the Caribbean T20 final against Trinidad & Tobago. Russell, the West Indies fast-bowling allrounder, said the players did not behave professionally because they were playing as individuals rather than as a team.

"As a team it is about sticking together and we are kind of lacking in that department at the moment," Russell told the Jamaican Gleaner. "It's not professional for players to go on the field and some are doing one thing and some are doing another. We need to work together more as a team and if we can do that then just like how we win the other tournaments we can win the T20 as well."

Jamaica are the current champions in West Indies' first-class and domestic 50-over competitions, and beat T&T easily in the Regional Super50 tournament final in October 2011; but they were thrashed by the same team in the Caribbean T20 final, which also cost them a place in the lucrative Champions League T20. Findlay, the Jamaica batsman, said the reversal in fortunes was due to division in the team.

"The team spirit was not the best," Findlay said. "Some of the players were not pulling for each other as we wanted it to be. We are not unified as we should be. On match days you tend to have one set of players pulling to one side and the others to a next. You're never going to win a tournament like that.

"When we won the Super50 tournament everybody was gelling together. We know we can win Twenty20 tournaments if we get to gel, as it is the gelling and chemistry that teams like Trinidad have over us."

David Bernard, the Jamaica captain, was less scathing of the team and said what was needed was more practice playing Twenty20 cricket. "A better preparation period, including the playing of more Twenty20 competitions and matches going into the next tournament, will go a long way towards helping us to get better," Bernard said. "But to do this more resources are needed and one can only hope that the Jamaican Cricket Association can get the support from corporate Jamaica to do this going forward."

Jan. 23 -- Barbados – Explosive batting led by Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard followed by crippling bowling coasted Trinidad & Tobago to their second straight Caribbean Twenty20 title on Sunday with a crushing 63-run victory over Jamaica.

Bravo smashed four fours and three sixes in the top score of 49 from 43 balls and Pollard was just himself, slamming one four and four sixes, supporting with 39 not out from 13 balls, as T&T posted a challenging 168 for five from their allocation of 20 overs in the Grand Final at Kensington Oval. T&T’s bits and pieces bowling attack never allowed Jamaica’s typically free-scoring batsmen room to shake the shackles free and restricted the double-crown regional champions to 105 for five in their 20 overs. It was the second time T&T defeated Jamaica in a regional T20 final and avenged their loss in the Regional Super50 final last October in Guyana, preventing Jamaica from becoming Triple Crown champions. This was also the first major tournament that T&T have won under new captain Denesh Ramdin, following the controversial resignation of the long-standing Daren Ganga. The biggest prize for T&T however, is a third trip to the lucrative Champions League T20 later this year in India, where they will face the World’s best T20 franchises.

T&T setback Jamaica early in the chase, when Nkrumah Bonner backed up too far, failed to get a response from fellow opener Danza Hyatt, and was run out for four in the third over.

Samuel Badree inflicted more pain, when he bowled West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels for a two-ball duck with a perfectly-pitched googly in the fifth over.

T&T continued to tighten their grip and reduced the Jamaicans to 57 for five in the 14th over and never allowed them to stage a fight-back.

With the equation growing more difficult with each passing delivery, T&T began to take things a little easier and Carlton Baugh Jr indulged himself, crashing five fours and two sixes to finish with the top score of 39 not out from 23 balls, putting on 48 unbroken for the sixth wicket with Shawn Findlay, not out on 17.

Earlier, it was Bravo and Pollard that enjoyed themselves to rescue T&T, after they wobbled to 65 for four in the 12th over. Openers Lendl Simmons and Adrian Barath gave T&T a rousing start, putting on 35 for the first wicket.

Simmons was caught behind off Odean Brown for 19 top-edging a cut before Andre Russell added the valuable wicket of Darren Bravo also caught behind for seven, leaving T&T 42 for two in the seventh over.

This brought the elder Bravo to the crease and he started confidently, steering Brown to third man for four and hooking Russell to deep backward square leg for another boundary.

