Charles comes up big as Windies outplay England
Kandy, Sri Lanka – Johnson Charles announced himself on the world stage with a match-winning half-century as West Indies made a great start to the Super Eights at the ICC World T20 tournament.
The 23-year-old opener cracked 84 off just 56 balls to set-up a victory by 15 runs over England, in front a sell-out crowd at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Thursday night. The result gave the Windies their first win of the tournament and moved them to the top of Group 1 in the second phase of the competition.
Charles featured in a brilliant opening stand of 103 off 11 overs with Chris Gayle, who cracked 54 off 35 balls with six boundaries and four sixes, as the West Indies rallied to make 179-8 off 20 overs.
Ravi Rampaul started the ball rolling with two wickets in the first over as England made 165-4 off their 20 overs. There was also some good bowling from Chris Gayle, with his quick off-spin, and leg-spinner Samuel Badree, who used the new ball in his first match; and excellent fielding by Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard on the edge of the boundary.
Charles was pleased with his effort, which won him the Man-of-the-Match award.
“I’m pretty happy. Getting Man-of-the-Match in this T20 World Cup tournament feels good and what is great about it is the fact that we went on to win the match. This is my first major contribution for the West Indies and I’m delighted that it led to a victory at this stage in the tournament,” he said.
Charles made his international debut last September against England and returned to the team for the Digicel Series against Australia in March. He entered the Sagicor High Performance Centre in June and said that has been a great boost to his development on and off the field.
“The HPC has helped me very much. Since going there I have improved my fitness and my approach to the game. I have been working on my batting, especially the start of my innings – how to go about my innings, how to build a big score. I have been doing a lot more batting than at any stage in my career and I have placed a lot more emphasis on fitness. It is an allround programme and after just four months I have seen some of the benefits,” Charles said.
The knock was the highest score for Charles in West Indies colours surpassing the 37 he made against Australia in Barbados earlier this year. The strongly-built right-hander said he relished the chance to play in front such a large number of spectators and enjoyed bating with Gayle. Throughout his innings Charles played some stunning shots with ten fours and three huge sixes into the crowd.
“If you’re batting with Chris Gayle you know his ability, you know what he can do ... you just have to give him the strike, sit back and watch. He’s that type of player, he just explodes ... he keeps it lively, and that takes the pressure off you. Just as Gayle can hit the ball far, I back myself to be able to hit the ball long and far and score quickly as well,” Charles added.
“Once he (Gayle) got out I had to take the leading role and take it from there. There was still some work to do as we were looking for a big total, so I knew I had to keep going and set the platform. I will look to build on this start and look to achieve greater things for the West Indies. I always had the belief that I could perform and now I have proven it, it’s time to be consistent and make a contribution all the time.”
West Indies will have fitness and planning sessions at the team hotel on Friday as they prepare for Saturday’s second Super Eights match against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. First ball in the night match is 7:30 pm (10 am Eastern Caribbean Time/9 am Jamaica Time).
West Indies Super Eights schedule
Thursday, Sept 27: West Indies beat England by 15 runs at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
Saturday, Sept 29: vs Sri Lanka at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium - 7:30 pm
Monday, Oct 1: vs New Zealand at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium - 3:30 pm
Semi-finals
Thursday, October 4: Super 8 Group 1-1 vs Super 8 Group 2-2 - R Premadasa Stadium
Friday, October 5: Super 8 Group 2-1 vs Super 8 Group 1-2 - R Premadasa Stadium
Grand Final: Sunday, October 7 - R Premadasa Stadium
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Star girl Dottin powers West Indies to perfect start
Star girl Dottin powers West Indies to perfect start
Galle, Sri Lanka – Deandra Dottin loves the big stage and on Wednesday afternoon she put in a big performance to power West Indies to a massive win over New Zealand in the opening round of the ICC Women’s World T20 tournament.
The 21-year-old world record holder slammed the bowling to all parts of the field in a brilliant unbeaten half-century, as Windies cruised to victory by seven wickets with 12 balls to spare. It was Dottin’s fifth half-century in T20Is and she ended on 58 not out off 42 balls with six fours and two sixes.
She came to the crease with West Indies two wickets down in the second over and added a match-winning 82 runs for the third wicket with the reliable Stafanie Taylor, who made 38.
Dottin was named Player of the Match and said her aim was to take on the bowlers and keep the Windies ahead after they limited New Zealand to 117-9 off 20 overs, with some good bowling and fantastic fielding.
“Things went really well in this match. We had momentum from the time we got on the bus to come to the ground. That led to us putting on a great display in the field and with the ball and that gave is the momentum when we went on to bat,” she said.
“I just went out and played my natural game. The plan was to punish the bad balls. Once the first few deliveries hit the middle of the bat, I got the confidence to play my shots. I just told myself I had to bat to the end, I decided to play each ball on its merit and look to hit the bad ball with meaning and into the gaps.”
The powerfully-built Dottin is a talented athlete, having represented Barbados in track and field and football. She was a schoolgirl and regional age group champion in javelin and shot putt.
She is the cousin of West Indies Men’s Head Coach Ottis Gibson, and holds several records in the ICC World T20 tournament. Back in 2009 she made the fastest half-century off just 22 balls against Australia at Taunton, England. In 2010 she made the fastest ever century off just 38 balls against South Africa at Warner Park, St Kitts.
