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

Trinidad Guardian Newspaper.

Feb. 24 -- ST JOHN’S — The West Indies women would be looking to take the lead when they meet India in the third of their five match T20 series in Dominica today. The local girls won the opening match convincingly before falling by three runs in the second game in St John’s on Sunday. Not even a late cameo from vice-captain Anisa Mohammed could prevent West Indies from defeat.

Mohammed, better known for her off-spin but handy with the bat, stroked an unbeaten 20 from just 10 balls with one four and a six, but failed to get West Indies over the line as they finished on 92 for nine off their 20 overs. With 16 required from the last four balls of the game, the right-handed Mohammed made a valiant effort but just came up short. Earlier, India had gotten a top score of 27 from opener Mithali Raj as they struggled to a disappointing 95 for five after being sent in at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium.

She added 38 for the first wicket with Amita Sharma (17) but once they were separated in the eighth over, the innings meandered. Thereafter, only captain Anjum Chopra with a cautious unbeaten 16 made any impact. West Indies suffered an early setback when Shanel Daley fell without scoring in the third over and the innings plunged into chaos when the two leading run-scorers Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin both fell without scoring in consecutive deliveries.

Tottering at 19 for three in the sixth over, West Indies were revived by a solid 28 off 30 balls from Stacy-Ann King but she found no support as wickets tumbled steadily around her. Medium pacer Jhulan Goswami was the leading bowler with three wickets for seven runs while new ball partner Amita Sharma claimed two for 16.

Feb. 23 -- Bridgetown, Barbados -- Experienced fast bowler Fidel Edwards says he is hoping to make a major contribution to West Indies’ success against Australia when the visitors come to the Caribbean next month for the Digicel Series.

Edwards, who turned 30 two weeks ago, is preparing for the tour which will feature five One-Day Internationals, two T20 Internationals and three Test matches. He demonstrated his good form in the Caribbean T20 last month and the ongoing Regional 4 Day tournament.

In the last Regional 4 Day match against Trinidad and Tobago, Edwards took six wickets for 70 runs as the Bajans won by five wickets. He bowled with great pace to take 5-64 in the first innings -- his 15th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket which took him to 249 career wickets.

Edwards will miss this weekend’s day/night PINK ball match against Combined Campuses & Colleges at Kensington Oval. He has been rested as part of the workload management as the Windies prepare for a busy year ahead including -- the visit by Australia, the tour of England in May and June and the Digicel Series against New Zealand which follows.

“My rhythm has been really good. I bowled well in the Caribbean T20 and felt I did a very good job for the team in the last match against T&T. If everything stays that way I should be quite good when the Australians come to the Caribbean next month,” Edwards said.

“We played very well against Trinidad & Tobago and I was happy to bowl the team to victory. I ended the match with the kind of returns I was looking for. Getting wickets is always good.”

Edwards added: “I think I have to be a bit more accurate. My lines have to be a bit better. I still want to be able to bowl fast and create problems for the batsmen, but the more important thing is to make sure that I stay focused and make sure I’m ready for what will be a full year of international cricket.”

Edwards is the most experienced bowler in the West Indies team. He has taken 154 Test wickets in 51 matches. He was good last year taking 32 wickets in eight Test matches at 29.90 runs per wicket, after making a successful return from injury.

The winning team in the Regional 4Day tournament will be awarded the Headley/Weekes Trophy in honour of West Indies greats George Headley and Sir Everton Weekes.

Other Awards

Batting (Most Runs) - The Vivian Richards Award

Bowling (Most Wickets) - The Courtney Walsh Award

Fielding (Most Catches) - The Clive Lloyd Award

Allrounder (Leading Allrounder) - The Malcolm Marshall Award

Wicket-keeping (Most Dismissals) - The Deryck Murray Award

Most Promising Fast Bowler - The Andy Roberts Award

Upcoming matches - 4th round: Friday, February 24 to Monday, February 27

Trinidad & Tobago vs Windward Islands at Queen’s Park Oval

Guyana vs Jamaica at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground (day/night)

Barbados vs Combined Campuses & Colleges at Kensington Oval (day/night)

Feb. 22 -- Kingston, Jamaica - To maintain a successful run requires plenty of motivation and extra-ordinary resolve. That is the strongly held view of Jamaica Captain Tamar Lambert as his team chases a record-breaking five consecutive Regional 4 Day titles.

Guided by head coach Junior Bennett, Jamaica won three regional championships from 2008-2010.

Last season when the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) technical committee replaced Bennett with Trinidadian Gus Logie, Lambert's team continued its winning ways and equalled Barbados's admirable feat between 1977 and 1980.

