Tournament a series of disappointing results, says Whitmore

BY PAUL A REID Observer writer

Friday, January 23, 2015    

CATHERINE HALL, St James — One of the reasons the Jamaican Under-20 men’s team might have failed so badly in the ongoing CONCACAF Under-20 Championship is that players got too relaxed after they made the team, suggests head coach Theodore Whitmore.

Jamaica managed only two points in a 2-2 draw against Trinidad and Tobago in their opening game in Kingston and an error-filled 0-0 draw against Aruba in their final Group A game in Montego Bay Wednesday night.

Jamaica scored just two goals, both coming in the first game, and never threatened for a play-off spot that would see two additional qualifiers in addition to the two automatic spots that went to the group winners for the FIFA Wold Cup to be held in New Zealand May-June.

Whitmore told members of the media on Wednesday that players got relaxed after the final squad was named. “After the 20 were named, the players got relaxed knowing they could not be dropped from the squad,” the coach said.

He acknowledged that some players had not performed up to expectations, but refused to call names. He noted that for sure the overall the tournament proved to be “a series of disappointing results”.

One of the biggest issues, Whitmore trumpeted as a factor that led to the meltdown, was the perennial shortage of time for coaches to properly prepare teams for competitions.

“We just never had time for players and coaches to get to know each other,” he said. “We never had time to ‘chop and change’, and that is never good.”

“We need more time to prepare teams, not just this Under-20s, but the senior teams, all junior teams sand the women’s teams,” he said.

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Tournament a series of disappointing results, says Whitmore

Tournament a series of disappointing results, says Whitmore

BY PAUL A REID Observer writer

Friday, January 23, 2015    

CATHERINE HALL, St James — One of the reasons the Jamaican Under-20 men’s team might have failed so badly in the ongoing CONCACAF Under-20 Championship is that players got too relaxed after they made the team, suggests head coach Theodore Whitmore.

Jamaica managed only two points in a 2-2 draw against Trinidad and Tobago in their opening game in Kingston and an error-filled 0-0 draw against Aruba in their final Group A game in Montego Bay Wednesday night.

Jamaica scored just two goals, both coming in the first game, and never threatened for a play-off spot that would see two additional qualifiers in addition to the two automatic spots that went to the group winners for the FIFA Wold Cup to be held in New Zealand May-June.

Whitmore told members of the media on Wednesday that players got relaxed after the final squad was named. “After the 20 were named, the players got relaxed knowing they could not be dropped from the squad,” the coach said.

He acknowledged that some players had not performed up to expectations, but refused to call names. He noted that for sure the overall the tournament proved to be “a series of disappointing results”.

One of the biggest issues, Whitmore trumpeted as a factor that led to the meltdown, was the perennial shortage of time for coaches to properly prepare teams for competitions.

“We just never had time for players and coaches to get to know each other,” he said. “We never had time to ‘chop and change’, and that is never good.”

“We need more time to prepare teams, not just this Under-20s, but the senior teams, all junior teams sand the women’s teams,” he said.

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Tournament a series of disappointing results, says Whitmore

Windies in crucial battle to avoid series defeat to South Africa

EAST LONDON, South Africa (CMC) — West Indies, facing a series defeat against South Africa, will attempt to strike back to keep their chances alive when both teams meet in the third of the five-match One-Day International (ODI) series at the Buffalo Park in East London today.

The West Indies will have to raise their game if they are to stop the South Africans from sealing the series with a win and two games in hand after they won the first couple of ODIs comfortably.

The Windies bowling attack is expected to particularly target the top three South Africa batsmen who have garnered most of their runs protecting a vulnerable middle order from exposure.

South Africa lost five wickets for 34 runs between the 40th and 48th over in the first ODI and still look shaky at number six and seven.

The pressure will be on senior middle-order batsman Marlon Samuels, who has been criticised for throwing his wicket away, to bat with more responsibility as the Caribbean side faces a series defeat.

The spotlight will also be on maverick opener Chris Gayle, who plundered the bowling in the T20 series, but whose flagging form will be a concern.

Gayle has not scored an ODI century in 14 matches, dating back to June 2013, and has only managed one fifty in that time.

Lendl Simmons, who is part of the World Cup squad, is nursing a finger injury but could be slotted into the team in place of Leon Johnson to bolster the batting.

The only other change that could be made is in the seam department where Jerome Taylor may be given a rest, while Sheldon Cotterell is given a chance.

Taylor has been expensive, giving away 145 runs in the last two matches and claiming just three wickets.

Some commentators believe conditions are ideal for West Indies to bounce back.

East London’s pitch is much slower than Johannesburg and the ball is expected to be slow in coming on to the bat with very little assistance for the pacers.

Late evening rain is also forecast which may hamper the second innings.

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Windies in crucial battle to avoid series defeat to South Africa

Netball: Jamaica defeat England 57- 47 to win 3-Test series

Tuesday, January 13, 2015 | 9:18 PM    

KINGSTON, Jamaica — An outstanding fourth-quarter show propelled Jamaica to a 57-47 hammering of England a short while ago at the National Indoor Sports Centre and a 2-1 win in the Supreme Ventures Sunshine series.

Goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Reid came off the bench to lead Jamaica with 28 goals from 34 attempts. Romelda Aiken, who started in the shooting position, was 15 from 19. The England Roses top goal shooter Jo Harten was 35 from 38, while goal attack Pamela Cookey was 10 from 15.

The teams were tied 37-37 at the end of the third quarter, but the Sunshine Girls, riding on the energy of the vociferous home support, dug deep and put in a scintillating effort to stun third-ranked England.

The fourth-ranked hosts held a narrow 14-12 goal-lead at the end of the first quarter, but the scores were locked 24-24 at the half-time break.

The series was tied 1-1 after the teams shared the opening two games played on Saturday and Sunday.

Both countries are preparing for the Netball World Cup to be held in Australia in August.