“I don’t set my mind to break records or establish any feats, I just play my natural game and it comes off. I spend a lot of time in the gym as I try to get stronger and fitter. I like to hit the ball, but I see myself as more than just a power-hitter. Today I hit the ball through the gaps and we ran hard between the wickets,” Dottin said.
“Today, Stafanie played really well and she was there supporting me. She is a great team-mate and played an important role in helping me along. This win has set the stage for something big and we believe we can go on to win our other two matches and top the group. We played the team which everyone felt was the hardest team to beat in the group, so it is up to us now to continue the good work and get even better,” she added.
The West Indies will have a training session on Thursday before their second Group B match against Sri Lanka on Friday at Galle International Cricket Ground.
West Indies Women World T20 Schedule
First round matches
Wed, Sep 26: West Indies beat New Zealand Women by 7 wickets at Galle International Stadium, Galle
Fri, Sep 28: vs Sri Lanka Women – Galle International Stadium
Sun, Sep 30: vs South Africa Women – Galle International Stadium
Semi-finals
Thu, Oct 4: Winner Group A vs Second Group B – Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Fri, Oct 5: Second Group A vs Winner Group B – Premadasa Stadium
Grand Final
Sun, Oct 7: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 – Premadasa Stadium
Friday, September 14, 2012
Narine wants to get his hands on the ICC Emerging Cricketer Award
Narine wants to get his hands on the ICC Emerging Cricketer Award
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – West Indies spin bowler Sunil Narine is looking forward to Saturday night. The 24-year-old believes he has done enough to win the International Cricket Council’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year award and wants to get his hands on the trophy.
The annual International Cricket Council’s Awards gala will be held at the Water’s Edge at 4:30 pm (7 am Eastern Caribbean Time/6 am Jamaica Time).
Narine is on the short list which also includes New Zealand fast bowler Doug Bracewell, Sri Lankan top-order batsman Dinesh Chandimal, and James Pattinson, the Australian pacer. To qualify for the award a player must be under the age of 26 at the start of the observation period and have played fewer than five Tests and/or 10 One-Day Internationals and/or five T20Is at the start of the voting period.
“It would mean a lot to me to win this award…I will just hope and see what happens tomorrow night (Saturday night),” Narine said. “It’s a privilege to be nominated. Now coming onto the scene and being up for an award is a good feeling. It’s through hard work and dedication which has brought me to this point. I look forward to being nominated for a lot more awards.
“When I was called up for the West Indies team I was just looking to fit in, work hard and try and maintain my place in the team. I just want to continue performing and get a permanent place in the team,” Narine said.
Narine came onto the international scene when he made his first appearance for West Indies in India late last year, and has been quite successful in his first year of his career.
He made his Test debut in England in June and has so far taken 12 wickets in three Tests, including a match-winning 5-132 against New Zealand in the first Test in Antigua in July. He played a pivotal role as the Windies won both matches in the two-match rubber.
He has played 15 One-Day Internationals with 28 wickets at 18.82 runs per wicket. He was brilliant in the recent Digicel Series against New Zealand – which the Windies won 4-1 – and was named the Digicel Player of the Series.
Narine has been equally impressive in the T20 format with seven wickets in five appearances for the Windies. His economy rate is a mere 6.4 runs per over and he has become one of the toughest bowlers to score off. He showcased his brilliance for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League and won the Most Valuable Player award as his team won the title.
“My debut means the most to me so far. I was called into the team and to play against India in India and to bowl the way I did, I think that was a good achievement. To make my debut and help us to win the match was pleasing for me,” he said.
In that match he bowled first change and ended with 2-34 off 10 overs as the West Indies bowled out India to win by 16 runs after setting a victory target 260 at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.
“It was a total team effort to win against New Zealand in all three formats. To come back from losing in India and losing (Test Series) against Australia to beat New Zealand was something to cherish and something quite memorable. It said a lot about the team – that we have heart. We want take that momentum and come here and do well in the T20 World Cup,” Narine added.
The West Indies will continue their preparations for the ICC World T20 tournament with a full training session at the R Premadasa Stadium on Saturday at 9 am. They will have another training session on Sunday at the P Sara Oval at 2 pm. On Monday they will have their second warm-up match against Afghanistan at P Sara Oval at 2:30 pm.
The ICC World T20 tournament, which features 12 teams, will be played from September 18 to October 7. The West Indies have been drawn in Group B alongside Australia and Ireland and both first round matches will be at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Their opening match will be against the Aussies on Saturday, September 22 followed by a clash with the Irish on Monday, September 24.