Lambert noted that he expects his rivals to raise their standard against Jamaica, but emphasised that the prospect of rewriting the history books provides overwhelming encouragement for his players.

"I think that this season every game is going to be extra hard because teams know we are aiming for five straight titles. They will all provide tough challenges, but we are very much motivated.

"For us it is a motivation because no other team has done it. We are aware of what to expect and we still have to take things one game at a time," the 30-year-old middle-order batsman told the Observer recently.

Reunited with Bennett, Jamaica won the 50-overs title for the first time since the 2007-08 season, but lost in the final of the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament.

They have been off to a perfect start in the four-day format recording three wins in as many matches -- all ending inside three days and top the standings on maximum 36 points.

Powered by a regal 165 from sidelined West Indies opener Christopher Gayle, Jamaica survived a classy century from left-hander Devon Smith to beat the Windward Islands by 81 runs at Sabina Park in the tournament's opening round.

In the round-two feature match against a formidable Barbados team, the reigning champions were without Gayle and all-rounder Andre Russell due to their engagements in the Bangladesh Premier League.

However, left-arm slow bowler Nikita Miller took ten wickets on an unusually dry Sabina track to lead Jamaica to a relatively comfortable 120-run win.

Lambert supported with attractive half-centuries in either innings to counter determined spells from the fearsome Bajan pace trio of Fidel Edwards, Kemar Roach and Tino Best and lanky spinner Sulieman Benn.

Those successes were followed by a thumping innings win over the hapless Leeward Islands team, also at Sabina Park. Donovan Pagon, stroking a monumental 155; accurate bowling from leg-spinner Odean Brown and Miller and shoddy batting from the Leewards team highlighted the two-and-a-half days of cricket.

Despite the bright start, Lambert insists on getting more from his team.

"We are on the right path, but first and foremost we want to reach the semi-final... (then) we will take it from there. We just want to show improvement with each game," he said.

Jamaica now turn to the Guyanese, whom they will face starting Friday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua in a day/night encounter. The squad left the island yesterday.

Feb. 21 -- Bridgetown, Barbados - Gutted by the misfortune that cut short his participation in the Caribbean Twenty20 last month, Barbados all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite is working towards a return to competitive cricket early in March.

The tall fast bowling all-rounder has been on the sidelines since injuring his right knee in Barbados’ final group match against the Combined Campuses and Colleges at Kensington Oval on January 20.

Brathwaite, who represents Banks in domestic cricket and who turned out for the CCC in the 2011 first-class season, sustained an injury to the medial collateral ligament (MCL).

“It’s the ligament on the inside of the knee.

I went over on my right foot and there was too much pressure on it so it was strained and was almost a tear, apparently,” Brathwaite said.

“I heard something pop. I don’t know if that was in my mind or if my body was saying something is wrong, but I did not want to move cause I did not have a clue where it was or what it was until I actually lay down and the blood started to settle and I felt it in my knee.”

Brathwaite immediately left the field in disappointment. He recently got an MRI done and the results from Dr Jerry Thorne were encouraging.

“He said there are no tears in the ligament as was predicted and it was a strain.

“I can move forward with strength and cardio work as I would had I not had the injury,” he told NATIONSPORT yesterday.

“So it’s just a matter of getting it stronger and feeling confident within myself to bowl hard and land hard, each and every ball,” Brathwaite revealed.

But the period of relative inactivity has been frustrating for the player who made his One-day International and T20 debuts for the West Indies against Bangladesh last October.

“It’s frustrating. I went through a couple spells of depression just watching cricket.

“Every international series since then I’ve probably watched every ball. I could hardly sleep just waiting to get back on the park,” he said.

“I tried leaving home with my bat and gloves to get a few one-on-one ‘throw downs’ or whatever the case may be but then my Dad banned me from leaving home with my cricket gear.”

Brathwaite has, however, been able to mix his regular trips to physiotherapy with light training.

Feb. 20 -- BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, CMC – Half-centuries from Leon Johnson and Narsingh Deonarine trumped Chadwick Walton’s maiden first-class hundred, propelling Guyana to an historic four-wicket victory over Combined Campuses & Colleges in the Regional 4-Day Tournament on Sunday.

Johnson hit the top score of 54 and Deonarine made 50, as the Guyanese, in pursuit of 217 for victory, hit the jackpot about 20 minutes before the scheduled close on the final day of their third round match at Warner Park.

Johnson struck half-dozen boundaries from 92 balls in close to 2 ½ hours of batting and fellow left-hander Deonarine smote eight fours and one six from 56 balls in close to 1 ½ hours.