Sanjay Myers

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Netball: Jamaica defeat England 57- 47 to win 3-Test series

Windies eye improvement, series win

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CMC) — West Indies are keen to improve on their display in Cape Town and wrap up their three-match Twenty20 International series here today, when they face South Africa in the second game at the Wanderers.

The Caribbean side broke their losing slump coming out of the Test series by hammering the Proteas by four wickets in the opening T20I at Newlands on Friday.

However, captain Darren Sammy said his side would be taking nothing for granted as they chased victory again in an attempt to seal the series with a game to go.

“It will be a different venue and we have to start all over again. It is about wrapping up the series tomorrow so that on the 14th we can give the guys who missed out an opportunity to play,” Sammy said yesterday.

“It’s a new game. We know we’re playing South Africa, a good side, so we have to go out there and put in another display like we did in Cape Town and look to claim the series after the second game.”

Chasing 166 for victory, West Indies were inspired by fit-again opener Chris Gayle, who stunned South Africa with an assault that yielded a top score of 77 off just 31 deliveries.

He smashed five fours and eight sixes en route to the fastest T20 half-century by a West Indies player off just 17 balls.

“It was a good way to start the T20 series, our first match for the year. I think it was a clinical victory and even through it went to the last over which I thought it shouldn’t have, we will take that against the Proteas,” Sammy explained.

And improvements are what Sammy wants, both in the field and with the bat. When South Africa batted, the Windies had moments of lapses which allowed the hosts to recover from 33 for two in the fifth over and reach 165 for four.

In their turn at the crease, West Indies were cruising at 147 for two in the 16th over but lost four quick wickets for 17 runs in the space of 24 deliveries, to extend the game to the last over.

“Wanderers normally is a very, very good wicket. I think on average it is a 170-run wicket so the margin for error becomes even slimmer,” Sammy pointed out.

The game bowls off at 3:00 pm (9:00 am Eastern Caribbean time).

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Windies eye improvement, series win

Big win in series decider hands Jamaica victory over England

BY SANJAY MYERS Observer staff reporter myerss@jamaicaobserver.com

Thursday, January 15, 2015    

JAMAICA’S coach Minneth Reynolds was brimming with joy after her team sizzled in the fourth quarter to decimate visitors England at the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) in the deciding third game of the Supreme Ventures Sunshine series on Tuesday.

The hosts’ 57-47 victory — after the game was tied at 37 at the end of the third quarter — gave them a 2-1 series win over England, rated one place above the world number four-ranked Jamaicans.

The commanding result inside the noise-filled Indoor Centre was set up by goal shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Reid, who came off the bench to lead the Sunshine Girls with 28 goals from 34 attempts.

Romelda Aiken, who started in the shooting position, was 15 from 19, while goal attack Shanice Beckford went 14 from 20.

The England Roses top goal shooter, Jo Harten, remained unfazed even throughout the final-quarter carnage, to hit 35 goals from 38 shots, while goal attack Pamela Cookey was 10 from 15.

“England pressured us, but we maintained our composure and yes, we were able to pull away in the fourth quarter,” Reynolds told reporters after the final buzzer.

“It might seem like it was the fourth quarter alone, but the girls really played well throughout.”

Reynolds said the policy of rotating ANZ Championship professional players Aiken and Fowler-Reid paid off handsomely.

“We have two world-class shooters and at no time have I doubted any of them… of not being capable to do the job. We don’t want to burn out any one of them. We planned to use them both in the game and it worked for us,” said the beaming Jamaica head coach.

Anna Mayes, the coach of England, said the fourth period of the game was the difference-maker in an otherwise closely contested affair.

“My team turned over the ball a lot in that final quarter. I think we were really competitive throughout the game, but credit to Jamaica because they nailed it in that last quarter just in terms of their ability to win possession, and they converted. We were just a little bit wasteful and playing against Jamaica, that [the loss] is what happens,” Mayes said.

The teams entered the clash tied 1-1 after sharing the first two games. In the series opener on Saturday, both countries were below their best, but Jamaica appeared that much sharper to comfortably win 56-47. The following day, England shook off the defeat to stun the Jamaicans 55-47 in a game called off a little over a minute early due to a power outage.

But Tuesday’s encounter was remarkably tight most of the way.

Jamaica were gutsy and used the looping balls over the top to find either Fowler-Reid or the even more towering Aiken.

England, arguably the better side throughout the first three quarters, displayed vibrant movements across the court while zipping passes past the Jamaicans through to the outstanding Harten.

Jamaica held a narrow 14-12 goal-lead at the end of the first quarter, but the scores were locked at 24 at the half-time break. At 37-37, there was also nothing to separate them entering the fourth.

But the Sunshine Girls, buoyed by the energy of the rocking, almost jam-packed venue, dug deep and put in an electric effort to crush the Roses.

Jamaica’s young wing defence Vangelee Williams and the seasoned Sasher-Gaye Henry exhibited defensive tenacity to help tip the match in the home team’s favour.

Williams chimed in with two crucial steals, and Henry, on as a substitute, hustled the English women with some robust play in the closing stages.

The series leaves a lot to ponder for England and plenty of joy for local supporters and Netball Jamaica. However, the big picture remains the Netball World Cup, which will be held in Australia in August.

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Big win in series decider hands Jamaica victory over England

Windies concede series with eight-wicket loss

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (CMC) — West Indies predictably slumped to their seventh straight series loss to South Africa when they went down by eight wickets on the final morning of the third Test at Newlands here yesterday.

Needing a miracle to prevent South Africa from reaching a paltry victory target of 124, West Indies never found such grace and the hosts strolled to a comfortable win ten minutes before lunch, to complete their fourth consecutive series win over their opponents on home soil.

The Proteas have now won 12 of the last 15 Tests against West Indies at home.