Full Squad: Darren Sammy (Captain), Dwayne Bravo (Vice Captain), Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin (Wicket-keeper), Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith
SCHEDULE
Warm-up matches
Thursday, Sept 13: vs Sri Lanka - NCC, Colombo
Monday, Sept 17: vs Afghanistan - P Sara Oval, Colombo
First round matches
Saturday, Sept 22: vs Australia - R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Monday, Sept 24: vs Ireland - R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Super Eight matches
Thursday, Sept 27: C1 v D2 - Pallekele
Thursday, Sept 27: A1 v B2 - Pallekele
Friday, Sept 28: D1 v C2 - Colombo
Friday, Sept 28: B1 v A2 - Colombo
Saturday, Sept 29: A1 v D2 - Pallekele
Saturday, Sept 29: C1 v B2 - Pallekele
Sunday Sept 30: B1 v C2 - Colombo
Sunday Sept 30: D1 v A2 - Colombo
Monday, Oct 1: B2 v D2 - Pallekele
Monday, Oct 1: A1 v C1 - Pallekele
Tuesday, Oct 2: B1 v D1 - Colombo
Tuesday, Oct 2: A2 v C2 - Colombo
Semi-finals
Thursday, October 4: Super 8 Group 1-1 vs Super 8 Group 2-2 - R Premadasa Stadium
Friday, October 5: Super 8 Group 2-1 vs Super 8 Group 1-2 - R Premadasa Stadium
Grand Final: Sunday, October 7 - R Premadasa Stadium
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – West Indies spin bowler Sunil Narine is looking forward to Saturday night. The 24-year-old believes he has done enough to win the International Cricket Council’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year award and wants to get his hands on the trophy.
The annual International Cricket Council’s Awards gala will be held at the Water’s Edge at 4:30 pm (7 am Eastern Caribbean Time/6 am Jamaica Time).
Narine is on the short list which also includes New Zealand fast bowler Doug Bracewell, Sri Lankan top-order batsman Dinesh Chandimal, and James Pattinson, the Australian pacer. To qualify for the award a player must be under the age of 26 at the start of the observation period and have played fewer than five Tests and/or 10 One-Day Internationals and/or five T20Is at the start of the voting period.
“It would mean a lot to me to win this award…I will just hope and see what happens tomorrow night (Saturday night),” Narine said. “It’s a privilege to be nominated. Now coming onto the scene and being up for an award is a good feeling. It’s through hard work and dedication which has brought me to this point. I look forward to being nominated for a lot more awards.
“When I was called up for the West Indies team I was just looking to fit in, work hard and try and maintain my place in the team. I just want to continue performing and get a permanent place in the team,” Narine said.
Narine came onto the international scene when he made his first appearance for West Indies in India late last year, and has been quite successful in his first year of his career.
He made his Test debut in England in June and has so far taken 12 wickets in three Tests, including a match-winning 5-132 against New Zealand in the first Test in Antigua in July. He played a pivotal role as the Windies won both matches in the two-match rubber.
He has played 15 One-Day Internationals with 28 wickets at 18.82 runs per wicket. He was brilliant in the recent Digicel Series against New Zealand – which the Windies won 4-1 – and was named the Digicel Player of the Series.
Narine has been equally impressive in the T20 format with seven wickets in five appearances for the Windies. His economy rate is a mere 6.4 runs per over and he has become one of the toughest bowlers to score off. He showcased his brilliance for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League and won the Most Valuable Player award as his team won the title.
“My debut means the most to me so far. I was called into the team and to play against India in India and to bowl the way I did, I think that was a good achievement. To make my debut and help us to win the match was pleasing for me,” he said.
In that match he bowled first change and ended with 2-34 off 10 overs as the West Indies bowled out India to win by 16 runs after setting a victory target 260 at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.
“It was a total team effort to win against New Zealand in all three formats. To come back from losing in India and losing (Test Series) against Australia to beat New Zealand was something to cherish and something quite memorable. It said a lot about the team – that we have heart. We want take that momentum and come here and do well in the T20 World Cup,” Narine added.
The West Indies will continue their preparations for the ICC World T20 tournament with a full training session at the R Premadasa Stadium on Saturday at 9 am. They will have another training session on Sunday at the P Sara Oval at 2 pm. On Monday they will have their second warm-up match against Afghanistan at P Sara Oval at 2:30 pm.
The ICC World T20 tournament, which features 12 teams, will be played from September 18 to October 7. The West Indies have been drawn in Group B alongside Australia and Ireland and both first round matches will be at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Their opening match will be against the Aussies on Saturday, September 22 followed by a clash with the Irish on Monday, September 24.
Full Squad: Darren Sammy (Captain), Dwayne Bravo (Vice Captain), Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin (Wicket-keeper), Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith
SCHEDULE
Warm-up matches
Thursday, Sept 13: vs Sri Lanka - NCC, Colombo
Monday, Sept 17: vs Afghanistan - P Sara Oval, Colombo
First round matches
Saturday, Sept 22: vs Australia - R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Monday, Sept 24: vs Ireland - R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Super Eight matches
Thursday, Sept 27: C1 v D2 - Pallekele
Thursday, Sept 27: A1 v B2 - Pallekele
Friday, Sept 28: D1 v C2 - Colombo
Friday, Sept 28: B1 v A2 - Colombo
Saturday, Sept 29: A1 v D2 - Pallekele
Saturday, Sept 29: C1 v B2 - Pallekele
Sunday Sept 30: B1 v C2 - Colombo
Sunday Sept 30: D1 v A2 - Colombo
Monday, Oct 1: B2 v D2 - Pallekele
Monday, Oct 1: A1 v C1 - Pallekele
Tuesday, Oct 2: B1 v D1 - Colombo
Tuesday, Oct 2: A2 v C2 - Colombo
Semi-finals
Thursday, October 4: Super 8 Group 1-1 vs Super 8 Group 2-2 - R Premadasa Stadium
Friday, October 5: Super 8 Group 2-1 vs Super 8 Group 1-2 - R Premadasa Stadium
Grand Final: Sunday, October 7 - R Premadasa Stadium
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Cariah eyes strong performances
Cariah eyes strong performances
on Sagicor HPC tour of Bangladesh
KHULNA, Bangladesh – Yannic Cariah said the tour of Bangladesh by the Sagicor High Performance Centre team will be a good experience for him and the other members of the squad.