They added 83 for the third wicket to put Guyana on the road before a stand of 55 for the fifth wicket between Assad Fudadin and Christopher Barnwell put them in reach.

Fudadin got 42 and Barnwell supported with 24 before they were dismissed within the final hour of the match.

Derwin Christian formalised Guyana’s first ever victory over the CCC with a boundary to third-man from a thick edge off Kevin McClean, whose four wickets for 53 runs from 12.5 overs made him the pick of the CCC bowlers with Jason Holder capturing two for 43 from 16 overs.

The result meant that Guyana collected their first ever win over the CCC, gaining 12 points and their opponents secured none.

Walton had promised much in the past, but had failed to reach the milestone on eight previous trips past 50. He however, kept his composure and reached the milestone, anchoring CCC to 342 in their second innings.

His 119 from 153 balls included seven fours and one six from 153 balls in a shade under 3 ½ hours, sharing a 63-run, last-wicket stand with compatriot Jason Dawes that gave the CCC a fighting chance.

Barnwell was Guyana most successful bowler with six for 78 from 27 overs.A leaden-footed Rajendra Chandrika was lbw for a duck to a delivery that moved back from McClean in the first over, setting Guyana back early in their chase.

The substantive home team reached 20 for one at lunch and were just getting into the swing of things after the interval, when left-handed opener Sewnarine Chattergoon was caught at slip for 15 flashing at a wide delivery from McClean.

Deonarine came to the crease and batted positively, racing to his 50 before Jason Holder bowled him in the last 20 minutes before Guyana reached tea on 123 for three. fter reaching his 50 following the break, Johnson was caught behind taking evasive action from a lifting delivery from Holder.

The Guyanese innings was at the crossroads at 133 for four in the first 15 minutes after tea, but Barnwell joined Fudadin and they continued the enterprising approach to put the CCC bowlers on the back-foot.

When McClean had Barnwell caught at mid-wicket, Guyana needed a further 31, but Fudadin got them within reach before he was lbw to the same bowler playing across a delivery that straightened.

Earlier, CCC were dismissed about 20 minutes before lunch after they started the day on 274 for eight. alton struck 10 fours and two sixes from 213 balls in just under five hours.

Ryan Austin was caught at extra-cover off Barnwell without adding to his overnight score of nought before Dawes was caught at forward short-leg for 17 from Deonarine’s off-spin following his important stand with Walton.

Both teams will play under the lights in the fourth round, starting on Friday, when Guyana face Jamaica at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, and CCC meet Barbados at Kensington Oval.

Scoreboard
CCC 1st Innings 194
GUYANA 1st Innings 320
CCC 2nd Innings
(overnight 274-8)
Y. Ottley c wk Christian b Bess 31
*R. Currency c wk Christian b Barnwell 1
K. Corbin lbw b Barnwell 7
N. Bonner lbw b Barnwell 14
R. Reifer c and b Barnwell 89
F. Reifer c Fudadin b Permaul 12
C. Walton not out 119
J. Holder c wk Christian b Barnwell 5
K. McClean c Bess b Fudadin 4
R. Austin c Deonarine b Barnwell 0
J. Dawes c Chattergoon b Deonarine 17
Extras (b14, lb6, w11, nb12) 43
TOTAL (all out, 118.4 overs) 325
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-29, 3-62, 4-91, 5-118, 6-233, 7-248, 8-253.
Bowling: Bess 17-1-61-1, Beaton 15-5-28-0, Barnwell 27-4-78-6, Permaul 34-7-79-1, Deonarine 14.4-2-49-1, R. Crandon 3-1-6-0, Johnson 1-0-6-0, Fudadin 7-1-15-1
GUYANA 2nd Innings (target: 217)
S. Chattergoon c Bonner b McClean 15
R. Chandrika lbw b McClean 0
L. Johnson c wk Walton b Holder 54
N. Deonarine b Holder 50
A. Fudadin lbw b McClean 42
C. Barnwell c Ottley b McClean 24
R. Crandon not out 16
D. Christian not out 1
Extras (b1, w3, nb8, pen5) 17
TOTAL (6 wicket, 50.3 overs) 219
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-34, 3-117, 4-133, 5-188, 6-214
Bowling: McClean 12.5-3-53-4, Dawes 7-0-27-0, Holder 16-4-43-2, Austin 12-1-65-0, R. Reifer 3-0-25-0
Result: Guyana won by four wickets
Points: Guyana 12, CCC 0
Man-of-the-Match: A. Fudadin (Guyana)
Umpires: N. Duguid, M. Gough
Matchreferee: P. Felix
Reserve umpire: W. Mitchum

Feb. 17 -- BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, CMC – A penetrative spell from Veerasammy Permaul trumped half-centuries from Nkrumah Bonner and Jason Holder to give Guyana the edge over Combined Campuses & Colleges in the Regional 4 Day Tournament on Thursday.