Opener Dean Elgar guided the Proteas home in the face of a disciplined West Indies bowling effort, top scoring with an unbeaten 60 while captain Hashim Amla finished on 38 not out.

The pair put on 73 in an unbroken third-wicket stand.

Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn took both wickets to fall in the innings to finish with two for 24 from 17 overs.

Resuming the day on nine for one, South Africa lost Faf du Plessis for 14 on the stroke of the first hour, caught at short backward point by Jermaine Blackwood.

However, Elgar and Amla ensured there were no further hiccups, with a solid stand that took any potential surprises out of the game.

Elgar faced 103 balls in just under 2-1/2 hours at the crease and struck seven fours and a six while Amla, predictably voted Man-of-the-Series, struck six fours off 49 balls.

Amla finished the series with 342 runs at an average of 114.

West Indies started the day strongly, keeping South Africa scoreless for seven straight overs as Benn and seamer Jerome Taylor hit their lengths early on.

Elgar, who unbeaten on five overnight, pulled Taylor for four in front of square to break the shackles but South Africa were content to be cautious as the Windies bowling remained accurate.

Fast bowler Jason Holder twice cut du Plessis in half with deliveries that jagged back off the seam, took the inside edge and went for fours but the tourists failed to find an early breakthrough.

Once again, Elgar lifted the pressure by clearing long on with Benn on the bowler’s ninth over before hammering Holder to the mid-wicket boundary a few overs later.

Benn was eventually rewarded for his persistence when he got one to jump for a length and take the shoulder of du Plessis’s bat, for Blackwood to run around from second slip and claim the catch at 51 for two.

However, that was to be the Windies’ last success. Elgar reached his half-century by gloving a pull over wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin’s head for four as South Africa moved to 86 for two and with all hope diminished for West Indies, Amla then upped the scoring to add further misery.

In fact, 24 runs came from the last 16 balls of the game, and it was Amla who fittingly took South Africa over the line, hammering off-spinner Marlon Samuels through point for four.

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Windies concede series with eight-wicket loss

Ramdin rallies Windies vets to lead "youngsters" as Test series bowls off

CENTURION, South Africa (CMC) — A young West Indies side is embarking on a herculean task of upsetting the world’s best team, South Africa, as the first Test begins here at SuperSport Park in Centurion this morning.

First ball is 10:30 am daily (4:30 am Eastern Caribbean time/3:30 am Jamaica time).

Denesh Ramdin’s outfit, languishing at number eight in the Test rankings, is taking on the number one-ranked South Africans in a David and Goliath clash, the first in a three-Test series.

The West Indies, whose last win against South Africa was in the opening Test in 2007/08 series, are playing the homeside at a venue where they have won 14 of 19 Tests.

“This will be a very challenging series for us,” conceded Ramdin.

“South Africa have been doing something very good to be at the top of the rankings. It is important that we play consistent cricket throughout.”

The lowly-ranked Caribbean side, above Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, in the ICC Test rankings, is without opening batsman Chris Gayle, whose back injury returned when playing Twenty20 cricket in South Africa last month, and Darren Bravo, who opted out of the tour for personal reasons.

Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels, who was top run-scorer on the last tour of South Africa and who hit a double-century in the warm-up game, are expected to be key to the Windies scoring.

“Our batting has not been up to scratch in the past couple years,” admitted Ramdin.

“So it’s important that myself, Marlon Samuels, Chanderpaul and the senior guys put up our hands and the younger guys go along,” said the Windies skipper.

South Africa are wary of a West Indian bowling line-up that includes left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cotterell, Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder, who are coached by former pacer Curtly Ambrose.

Rookie pacer Cottrell is being tipped to be a surprise element for West Indies after recent spells in the WICB Professional Cricket League and an explosive five-wicket burst in last week’s three-day tour match.

“No one bowler can win a game for you, it takes a team. As long as we play together as a team, we will do well here,” said Ambrose.

The surface at Centurion is known to offer bounce and carry despite a significant amount of green grass being stripped from the pitch on Monday.

Atmospheric conditions will also favour fast bowlers and rain is forecast for every day of the match, except Saturday.

Still, both teams are considering including a spinner in their line-up.

“It’s the biggest decision management will have to make,” said AB de Villiers.

“Centurion normally doesn’t turn that much which makes you feel that you’ve maybe go with that extra seamer, but with the team we are playing against, it might not be a bad idea to play a spinner.”

The West Indies clash against South Africa is their first international match since their tour of India was abandoned in October because of a pay dispute.

Despite their high-ranking status, the South Africans have not written off their Caribbean opponents and are concerned about players whom they are unfamiliar with.

“Ramdin has rallied them quite nicely after their recent troubles so they could be quite difficult to beat,” fast bowler Dale Steyn said.

“The wounded buffalo is always the most dangerous. That could be the type of side we are playing against. They could come out firing and playing the most determined cricket they have in a long time or they could come out as individuals and quickly fold.”

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Ramdin rallies Windies vets to lead "youngsters" as Test series bowls off

New Zealand edge Pakistan 3-2 in ODI series

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Skipper Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor hit half-centuries while paceman Matt Henry recorded career-best bowling figures as New Zealand thumped Pakistan by 68 runs in the fifth and final one-dayer in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

Williamson’s 97 and Taylor’s 88 were the cornerstone of New Zealand’s 275-4 before Henry’s 5-30 helped dismiss Pakistan for 207 in 43.3 overs for a 3-2 series win at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Pakistan won the first match in Dubai by three wickets and the third in Sharjah by 147 runs, while New Zealand took the second by four wickets and the fourth game by seven runs.

Henry took the first three of the four wickets as Pakistan were struggling at 38-3 before Haris Sohail (65) and Ahmed Shehzad (54) put on 69 for the fourth wicket.

Henry then returned for his second spell to dismiss Shehzad followed by Sarfraz Ahmed (26) and Shahid Afridi (13) to improve on his previous best of 4-38 on debut against India at Wellington in January this year.