The 20-year-old Cariah and the rest of the team arrived in the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka on Wednesday before travelling to this south-western city ahead of the opening match of the tour against the Bangladesh National Cricket Academy, starting on Sunday at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium.
“It will be the first time I will be going there, playing in Asian sub-continent conditions, and I will be looking to take all that I have learnt in the Sagicor HPC and all the preparation we have done and try to perform well,” he said.
“It will be a good chance for me to showcase my talent. All the hard work over the last three months, it is for me to go out there and play well, clear my mind and do what I have got to do, and was born to do.”
The month-long tour also features a four-day match against the Bangladesh A-Team, as well as three One-day and two Twenty20 matches against the same opponents between September 16 and October 5.
Cariah said the first three months of the Sagicor HPC programme had been challenging, but there were a few lessons that he had learnt over the period.
“It is an honour and a privilege to be in the Sagicor HPC,” he said. “I have learnt a lot and I have worked hard on my game. Everybody, including my coaches and my teammates, has put in a lot of hard work.”
He added: “I have tried my best to gain a lot of information about all aspects of my game including the mental side.
“One of the important things I have learnt is that anything you do in practice will be reflected in your game. You have to do everything 110 per cent. You have to be purposeful if you are going to succeed in this game.”
The Sagicor HPC squad has been encamped since June 1 this year at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies in Barbados.
Cariah, a leg-spinner and handy left-handed batsman, said the players had bonded well and had grown into a closely knit unit, which he felt would serve them well on the tour.
“This is a family,” he said. “People from different countries, different backgrounds, and we have grown to know and understand each other.
“We are all getting along very well and we are all looking forward to doing well on the tour.”
Cariah, a former West Indies Under-19 player at the 2010 ICC Youth World Cup, has played five Regional 4Day for his native Trinidad & Tobago and two Regional Super50 matches for the Windies U-19s over the last three years.
He said his obvious long-term goal was to play for West Indies, ultimately becoming a reliable member of the team.
“I have my goals in life, but my expectations are high because I set very high standards for myself,” he said.
“I want to continue to enjoy playing the game and giving my all in everything I do.”
This is the second squad of players at the Sagicor HPC since its inauguration two years ago.
The first squad of players that included current West Indies opener Kieran Powell and fast bowler Shannon Gabriel successfully completed the programme.
The Sagicor HPC programme, which is exclusively funded by the West Indies Cricket Board through sponsorship from regional financial services company, Sagicor, has been broadened to focus more intensely on developing the mental prowess of the players.
In addition to the standard rigorous training in skills development and fitness required for high performance athletes, the players are also benefitting from specialised training in a number of other areas including their roles as ambassadors, personal development, anti-doping and anti-corruption.
The 2012-2013 Sagicor HPC programme will conclude next May.
on Sagicor HPC tour of Bangladesh
KHULNA, Bangladesh – Yannic Cariah said the tour of Bangladesh by the Sagicor High Performance Centre team will be a good experience for him and the other members of the squad.
The 20-year-old Cariah and the rest of the team arrived in the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka on Wednesday before travelling to this south-western city ahead of the opening match of the tour against the Bangladesh National Cricket Academy, starting on Sunday at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium.
“It will be the first time I will be going there, playing in Asian sub-continent conditions, and I will be looking to take all that I have learnt in the Sagicor HPC and all the preparation we have done and try to perform well,” he said.
“It will be a good chance for me to showcase my talent. All the hard work over the last three months, it is for me to go out there and play well, clear my mind and do what I have got to do, and was born to do.”
The month-long tour also features a four-day match against the Bangladesh A-Team, as well as three One-day and two Twenty20 matches against the same opponents between September 16 and October 5.
Cariah said the first three months of the Sagicor HPC programme had been challenging, but there were a few lessons that he had learnt over the period.
“It is an honour and a privilege to be in the Sagicor HPC,” he said. “I have learnt a lot and I have worked hard on my game. Everybody, including my coaches and my teammates, has put in a lot of hard work.”
He added: “I have tried my best to gain a lot of information about all aspects of my game including the mental side.
“One of the important things I have learnt is that anything you do in practice will be reflected in your game. You have to do everything 110 per cent. You have to be purposeful if you are going to succeed in this game.”
The Sagicor HPC squad has been encamped since June 1 this year at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies in Barbados.
Cariah, a leg-spinner and handy left-handed batsman, said the players had bonded well and had grown into a closely knit unit, which he felt would serve them well on the tour.
“This is a family,” he said. “People from different countries, different backgrounds, and we have grown to know and understand each other.
“We are all getting along very well and we are all looking forward to doing well on the tour.”
Cariah, a former West Indies Under-19 player at the 2010 ICC Youth World Cup, has played five Regional 4Day for his native Trinidad & Tobago and two Regional Super50 matches for the Windies U-19s over the last three years.
He said his obvious long-term goal was to play for West Indies, ultimately becoming a reliable member of the team.
“I have my goals in life, but my expectations are high because I set very high standards for myself,” he said.
“I want to continue to enjoy playing the game and giving my all in everything I do.”
This is the second squad of players at the Sagicor HPC since its inauguration two years ago.