Left-arm spinner Permaul, the Guyana captain, grabbed five wickets for 63 runs from 22.3 overs and Brandon Bess supported with three for 38 from nine overs, as CCC, choosing to bat, were dismissed for 194 in their first innings about 40 minutes after tea on the opening day of their third round match at Warner Park.

Bonner hit the top score of 57 for the CCC, but Holder propped up their batting with a career-best 50 in the lower order, after another inexplicable batting collapse.
Leon Johnson, not out on 25, and fellow left-hander Narsingh Deonarine, not out on 19, coasted the Guyanese to 72 for two at the close.

Guyana, the substantive home team, were set back early, when Holder brilliantly caught opener Rajendra Chandrika one-handed at gully diving full length to his right off Kevin McClean for a duck in the first over.

The Guyanese suffered another setback, when Sewnarine Chattergoon was caught at second slip for 23 fending a ball from Jason Dawes.

Deonarine joined Johnson and they batted through to the close to put Guyana back on track, adding 45 – unbroken – for the third wicket.

Earlier, CCC too, were put on the back-foot from the very first ball of the match, when their captain Romel Currency was caught at third slip off Brandon Bess.

Kyle Corbin came to the crease and put on 43 for the second wicket with Yannick Ottley before he was caught at second slip off Assad Fudadin, bowling his military medium-pace.

A stand of 52 between Ottley and Bonner carried CCC to 95 for two at lunch, but things started to unravel after the interval. CCC lost four wickets – two to Bess – for 18 in the space of five overs, slumping to 113 for six.

Bess had Ottley caught at second slip for 32 and veteran player/coach Floyd Reifer caught at mid-on for a duck.

In between, Raymon Reifer, Floyd’s cousin, was run out for zero in a mix-up with Bonner before Permaul spun into action, when he had Chadwick Walton caught behind for two.

Jamaican Bonner reached his 50 from 74 balls, adding some beef to the CCC total with fellow West Indies High Performance Centre graduate Holder before he was lbw to Permaul sweeping.

Permaul, another HPC graduate, swept through the tail-end batting in between the enterprising batting from Holder, whose from came from 89 balls, before he was lbw to the spinner also attempting a sweep.

CCC are unchanged, but Brandon Bess replaced the ill Devendra Bishoo for Guyana. CCC and Guyana are two of four sides tied for second on 12 points, having lost one and won of their first two matches.

CCC lost their opening match against T&T by 172 runs before rebounding to beat Leewards by an innings and 15 runs.

Guyana also crushed Leewards by 234 runs before losing against Windward Islands by five wickets. The Guyanese are seeking their first victory ever over the CCC.

Scoreboard

COMBINED CAMPUSES & COLLEGES 1st Innings
R. Currency c Barnwell b Bess 0
Y. Ottley c Chattergoon b Bess32
K. Corbin c Chattergoon b Fudadin 24
N. Bonner lbw b Permaul 57
R. Reifer run out 0
F. Reifer c Deonarine b Bess 0
C. Walton c wk Christian b Permaul 2
J. Holder lbw b Permaul 50
K. McClean c Deonarine b Permaul 2
R. Austin lbw b Permaul 5
J. Dawes not out 6
Extras (b4, lb2, w8, nb2) 16
TOTAL (all out, 62.3 overs) 194
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-43, 3-95, 4-96, 5-98, 6-113, 7-149, 8-161, 9-176
Bowling: Bess 9-1-38-3, Beaton 10-0-24-0, Barnwell 13-1-34-0, Fudadin 7-3-25-1, Permaul 22.3-3-63-5, Deonarine 1-0-4-0
GUYANA 1st Innings
S. Chattergoon c Corbin b Dawes 23
R. Chandrika c Holder b McClean 0
L. Johnson not out 26
N. Deonarine not out 19
Extras (lb1, nb3) 4
TOTAL (2 wickets, 21 overs) 72
To bat: A. Fudadin, C. Barnwell, R. Crandon, D. Christian, V.Permaul, R. Beaton, B. Bess
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-27
Bowling: McClean 6-1-18-1, Dawes 7-1-18-1, Austin 4-0-24-0, Holder 3-0-7-0, Bonner 1-0-4-0
Position: Guyana trail by 122 with eight first innings wickets standing
Toss: CCC
Umpires: N. Duguid, M. Gough
Match referee: P. Felix
Reserve umpire: W. Mitchum