This becomes Pakistan’s 12th defeat in the final games of a series after they were tied at 1-1 or 2-2. Their only win came against Zimbabwe in 2012.

Defeat left Pakistan without a one-day series win in 2014 after losing in Sri Lanka 2-1 and to Australia 3-0.

“It’s nice to win,” said Williamson. “It was such an up and down series and very tough, but it’s good to win against Pakistan.”

Pakistan were off to a disastrous start when opener Nasir Jamshed was leg-before wicket in the first over to Henry for nought.

Henry then had Younis Khan (12) and Shehzad (54) to leave Pakistan struggling at 107-4.

In between, Anton Devcich had Asad Shafiq (seven) and Nathan McCullum dismissed Umar Akmal for six.

Sohail hit five fours and a six off 74 balls, while Shehzad’s knock of 81 balls had only two boundaries.

Shehzad was caught, while Sohail was bowled by Mitchell McClenaghan, ending Pakistan’s hopes of a win.

Afridi found enough positives despite the loss with the World Cup in February and March fast approaching.

“I congratulate New Zealand for the win,” said Afridi, who deputised for Misbah-ul Haq, injured in the second game.

“We have quite a few positives but our fielding needs to improve before the World Cup.”

Earlier Williamson and Taylor propelled New Zealand to 275-4 in their 50 overs.

Williamson added an invaluable 116 for the third wicket with Taylor before top-edging a sweep off leg-spinner Afridi and was caught behind.

He hit eight boundaries off 119 balls, following up his 123 in the series-levelling win on Wednesday, also in Abu Dhabi.

Taylor hit five boundaries and a six off 95 balls, giving impetus in the last 15 overs in which 120 runs were scored.

Tom Latham chipped in with an 18-ball 22 with four boundaries and Luke Ronchi made 16.

Williamson also added 66 for the second wicket with Dean Brownlie (34) after New Zealand lost opener Martin Guptill for eight to paceman Mohammad Irfan, who finished with 2-62.

Afridi finished with 1-33 in his 10 overs.

Pakistan were forced to leave out opener Mohammad Hafeez, who had a recurrence of a hamstring injury, while struggling paceman Sohail Tanvir was dropped, making way for Shafiq and Zulfiqar Babar.

New Zealand brought in McCullum and Devcich for Daniel Vettori and Corey Anderson. Vettori left for home to attend his brother’s wedding.

The one-day series marked the end of Pakistan’s two-and-a-half month activity in United Arab Emirates in which they lost the one-day series to Australia 3-0 but beat them in the Test series 2-0.

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New Zealand edge Pakistan 3-2 in ODI series

Windies back to bad habits as India level series

NEW DELHI, India (CMC) — A now familiar batting implosion derailed West Indies’ run chase, as the Caribbean side quickly returned to their old habits in a 48-run defeat to India here yesterday.

In pursuit of 264 for victory in the second One-Day International at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, West Indies slumped from 170 for two in the 36th over to 215 all out off 46.3 overs – losing their last eight wickets for just 45 runs.

Opener Dwayne Smith missed out on a maiden ODI hundred with a run-a-ball career-best 97, and it was his dismissal in the 36th over that triggered the fatal slide.

Kieron Pollard, promoted to number three, managed 40 from 50 balls, while Darren Bravo, who opened with Smith, scored 26 from 44 deliveries.

They were the only three batsmen to pass 20, however, as seamer Mohammed Shami (4-36) combined with left-arm spinner Ravi Jadeja (3-44) to destroy the innings.

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra, finding bounce and turn, dried up the scoring in the middle overs and put pressure on the middle order and his spell of two for 40 from his 10 overs proved incisive.

India had earlier posted 263 for seven off their 50 overs, with Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina both striking 62 and captain MS Dhoni rallying the innings at the end with an important unbeaten 51 off 40 balls.

Fast bowler Jerome Taylor picked up three wickets, but conceded an expensive 54 runs from his 10 overs.

The defeat saw India level the five-match series at 1-1, with the third match carded for Tuesday in Visakhapatnam.

Coming off a clinical performance in Wednesday’s first ODI in Kochi, the Windies had hoped for a repeat but sustaining those lofty standards proved beyond their reach.

They started well, however, reducing India to 74 for three in the 18th over, after the hosts won the toss and opted for first knock.

Taylor got one to come back to Shikhar Dhawan (1) in the second over to hit the left-hander’s off-stump with the score on four and his partner Ajinkya Rahane added 46 for the second wicket with Ambati Rayudu (32), before driving medium pacer Darren Sammy’s slower ball to Dwayne Bravo at cover, to fall for 12 in the 13th over.

When Rayudu, who faced 54 balls and struck three fours, edged left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn to Sammy at slip in the 18th over, the Windies were in command.

However, Kohli and Raina breathed life into the innings with a fourth-wicket stand of 105, a partnership that set the ground work for India’s late rally.

The right-handed Kohli faced 78 balls and struck five fours, while Raina lasted 70 balls and counted five fours and two sixes.

They eventually fell within 23 balls of each other, Raina holing out to Pollard at long-off off Taylor and Kohli also perishing in the deep, with Samuels taking the catch inches away from the ropes off seamer Ravi Rampaul.

On 196 for five in the 41st over, India needed someone to drive the innings and Dhoni stepped forward, hitting five fours and a six in shepherding the lower order.

In reply, West Indies got a patient start from Smith and Darren Bravo, the pair putting on 64 off 79 balls in a measured partnership.

Smith’s first 11 balls yielded just four runs but he blossomed well to hit 11 fours and two sixes. Darren Bravo never quite got going, and was bowled off-stump by Mohammed Shami playing down the wrong line, after counting two fours.

Smith and Pollard seemed to have put the Windies on course for victory in their 82-run, second-wicket partnership that lasted 94 balls.