The first squad of players that included current West Indies opener Kieran Powell and fast bowler Shannon Gabriel successfully completed the programme.
The Sagicor HPC programme, which is exclusively funded by the West Indies Cricket Board through sponsorship from regional financial services company, Sagicor, has been broadened to focus more intensely on developing the mental prowess of the players.
In addition to the standard rigorous training in skills development and fitness required for high performance athletes, the players are also benefitting from specialised training in a number of other areas including their roles as ambassadors, personal development, anti-doping and anti-corruption.
The 2012-2013 Sagicor HPC programme will conclude next May.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Gibson optimistic about West Indies’ World T20 chances
Gibson optimistic about West Indies’ World T20 chances
Bridgetown, Barbados – West Indies coach Ottis Gibson said he was optimistic of his side’s chances in the World Twenty20 Tournament taking place this month in Sri Lanka.
Gibson said the composition of the team struck the right balance between experience and talent, and he expected West Indies to live up to his long-held belief that they had the potential to win the World T20 title.
“The players have done very well at the camp and looking at the composition of the team. . .we have a good combination, a good mix of experience and young players. . .and we feel we have a real good chance of doing very well in this tournament,” said Gibson prior to the team’s departure on Sunday.
Gibson noted that players like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine have done very well in the T20 format.
“They have been stars of the Indian Premier League, and have in-depth knowledge of this format,” he said.
“The captain, Darren Sammy, is in great form, so too Andre Russell and Fidel Edwards, and there are others that can step up.”
The World T20 features 12 teams and will be played from September 18 to October 7.
West Indies have been drawn in Group B along with Australia and Ireland – and both first round matches will be played at the Premadasa Stadium in Sri Lanka capital of Colombo.
Gibson said it was hard to predict which sides were the biggest threat in the competition and it was important that West Indies focus on the things within their control.
“On the day, if everybody executes well, anybody can win a match,” he said. “We have seen it before. . .In this format, anything is possible.
“It is important that you are on top of your game on the day, on top of your plans, and people stick to their skills, and always doing the basics.
“This game still revolves around string basics, so it is important for our guys to be looking after those basics all the time.”
West Indies open the tournament against the Aussies on Saturday, September 22 followed by a clash with the Irish on Monday, September 24.
-ENDS-
Squad
Darren Sammy (captain)
Dwayne Bravo (vice-captain)
Samuel Badree
Darren Bravo
Johnson Charles
Fidel Edwards
Chris Gayle
Kieron Pollard
Sunil Narine
Denesh Ramdin
Ravi Rampaul
Andre Russell
Marlon Samuels
Lendl Simmons
Dwayne Smith
Bridgetown, Barbados – West Indies coach Ottis Gibson said he was optimistic of his side’s chances in the World Twenty20 Tournament taking place this month in Sri Lanka.
Gibson said the composition of the team struck the right balance between experience and talent, and he expected West Indies to live up to his long-held belief that they had the potential to win the World T20 title.
“The players have done very well at the camp and looking at the composition of the team. . .we have a good combination, a good mix of experience and young players. . .and we feel we have a real good chance of doing very well in this tournament,” said Gibson prior to the team’s departure on Sunday.
Gibson noted that players like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine have done very well in the T20 format.
“They have been stars of the Indian Premier League, and have in-depth knowledge of this format,” he said.
“The captain, Darren Sammy, is in great form, so too Andre Russell and Fidel Edwards, and there are others that can step up.”
The World T20 features 12 teams and will be played from September 18 to October 7.
West Indies have been drawn in Group B along with Australia and Ireland – and both first round matches will be played at the Premadasa Stadium in Sri Lanka capital of Colombo.
Gibson said it was hard to predict which sides were the biggest threat in the competition and it was important that West Indies focus on the things within their control.
“On the day, if everybody executes well, anybody can win a match,” he said. “We have seen it before. . .In this format, anything is possible.
“It is important that you are on top of your game on the day, on top of your plans, and people stick to their skills, and always doing the basics.
“This game still revolves around string basics, so it is important for our guys to be looking after those basics all the time.”
West Indies open the tournament against the Aussies on Saturday, September 22 followed by a clash with the Irish on Monday, September 24.