Adrian Barath got himself in a tangle and was stumped off Brown for 21 before T&T captain Denesh Ramdin was bowled trying to cut to leave the T&T innings at the crossroads.

The elder Bravo found a Sunil Narine a stable ally and they put on 42 for the fifth wicket to assert T&T’s dominance.

When Narine’s cameo of 22 that included two sixes and a four came to an end, caught at third man off Jamaica captain Dave Bernard Jr in the 16th over, T&T were 107 for five.

Enter Pollard, but he played second fiddle to the elder Bravo, whose pyrotechnics continued with a six pulled over mid-wicket and a sliced drive to third man for four off successive balls from left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cotterrell, and a trademark back drive over extra over off Santokie in the following over.

In between, Pollard was dropped on two, when Marlon Samuels muffed a skier at deep mid-wicket off Santokie in the 17th over. Bravo was caught at long-off in the penultimate over off Cotterrell before the Jamaica left-arm fast bowler was suspended from bowling for delivering a second beamer which Pollard smashed baseball style back over his head for his first six.

The last over was pure mayhem with Pollard putting the left-arm medium-fast bowling of Santokie in its true perspective with talismanic batting.

He got two from the first ball, struck the second for four over mid-off and launched the next three deliveries for six between long-off and long-on before ending the rampage with another deuce.

Jan. 20 -- BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Ruthless fast bowling from Tino Best and Fidel Edwards positioned them and purposeful batting ushered Barbados to an eight-wicket victory over Sussex Sharks on Wednesday, virtually sewing up a place in the semi-finals of the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament.

Kevin Stoute hit a workmanlike 36 not out and Shane Dowrich made 23 not out, sharing an unbroken third-wicket stand of 53, as the Barbadians successfully chased 90 for victory in their Group-B match at Kensington Oval. Before a crowd in excess of 7,000, Stoute formalised the victory with 32 balls remaining, when he lofted Joe Gatting over mid-off for a deuce.

The result gave the hosts their third straight victory in the tournament and makes them a virtual shoo-in for the Final Four on Saturday. Sussex have completed their quota of four matches, finishing on four points.

Best earned the Star-of-the-Match after he ran through the Sharks top order, taking three wickets for 11 runs from three overs, and Edwards finished the demolition job with three for 18 from four overs. In between, off-spinner Ashley Nurse grabbed two for eight from three overs.

Dwayne Smith typically gave Barbados a brisk start, launching Amjad Khan for two huge sixes. He struck the first over mid-wicket about 15 rows back in the Greenidge & Haynes Stand on the western side and launched the second over long-on into the top floor of the Sir Garfield Sobers Pavilion.

Smith was run out in the fourth over however, and Jonathan Carter labored over seven before he was caught at slip off leg-spinner Will Beer to leave the Barbadians 38 for two in the seventh over.

Pint-sized wicketkeeper/batsman Shane Dowrich, a graduate of the Sagicor High Performance Centre, calmed things down with a couple boundaries off Khan in the eighth over, taking Barbados past the halfway stage. He continued to bat confidently and Stoute blossomed with every passing delivery, taking Barbados to the finish line, much to the delight of the expectant crowd.

Earlier, Best rattled the nerves of the Sharks batsmen. He made the breakthrough in the fifth over, when he bowled Gatting for six, as he tried to make room to play the big drive.

Best swung the match, when he had Chris Nash caught behind for 18 and Kirk Wernars caught at extra cover for four in the space of four deliveries in the seventh over, leaving the English county side on 34 for three.

Carlos Brathwaite continued the carnage, when he had Ben Brown caught at mid-wicket for 13 before Nurse gained two lbw verdicts to dismiss Matthew Machan and Andrew Hood for three and four respectively, leaving Sussex 79 for six.

Edwards then returned for a closing spell and wrapped up the innings, removing William Adkin, Michael Yardy and Chris Liddle in his final two overs.

Barbados face Combined Campuses & Colleges in their final group match on Friday at this venue.