Both played circumspectly but Pollard was unusually subdued with six runs from his first 16 balls. He cleared mid-wicket for six with Jadeja to mark his first boundary in the 19th over, and added a four and two more sixes, before missing a heave at Mishra in the 29th over and playing on at 136 for two.

Smith, meanwhile, picked off the boundaries when they came and moved to 48 by hammering seamer Umesh Yadav through cover for his sixth four in the 20th over before bringing up his seventh ODI half-century with a single to long-on in the next over.

He celebrated by lifting Mishra into the stands at mid-wicket and then smashed three fours off Kohli’s second over, the 32nd of the innings, to race to 87.

Smith struck Mohammed Shami cleanly back overhead for six to move to within three of a century, but was bowled off the very next ball, playing on to one that swung in, hit his pads and disturbed his stumps.

Stroke-maker Marlon Samuels was almost unrecognisable from the player who reeled off a sublime unbeaten 126 in the first ODI, and endured a painful struggle for 16 off 38 balls.

It was almost a relief when he swatted Yadav to Kohli at cover at the start of the 40th over at 183 for four, but those following him proved just as wasteful.

Scoreboard

INDIA

A Rahane c DJ Bravo b Sammy 12

S Dhawan b Taylor 1

A Rayudu c Sammy b Benn 32

V Kohli c Samuels b Rampaul 62

S Raina c Pollard b Taylor 62

*+MS Dhoni not out 51

R Jadeja b Taylor 6

B Kumar c Pollard b DJ Bravo 18

Mohammed Shami not out 1

Extras (b4, lb1, w13) 18

TOTAL (7 wkts, 50 overs) 263

Did not bat: A Mishra, U Yadav.

Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Dhawan, 1.4 overs), 2-50 (Rahane, 12.5), 3-74 (Rayudu, 17.4), 4-179 (Raina, 36.5), 5-196 (Kohli, 40.4), 6-219 (Jadeja, 45.1), 7-248 (Kumar, 49)

Bowling: Rampaul 8-0-47-1 (w2), Taylor 10-0-54-3 (w2), Benn 10-0-47-1 (w1), DJ Bravo 8-0-51-1 (1w), Sammy 4-0-14-1, Samuels 5-1-21-0, Russell 3-0-14-0 (w2), Pollard 2-0-10-0.

WEST INDIES

D Smith b Mohammed Shami 97

DM Bravo b Mohammed Shami 26

K Pollard b Mishra 40

M Samuels c Kohli b Yadav 16

+D Ramdin c Raina b Mishra 3

*DJ Bravo c Dhawan b Mohammed Shami 10

A Russell st Dhoni b Jadeja 4

D Sammy b Jadeja 1

R Rampaul c & b Mohammed Shami 16

J Taylor c Kumar b Jadeja 0

S Benn not out 0

Extras (lb1, w1) 2

TOTAL (all out, 46.3 overs) 215

Fall of wickets: 1-64 (DM Bravo, 13.1 overs), 2-136 (Pollard, 28.5), 3-170 (Smith, 35.4), 4-183 (Samuels, 39.1), 5-189 (Ramdin, 40.2), 6-195 (Russell, 42.1), 7-199 (Sammy, 43), 8-199 (DJ Bravo, 43.2), 9-201 (Taylor, 44.2), 10-215 (Rampaul, 46.3)

Bowling: Kumar 7-0-32-0, Yadav 9 9-0-42-1, Mohammed Shami 9.3-0-36-4, Jadeja 9-0-44-3 (w1), Mishra 10-2-40-2, Kohli 2-0-20-0.

Result: India won by 48 runs.

Series: Five-match series level 1-1.

Man-of-the-Match: Mohammed Shami.

Toss: India.

Umpires: I Gould, S Ravi; TV – C Shamshuddin.

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Windies back to bad habits as India level series

Sakima Mullings takes 2014 Contender boxing series

Sakima Mullings fulfilled his long-held ambition by scoring a technical knockout of Tsetsi Davis in the seventh round in the final of the 2014 Wray & Nephew Contender boxing series on Wednesday night.

It was a closely contested fight, in which the advantage swung one way and then the other for the first six rounds; but in the seventh, with Davis having difficulty seeing out of both eyes, having suffered two cuts, and now taking a heavy pounding from Mullings, his corner intervened and stopped the contest.

The fight almost came to a bizarre end in the fifth round, when the referee signaled that it was over, after Davis turned his back on his opponent. It appeared that Davis initially thought he had knocked Mullings to the canvas. The referee ruled that it was not a knockdown, however, and it was only after the intervention of a local boxing official that the fight was re-started.

If he had been shaken by that incident, Mullings quickly recovered his poise and went on to impose himself on the contest in the decisive seventh round.

So, Mullings, 31, a proud boxer who lost in the semi-finals of the inaugural Contender series in 2011, has finally secured the championship in its fourth staging.

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Sakima Mullings takes 2014 Contender boxing series

South Africa beats India, takes series 1-0

DURBAN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa won retiring allrounder Jacques Kallis’ last Test yesterday to take the series against India with a 10-wicket victory on the final day at Kingsmead.