-ENDS-
Squad
Darren Sammy (captain)
Dwayne Bravo (vice-captain)
Samuel Badree
Darren Bravo
Johnson Charles
Fidel Edwards
Chris Gayle
Kieron Pollard
Sunil Narine
Denesh Ramdin
Ravi Rampaul
Andre Russell
Marlon Samuels
Lendl Simmons
Dwayne Smith
Saturday, September 8, 2012
WI T20 Squad
WI T20 Squad
Full Squad: Darren Sammy (Captain), Dwayne Bravo (Vice Captain), Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin (Wicket-keeper), Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith
Reserves: Sulieman Benn, Tino Best, Devon Thomas
Team Management: Ottis Gibson (Head Coach), Richie Richardson (Team Manager), Toby Radford (Assistant Coach), C.J. Clark (Physiotherapist), Hector Martinez-Charles (Strength & Conditioning Co-ordinator), Richard Berridge (Video & Statistical Analyst), Philip Spooner (Media Relations Manager), Virgil Browne (Massage Therapist)
WINDIES’ WORLD T20 SCHEDULE
Warm-up matches
Thursday, Sep 13: West Indies vs Sri Lanka - NCC, Colombo
Monday, Sep 17: West Indies vs Afghanistan - P Sara Oval, Colombo
First round matches
Saturday, Sep 22: vs Australia - R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Monday, Sep 24: vs Ireland - R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Super Eight matches
Thursday, Sep 27: C1 v D2 - Pallekele
Thursday, Sep 27: A1 v B2 - Pallekele
Friday, Sep 28: D1 v C2 - Colombo
Friday, Sep 28: B1 v A2 - Colombo
Saturday, Sep 29: A1 v D2 - Pallekele
Saturday, Sep 29: C1 v B2 - Pallekele
Sunday Sep 30: B1 v C2 - Colombo
Sunday Sep 30: D1 v A2 - Colombo
Monday, Oct 1: B2 v D2 - Pallekele
Monday, Oct 1: A1 v C1 - Pallekele
Tuesday, Oct 2: B1 v D1 - Colombo
Tuesday, Oct 2: A2 v C2 - Colombo
Semi-finals
Thursday, Oct 4: Super 8 Group 1-1 vs Super 8 Group 2-2 - R Premadasa Stadium
Friday, Oct 5: Super 8 Group 2-1 vs Super 8 Group 1-2 - R Premadasa Stadium
Grand Final: Sunday, Oct 7 - R Premadasa Stadium
Full Squad: Darren Sammy (Captain), Dwayne Bravo (Vice Captain), Samuel Badree, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin (Wicket-keeper), Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith
Reserves: Sulieman Benn, Tino Best, Devon Thomas
Team Management: Ottis Gibson (Head Coach), Richie Richardson (Team Manager), Toby Radford (Assistant Coach), C.J. Clark (Physiotherapist), Hector Martinez-Charles (Strength & Conditioning Co-ordinator), Richard Berridge (Video & Statistical Analyst), Philip Spooner (Media Relations Manager), Virgil Browne (Massage Therapist)
WINDIES’ WORLD T20 SCHEDULE
Warm-up matches
Thursday, Sep 13: West Indies vs Sri Lanka - NCC, Colombo
Monday, Sep 17: West Indies vs Afghanistan - P Sara Oval, Colombo
First round matches
Saturday, Sep 22: vs Australia - R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Monday, Sep 24: vs Ireland - R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Super Eight matches
Thursday, Sep 27: C1 v D2 - Pallekele
Thursday, Sep 27: A1 v B2 - Pallekele
Friday, Sep 28: D1 v C2 - Colombo
Friday, Sep 28: B1 v A2 - Colombo
Saturday, Sep 29: A1 v D2 - Pallekele
Saturday, Sep 29: C1 v B2 - Pallekele
Sunday Sep 30: B1 v C2 - Colombo
Sunday Sep 30: D1 v A2 - Colombo
Monday, Oct 1: B2 v D2 - Pallekele
Monday, Oct 1: A1 v C1 - Pallekele
Tuesday, Oct 2: B1 v D1 - Colombo
Tuesday, Oct 2: A2 v C2 - Colombo
Semi-finals
Thursday, Oct 4: Super 8 Group 1-1 vs Super 8 Group 2-2 - R Premadasa Stadium
Friday, Oct 5: Super 8 Group 2-1 vs Super 8 Group 1-2 - R Premadasa Stadium
Grand Final: Sunday, Oct 7 - R Premadasa Stadium
Head coach feels HPC players progressing
Head coach feels HPC players progressing
CAVE HILL, Barbados – Head coach of the Sagicor West Indies High Performance Centre Graeme West has hailed the work ethic of the current squad of emerging players in the current training programme.
West said the current group of players are moving in the right direction and he was looking forward to their upcoming trip to Bangladesh to discover how much they have progressed.
“The group has been excellent to work with,” said West. “They have had a good attitude, a good work ethic, not a single player has missed a day’s training other than for injury. The commitment has been 100 per cent.
“What we now need to work hard on is honing the skills, specifically for the different conditions, and different types of match situations. Right now, there are three forms of the game, and if you want to be an international player, you have got to master all three.”
He said: “I think a lot of the players would say they are strong in one or possibly two forms of the game, but they have a lot of work to do in the third format.
“A number of the players have limited first-class experience and so practice matches like on Thursday against the senior West Indies side are invaluable because they are getting to see first-hand the type of quality that they will encounter on the international stage.”
The HPC team, led by all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, leaves on Monday for a month-long trip to Bangladesh, where they will play four-day matches against the Bangladesh National Cricket Academy and national A-Team.
They also face the Bangladesh A-Team in three One-day matches and two Twenty20s.
The squad to Bangladesh has been increased to 16 with the addition of Veerasammy Permaul. The left-arm spinner replaces World Twenty20-bound West Indies batsman Johnson Charles.
Permaul was a member of the first group of HPC players and was elevated to the role of West Indies A-Team captain for recent matches against India-A.
West said he expected the conditions in Bangladesh to prove to be one of the biggest hurdles for the players.
“It is going to be quite a big challenge for a number of the players that have never played in Bangladesh or India or Pakistan or Sri Lanka,” he said.
“We have tried our best to prepare them for the type of conditions that they will experience over there. This will be a huge challenge for them, rather than playing in their own home territory in conditions that are familiar to them.”
He added: “We are prepared for a lot of spin and a lot of turning pitches. We have prepared them for very hot weather. Ultimately, we will playing against the group of players that are 100 per cent committed to playing cricket and will give possibly everything that they have.