South African openers Alviro Petersen and Graeme Smith comfortably chased down the victory target of 58 and the home team finished 59 without loss in its second innings soon after tea to claim the short two-game contest 1-0.Smith ended the game with a six and then a four and raised his arms to the dressing room where Kallis was sitting. Kallis was then carried across the field on the shoulders of teammates holding a South African flag for a lap of honour around the same ground where he made his debut as a 20-year-old prodigy in 1995.He surprised many by announcing on Christmas Day that he would retire following one last Test.After Kallis made an emotional farewell century on Sunday — the 45th of his career — as top-ranked South Africa powered toward its victory over number two India early on the final day when fast bowler Dale Steyn struck off the first ball of the day and the Proteas’ bowlers took eight Indian second-innings wickets for 155 in a session-and-a-half.Steyn and fellow fast bowler Vernon Philander finished with three wickets each and left-arm spinner Robin Peterson had 4-74 as South Africa romped to the win to mark the 38-year-old Kallis’ 166th and last Test.Kallis made more than 13,000 Test runs and also took 292 wickets in his 18-year career on South Africa’s Test team to go down as one of cricket’s greatest allrounders.Only Ajinkya Rahane resisted among India’s batsmen on the last day to make 96 before falling four short of a maiden Test century.SCOREBOARDIndia 1st Innings: 334South Africa 1st Innings: 500India 2nd Innings(Overnight: 68-2)Shikhar Dhawan c Du Plessis b Peterson 19Murali Vijay c Smith b Philander 6Cheteshwar Pujara b Steyn 32Virat Kohli c De Villiers b Steyn 11Rohit Sharma lbw b Philander 25Ajinkya Rahane b Philander 96Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Petersen b Peterson 15Ravindra Jadeja c Morkel b Peterson 8Zaheer Khan lbw b Peterson 3Ishant Sharma c De Villiers b Steyn 1Mohammed Shami not out 1Extras: (4b, 2w) 6TOTAL: (all out) 223Overs: 86.Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-53, 3-68, 4-71, 5-104, 6-146, 7-154, 8-189, 9-206.Bowling: Dale Steyn 21-8-47-3 (1w), Vernon Philander 16-4-43-3, Morne Morkel 16-6-34-0, Robin Peterson 24-3-74-4 (1w), JP Duminy 8-2-20-0, Faf du Plessis 1-0-1-0.South Africa 2nd Innings (Target: 58)Alviro Petersen not out 31Graeme Smith not out 27Extras: (1w) 1TOTAL: (for 0 wickets) 59Overs: 11.4Did not bat: Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel.Bowling: Mohammed Shami 2-1-4-0, Ishant Sharma 5-1-29-0 (1w), Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-16-0, Rohit Sharma 0.4-0-10-0.Umpires: Steve Davis, Australia, and Rod Tucker, Australia.TV Umpire: Adrian Holdstock, South Africa. Match Referee: Andy Pycroft, Zimbabwe.PHOTO: CRICKET THREECAPTION – India’s Rohit Sharma avoids a bouncer during the fifth day of the second and final cricket Test match between South Africa and India at the Sahara stadium Kingsmead, South Africa.PHOTO: CRICKET SIXCAPTION – South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis is carried by teammates after the completion yesterday of the Test match against India at the Kingsmeade ground in South Africa in which Kallis played his last Test match. (PHOTOS: AP)

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South Africa beats India, takes series 1-0

West Indies "A" arrive in India for series

Sport

Saturday, September 14, 2013

BANGALORE, India (CMC) — The West Indies ‘A’ side for the limited-over series against India ‘A’ arrived here on Thursday.The team, led by Kieran Powell, will begin their tour with the first 50-over match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.The vice-captain Veerasammy Permaul, though, is due to join the team today.Besides Powell and Permaul, the side for the three 50-over contests and the one T20 game includes the likes of Andre Russell, Andre Fletcher, Devon Thomas, Kirk Edwards, Nikita Miller and Narsingh Deonarine, all of whom have featured in the senior team.The limited-over series in Bangalore will be followed by the four-day games in Mysore, Shimoga and Hubli.

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West Indies "A" arrive in India for series

Fans for ODI series deserve refund, says former captain

Sport

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

LONDON, England (AFP) — Former England Captain Michael Vaughan said fans who’ve bought tickets for the One-Day International series against Australia deserve a refund after the hosts’ left the spine of their Ashes-winning side out of the squad.Test skipper Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad, Ian Bell, James Anderson, and Graeme Swann, who all featured in the recent 3-0 Ashes series win over arch-rivals Australia, were all left out of the squads announced yesterday for the lone one-dayer against Ireland and the five-match ODI campaign against Australia.Australia too have made wholesale changes — only seven of their 18-man ODI squad played in the Test series — and it’s clear both countries are already looking ahead to the return Ashes in Australia in November.However, star batsman Kevin Pietersen has been included in the squad for the Australia series, with fellow Ashes-winning batsmen Joe Root and Jonathan Trott also set to face England’s arch-rivals in the one-day format, after they too were excused from the trip to Dublin.Nevertheless, Vaughan wrote on his Twitter page: “I would have only rested Captain Cook. Plenty of time to rest from Sept 16th – Nov 21st!!!? Can’t sell tickets then rest 5 star names!!!!“No problems resting players, but I think supporters who have paid good money to watch the best should get a small refund…”Former Ireland international Eoin Morgan will captain the side in the absence of Cook and Broad, with the squad including five uncapped players in pacemen Chris Jordan and Jamie Overton as well as Morgan’s fellow ex-Ireland star Boyd Rankin.Cook, Anderson, Bell, Broad, and Swann were all involved — Pietersen was injured in the early part of the English season — as England won a home Test series against New Zealand, reached the final of the Champions Trophy and retained the Ashes with a 3-0 win over Australia in a five-match series concluded with a dramatic draw at The Oval on Sunday.This latest squad announcement means Cook — who does not play Twenty20 International cricket — has been rested from a squad for the first time since he took over the Test captaincy a year ago.

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Fans for ODI series deserve refund, says former captain

Billy Bob Thornton for Fargo series

Entertainment

Saturday, August 03, 2013

BEVERLY HILLS, USA (AP) — Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton will star in the TV version of the film Fargo.FX network boss John Landgraf said Friday that Thornton has signed on to a limited series based on the 1996 crime comedy-drama. It’s scheduled for a 10-episode run on FX next spring.Thornton will play a rootless con artist.