“This will be the big obstacle. We know we have the ability and the HPC is all about development. The next month will be about developing skills and hopefully some of the players will get an opportunity on the international stage to play there again.”
West gave the HPC team a passing grade for their performance against the senior West Indies side, which has been using the same facilities at the Three Ws Oval to prepare for the World Twenty20 Tournament this month in Sri Lanka.
The two sides met in a practice match, which the HPC lost by 44 runs on Thursday.
“Overall, I am very pleased with the way that they played in the practice match against the senior West Indies side,” he said.
“They were competitive. At the 15-over mark in both innings, we were ahead. What we saw was that little bit of extra experience and quality when it really mattered – and it really exposed us.
He said: “The great thing is that the players have gone head-to-head with some very fine international players and shown they have the ability to be competitive at that level.
“What they now need is to reflect on what took place in this match, and when it comes down to the crunch situations, what it takes to be a little bit better.”
West noted one of the significant improvements has been the fitness levels of the players.
“They have been working on their energy, their enthusiasm in the field, and again we maintained it, taking our chances in the field,” he said.
“Right now, it is about going back and discussing how we can be tighter and sharper with our skills, and making sure the cricket improves at the same rate.”
The HPC squad has been encamped since June 1 this year at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies here.
The HPC programme has been broadened to focus more intensely on developing the mental prowess of the players, in addition to the standard rigorous training in skills development and fitness required for high performance athletes.
The players are also benefitting from specialised training in a number of other areas including their roles as ambassadors, personal development, anti-doping, anti-corruption and media skills among other areas.
The current programme will conclude in May 2013.
This is the second squad of players attending the Sagicor HPC since its inauguration two years ago.
The first squad of players included current West Indies opener Kieran Powell, fast bowler Shannon Gabriel and current West Indies Under-19 captain Kraigg Brathwaite.
-ENDS-
SAGICOR HPC TO BANGLADESH
SQUAD
Carlos Brathwaite (captain)
Marlon Barclay
Jermaine Blackwood
Yannic Cariah
Sheldon Cotterrell
Miguel Cummins
Jason Dawes
Andre Fletcher
Dawnley Grant
Trevon Griffith
Jahmar Hamilton
Kyle Hope
Keddy Lesporis
Kjorn Ottley
Veerasammy Permaul
Jomel Warrican
SAGICOR HPC TO BANGLADESH
ITINERARY
September
16-19: Tour match – Bangladesh National Cricket Academy vs Sagicor HPC – Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, Khulna
22-25: Tour match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
28: 1st One-day match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
30: 2nd One-day match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
October
2: 3rd One-day match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
4: 1st Twenty20 match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
5: 2nd Twenty20 match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
CAVE HILL, Barbados – Head coach of the Sagicor West Indies High Performance Centre Graeme West has hailed the work ethic of the current squad of emerging players in the current training programme.
West said the current group of players are moving in the right direction and he was looking forward to their upcoming trip to Bangladesh to discover how much they have progressed.
“The group has been excellent to work with,” said West. “They have had a good attitude, a good work ethic, not a single player has missed a day’s training other than for injury. The commitment has been 100 per cent.
“What we now need to work hard on is honing the skills, specifically for the different conditions, and different types of match situations. Right now, there are three forms of the game, and if you want to be an international player, you have got to master all three.”
He said: “I think a lot of the players would say they are strong in one or possibly two forms of the game, but they have a lot of work to do in the third format.
“A number of the players have limited first-class experience and so practice matches like on Thursday against the senior West Indies side are invaluable because they are getting to see first-hand the type of quality that they will encounter on the international stage.”
The HPC team, led by all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, leaves on Monday for a month-long trip to Bangladesh, where they will play four-day matches against the Bangladesh National Cricket Academy and national A-Team.
They also face the Bangladesh A-Team in three One-day matches and two Twenty20s.
The squad to Bangladesh has been increased to 16 with the addition of Veerasammy Permaul. The left-arm spinner replaces World Twenty20-bound West Indies batsman Johnson Charles.
Permaul was a member of the first group of HPC players and was elevated to the role of West Indies A-Team captain for recent matches against India-A.
West said he expected the conditions in Bangladesh to prove to be one of the biggest hurdles for the players.
“It is going to be quite a big challenge for a number of the players that have never played in Bangladesh or India or Pakistan or Sri Lanka,” he said.
“We have tried our best to prepare them for the type of conditions that they will experience over there. This will be a huge challenge for them, rather than playing in their own home territory in conditions that are familiar to them.”
He added: “We are prepared for a lot of spin and a lot of turning pitches. We have prepared them for very hot weather. Ultimately, we will playing against the group of players that are 100 per cent committed to playing cricket and will give possibly everything that they have.
“This will be the big obstacle. We know we have the ability and the HPC is all about development. The next month will be about developing skills and hopefully some of the players will get an opportunity on the international stage to play there again.”
West gave the HPC team a passing grade for their performance against the senior West Indies side, which has been using the same facilities at the Three Ws Oval to prepare for the World Twenty20 Tournament this month in Sri Lanka.
The two sides met in a practice match, which the HPC lost by 44 runs on Thursday.
“Overall, I am very pleased with the way that they played in the practice match against the senior West Indies side,” he said.
“They were competitive. At the 15-over mark in both innings, we were ahead. What we saw was that little bit of extra experience and quality when it really mattered – and it really exposed us.
He said: “The great thing is that the players have gone head-to-head with some very fine international players and shown they have the ability to be competitive at that level.
“What they now need is to reflect on what took place in this match, and when it comes down to the crunch situations, what it takes to be a little bit better.”
West noted one of the significant improvements has been the fitness levels of the players.
“They have been working on their energy, their enthusiasm in the field, and again we maintained it, taking our chances in the field,” he said.
“Right now, it is about going back and discussing how we can be tighter and sharper with our skills, and making sure the cricket improves at the same rate.”
The HPC squad has been encamped since June 1 this year at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies here.
The HPC programme has been broadened to focus more intensely on developing the mental prowess of the players, in addition to the standard rigorous training in skills development and fitness required for high performance athletes.
The players are also benefitting from specialised training in a number of other areas including their roles as ambassadors, personal development, anti-doping, anti-corruption and media skills among other areas.
The current programme will conclude in May 2013.
This is the second squad of players attending the Sagicor HPC since its inauguration two years ago.
The first squad of players included current West Indies opener Kieran Powell, fast bowler Shannon Gabriel and current West Indies Under-19 captain Kraigg Brathwaite.
-ENDS-
SAGICOR HPC TO BANGLADESH
SQUAD
Carlos Brathwaite (captain)
Marlon Barclay
Jermaine Blackwood
Yannic Cariah
Sheldon Cotterrell
Miguel Cummins
Jason Dawes
Andre Fletcher
Dawnley Grant
Trevon Griffith
Jahmar Hamilton
Kyle Hope
Keddy Lesporis
Kjorn Ottley
Veerasammy Permaul
Jomel Warrican
SAGICOR HPC TO BANGLADESH
ITINERARY
September
16-19: Tour match – Bangladesh National Cricket Academy vs Sagicor HPC – Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium, Khulna
22-25: Tour match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
28: 1st One-day match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
30: 2nd One-day match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
October
2: 3rd One-day match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
4: 1st Twenty20 match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
5: 2nd Twenty20 match – Bangladesh-A vs Sagicor HPC – Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka
IRS examines Warner’s CONCACAF legacy. By Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com).
IRS examines Warner’s CONCACAF legacy.
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com).
Concacaf president Jeffrey Webb confirmed on Thursday that the United States’ Internal Revenue Services (IRS), accounting firm BDO International and global legal company Sidley Austin LLP are working in tandem to scrutinize the legacy of his predecessor and Trinidad and Tobago’s National Security Minister Jack Warner.
The CONCACAF Executive was due to receive a report of these investigations at an extraordinary congress this month but Webb claimed that the scale of the operation has forced a postponement until the first quarter of 2013.
“This audit is a massive undertaking that will set our financial house straight and ensure that CONCACAF’s operations are executed in a responsible and ethical manner going forward,” said Webb, via a media release.
“This initiative was inspired by the new CONCACAF’s commitment to full accountability and transparency and it is essential that we get this right so we can move on to focus on our true purpose, the development of the game.”
Warner was CONCACAF president from 1991 to 2011 when he quit after being indicted by FIFA for allegedly facilitating the bribery of Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials.
Webb, the 47-year-old former Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) president, replaced Warner at the CONCACAF helm in May while the 38-year-old Colombia-born Enrique Sanz, a former director at football marketing company Traffic, was named as the successor to outgoing general secretary Chuck Blazer.
It appears that Webb and the present CONCACAF Executive are not prepared to forgive and forget where Warner is concerned.
In a release to the CONCACAF member associations, Webb insisted that the confederation was still investigating the ownership of the João Havelange Centre of Excellence in Macoya.
Read More: http://www.wired868.com/2012/09/07/irs-investigates-warners-concacaf-legacy/
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868.com).
Concacaf president Jeffrey Webb confirmed on Thursday that the United States’ Internal Revenue Services (IRS), accounting firm BDO International and global legal company Sidley Austin LLP are working in tandem to scrutinize the legacy of his predecessor and Trinidad and Tobago’s National Security Minister Jack Warner.
The CONCACAF Executive was due to receive a report of these investigations at an extraordinary congress this month but Webb claimed that the scale of the operation has forced a postponement until the first quarter of 2013.
“This audit is a massive undertaking that will set our financial house straight and ensure that CONCACAF’s operations are executed in a responsible and ethical manner going forward,” said Webb, via a media release.
“This initiative was inspired by the new CONCACAF’s commitment to full accountability and transparency and it is essential that we get this right so we can move on to focus on our true purpose, the development of the game.”
Warner was CONCACAF president from 1991 to 2011 when he quit after being indicted by FIFA for allegedly facilitating the bribery of Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials.
Webb, the 47-year-old former Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) president, replaced Warner at the CONCACAF helm in May while the 38-year-old Colombia-born Enrique Sanz, a former director at football marketing company Traffic, was named as the successor to outgoing general secretary Chuck Blazer.
It appears that Webb and the present CONCACAF Executive are not prepared to forgive and forget where Warner is concerned.
In a release to the CONCACAF member associations, Webb insisted that the confederation was still investigating the ownership of the João Havelange Centre of Excellence in Macoya.
Read More: http://www.wired868.com/2012/09/07/irs-investigates-warners-concacaf-legacy/
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