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Billy Bob Thornton for Fargo series

Sri Lanka whip Proteas to win ODI series 4-1

Sport

Thursday, August 01, 2013

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) — Tillakaratne Dilshan narrowly missed a second successive century as Sri Lanka whipped South Africa by 128 runs in Colombo yesterday to wrap up the one-day series 4-1.The hosts, already holding a decisive 3-1 lead, piled up 307-4 after electing to take first strike and then shot the Proteas out for 179 in 43.5 overs in the day-night match at the Premadasa Stadium.AB de Villiers played a captain’s knock of 51, but could not prevent South Africa from being condemned to their 13th defeat in 15 one-dayers on Sri Lankan soil.The tourists were struggling at 137-8 when Ryan McLaren hit 29 and Aaron Phangiso, an unbeaten 18 down the order to boost the total.Seamer Suranga Lakmal and off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake marked their first appearance in the series by sharing five wickets. Ajantha Mendis claimed three for 36.Opener Dilshan, who hit an unbeaten 115 in the fourth game in Pallekele on Sunday, plundered 13 boundaries before he was bowled for 99 by McLaren in the 39th over.“I am a bit disappointed at missing my century, but these things happen in cricket,” said Dilshan. “But I think McLaren bowled that over very well.Lahiru Thirimanne, promoted to number three, scored 68 and Kumar Sangakkara was unbeaten on 75 off 45 balls, as the South African bowlers wilted in steamy conditions.Left-handed Thirimanne and Dilshan put on 163 for the second wicket after Kusal Perera was caught behind off Morne Morkel in the fifth over.South Africa lost wickets in a heap to plunge to 85-6 by the 20th over, with Senanayake and Lakmal grabbing two wickets each.The Proteas were 60-1 in the 10th over when the dismissal of star batsman Hashim Amla for 18, leg-before to Senanayake, triggered a middle-order collapse.Lakmal removed Farhaan Behardien and David Miller in the space of three balls after Faf du Plessis had fallen to Thisara Perera for six.De Villiers and the tailenders delayed the end, but Sri Lanka emerged comfortable winners with an impressive all-round display.

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Sri Lanka whip Proteas to win ODI series 4-1

Windies name 13-man squad to play Pakistan in T20 series

Sport

Friday, July 26, 2013

CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) — Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin has again been left out as West Indies selectors on Wednesday announced the 13-man squad for the T20 International Series against Pakistan in St Vincent this weekend.Ramdin was left out of the ODI squad for the five-match series against Pakistan, which ended in victory for Pakistan on Wednesday.He has hit only one half-century since his recall to the West Indies one-day side in October 2011, and had been dropped in several recent matches, during the Champions Trophy and the home tri-series which also featured India and Sri Lanka.The only other player dropped is the all-rounder Andre Russell.The squad includes 10 members of the team which beat Sri Lanka to win the ICC World T20 at the R Premadasa Stadium last October.Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, who missed the previous T20 series against Zimbabwe in March due to rest and injury respectively, have been included.Kieron Pollard was retained despite his poor limited-overs form in 2013, making six ducks in ODIs.The World Champions Windies will face the visitors at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex on Saturday and Sunday.The games are West Indies’ last international fixtures before the inaugural Caribbean Premier League begins on July 30.FULL SQUAD: Darren Sammy (captain), Samuel Badree, Christopher Barnwell, Tino Best, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Marlon Samuels, and Lendl Simmons.

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Windies name 13-man squad to play Pakistan in T20 series

Bravo under pressure as Windies seek to square ODI series

Sport

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia (AFP) — West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo will be under the microscope when the final One-Day International of the five-match series against Pakistan is played at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia today.Following a six-wicket win in the rain-affected fourth match at the same venue on Sunday, the tourists enjoy an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the series, and the hosts are under increasing pressure to get the win that will square the rubber and at least reassure Caribbean fans that the regional team is steadily improving in the countdown to the next World Cup.The third fixture, also played at Beausejour, finished in a tie.Despite proving to be extremely expensive in the final overs of their opponents’ innings so far in the series, Bravo has continued to opt for his medium-pacers at the death, often resulting in a significant acceleration of the Pakistani scoring.He finally admitted in the aftermath of defeat on Sunday that those tactics will have to be revisited. Yet it remains to be seen what he will choose to do on the day given the reluctance to utilise Darren Sammy when the late charge is on, despite the fact that the former ODI captain has been consistently one of the most economical bowlers with his medium-pacers.Pakistan have no such concerns, and after ensuring that their unbeaten run in head-to-head series in the West Indies since the 1988 tour will be extended, are in no mood to relax.“We’re looking forward to winning again. We gained a lot from that win (on Sunday) and confidence will be high for this final game,” said Pakistan Captain Misbah-ul-Haq in anticipating the final challenge.He was full of praise for left-arm seamer Junaid Khan. Together with Mohammad Irfan, they have been the most effective spearheads for Pakistan. However, their third left-armer, Wahab Riaz, has found the going tough in the last two matches and may be forced to make way for Asad Ali, who opened the bowling in the first two matches in Guyana.Following today’s series finale, the teams travel to St Vincent for back-to-back T20 Internationals at the weekend, which will conclude Pakistan’s short tour.

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Bravo under pressure as Windies seek to square ODI series

Narine aims to extend wicket taking form to St Lucia in ODI series

Latest News

Thursday, July 18, 2013 | 8:23 AM

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — West Indies off spinner Sunil Narine, who recaptured his best form with a four wicket haul against Pakistan on Tuesday, is aiming to extend his wicket taking momentum to the third ODI which bowls off in St. Lucia tomorrow Friday July 19.Narine took four wickets for 26 runs off his 10 overs to floor the visitors and give the home side a crucial victory by 37 runs at the Guyana National Stadium.The 25-year-old spinner says he is unfazed by the pitch at the Beausejour Playing Field which is expected to play differently from the one at Providence where his exploits earned him man of the match.“We are now level and back in the series and we will look to move to St Lucia and win there as well,” said Narine.“The pitch there will be a bit different to what we have here in Guyana, but I believe I have the ability to bowl well there and get some more wickets”.Narine went wicketless off three overs when the West Indies lost  the opening ODI on Sunday, but he proved unstoppable on Tuesday as Pakistan were bowled out for 195 off 47.5 overs in reply to West Indies’ 232-8 off their 50 overs.“I just had to give it my all. I bowled a little quicker because, on this pitch, some balls were staying low and some were bouncing,” said Narine, who was voted ICC Emerging Player-of-the-Year last year and is presently Number 1 in the ICC ODI and T20 bowling rankings.“It was not an easy pitch for the batsmen to come after you and play their shot. Today was similar to what we saw on Sunday.”The two teams were due to travel to St Lucia on Wednesday for the remaining three ODI matches at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.Like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

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Narine aims to extend wicket taking form to St Lucia in ODI series

Windies level series with 37-run win over Pakistan

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — West Indies registered a 37-run victory over Pakistan and levelled their five-match series 1-1 in the second ODI at the Providence Stadium yesterday.

Spinner Sunil Narine pulled the match around for West Indies in the late afternoon, grabbing four wickets for 26 that steered them to victory. He was also named man-of-the-match.Chasing 233 for victory, after West Indies posted 232 for eight off their 50 overs, Pakistan were restricted to 195 as the hometeam won with 13 balls to spare.Pakistan were unable to produce the acceleration they showed in the first match, when they defeated West Indies by 126 runs at the same venue, as the West Indies combined pace and spin attack kept them in check.They owed their total to a dogged but chancy 54, off 94 balls, from opener Nasir Jamshed, who benefited from four chances before he was fifth out off the bowling of Pollard.From 103 for three off 28 overs, Pakistan struggled to 164 for eight in the 44th over as Narine sent back the aggressive Shahid Afridi (5) , Wahb Riaz (3) and Saeed Ajmal (1) cheaply.Captain Dwayne Bravo then formalised the result in the 48th over as he had wicketkeeper Umar Akmal (50 off 46 balls) and tailender Asad Ali caught off successive deliveries .On a pitch that offered assistance to bowlers, West Indies owed what proved to be a winning total to an important second wicket partnership between opener Johnson Charles and Darren Bravo and later in the innings, a 70-run sixth-wicket partnership between captain Dwayne Bravo (43 not out) and Keiron Pollard (30).After Chris Gayle was dismissed in the first over, DM Bravo, who scored a responsible 54, and Charles, 31, put on 80 for the second wicket to steer a recovery.Dwayne Bravo and Pollard later provided some late acceleration in the innings and pushed them well over 200.Pollard, who has exhibited a poor run of form in recent matches, played aggressively and struck the second of two sixes in the innings before he was yorked by paceman Asad Ali, leaving West Indies on 220 for six in the 49th over.West Indies then added another 12 runs, while surrendering the wickets of Darren Sammy and Kemar Roach. Both were run out by Pakistani wicketkeeper Umar Akmal, attempting singles on balls that missed the bat and went through to the ‘keeper. Akmal showed uncanny accuracy in hitting the stumps on both occasions with his gloves still on.The win in Guyana allowed West Indies to level the five-match series 1-1, with the three remaining matches to be played in St Lucia. SCOREBOARDWest Indies InningsChris Gayle c Akmal b Irfan 1Johnson Charles st Akmal b Afridi 31Darren Bravo b Ajmal 54Marlon Samuels b Ajmal 21Lendl Simmons c Akmal b Afridi 10Dwayne Bravo not out 43Kieron Pollard b Ali 30Darren Sammy run out 3Kemar Roach run out 0Sunil Narine not out 1Extras: (5b, 11lb, 21w, 1nb) 38TOTAL: (for 8 wickets) 232Overs: 50.Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-81, 3-123, 4-137, 5-150, 6-220, 7-226, 8-226.Did not bat: Jason Holder.Bowling: Mohammad Irfan 10-0-38-1 (1nb 2w), Asad Ali 6-1-35-1 (6w), Saeed Ajmal 10-0-45-2 (8w), Mohammad Hafeez 7-0-32-0, Wahab Riaz 7-0-37-0 (3w), Shahid Afridi 10-0-29-2 (2w).Pakistan InningsNasir Jamshed c Roach b Pollard 54Ahmed Shehzad c Charles b Roach 19Mohammad Hafeez c Simmons b Narine 20Misbah-ul-Haq b Sammy 17Asad Shafiq c Holder b Samuels 10Umar Akmal c Samuels b Dwayne Bravo 50Shahid Afridi st Charles b Narine 5Wahab Riaz b Narine 3Saeed Ajmal c Sammy b Narine 1Asad Ali c Pollard b Dwayne Bravo 2Mohammad Irfan not out 0Extras: (3lb, 11w) 14TOTAL: (all out) 195Overs: 47.5.Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-64, 3-103, 4-122, 5-137, 6-151, 7-162, 8-164, 9-195, 10-195.Bowling: Kemar Roach 6-4-14-1, Jason Holder 7-2-30-0 (7w), Sunil Narine 10-1-26-4 (1w), Darren Sammy 10-0-46-1 (1w), Marlon Samuels 7-0-32-1 (2w), Kieron Pollard 6-0-35- 1, Dwayne Bravo 1.5-0-9-2Toss: Pakistan.Result: West Indies won by 37 runs.Series: 5-match series is level at 1-1.Umpires: Nigel Llong (England),Peter Nero (West Indies).TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel (Australia).Match Referee: David Boon, Australia.GEORGETOWN, Guyana — West Indies batsman Darren Bravo sweeps Pakistan bowler Saeed Ajmal during the second ODI at Guyana National Stadium here, yesterday. West Indies won by 37 runs. (PHOTO: AFP)

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Windies level series with 37-run win over Pakistan