“[…] Age catches up with the best of us. In [Chris] Gayle’s case, that has meant waning hand/eye co-ordination, considerably less energy in the field and greater proneness to injury—all factors that have led to inconsistency in scores and fewer innings of note. “The Australia half-century—his first since 2016!—was nothing …
Read More »CPL 2021: Kings hit back with exciting 5-run win as Pollard’s TKR tally 60 dot balls in second loss
So often the hero for Trinbago Knight Riders, Colin Munro could not buy a boundary on a difficult pitch at Warner Park in St Kitts on Sunday morning. And in the end, it cost the defending champions, who went under to lowly St Lucia Kings by five runs in Match …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Hope, Hetmyer, Walsh are in Persaud’s WI dream team but Simmons out starting XI
“[…] My opening batsmen will be Evin Lewis and Shai Hope. I say with utmost confidence that no one will argue with my selection of Lewis to lead the charge. The left-handed opener has the proven capability to destroy any bowling attack that he may be faced with. “The right-handed …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Thompson has Gayle, Fidel and McCoy in dream WI team—but wary about too many lefties
Let me say from the outset, like Michael Holding, I think the only thing missing from a T20 match is (in our case) a case or two of Carib and a pot of pelau, some bottle and spoon and a DJ, plus some ‘winer gyul’ (the IPL & the CPL …
Read More »T2021 W/C: ‘Jaiks’ puts Hope in dream WI XI, while Mayers, Akeal and Alzarri among subs
“[…] Shai Hope: batsman/wicketkeeper. My first surprise selection. Easily among the best batsmen in the West Indies at the moment; can accumulate without offering chances, stabilises the middle overs…” Ken Jaikaransingh, who rarely missed a day of Test cricket at the Oval when the WI were still the WINdies, selects …
Read More »T2021 W/C: ‘Fab Four’ (Pt 2)—Roneil picks Hetmyer, Pooran in dream WI’s XI to counter spin threat
Now that the West Indies’ ‘Fab Four’, the ‘Real McCoy’ and Fabian ‘Bucket Hands’ Allen are out of the way, let us take a close look at the composition of the rest of the WI T20I squad. Unlike in the Test arena, where WI seem to be on a never-ending …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Jackman calls for DJ Bravo as pinch-hitter, Ramdin in reserve and Gayle exit
“[…] Let me here recall the late Sir Alf Ramsey’s explanation of how he managed England to their only major football title, the 1966 World Cup. The former wing-back said he did not have the players to fit any existing system so he developed one to fit his players. “[…] …
Read More »Brilliant Pooran almost denies Pakistan their 7-run win over WI in 2nd T20I
Pakistan’s 7-run win over West Indies in the second T20I at the National Stadium in Providence, Guyana, on Saturday turned on six elements: Pakistani skipper Babar Azam’s beautiful batting, rain’s inopportune 17-minute interruption, Man-of-the-Match Mohammad Hafeez’s miserly bowling, Evin Lewis’ untimely injury, WI skipper Kieron Pollard’s uncharacteristic lack of timing, …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Tino Singh names nine batsmen, including Gayle and Hetmyer, in his dream WI XI
“[…] I strongly feel the under-rated off-spin of the ‘Universe Boss’ will be a back-up weapon and will work in WI’ favour. “I am bold enough to predict that [Obed] McCoy will emerge as one of the leading wicket-takers in the tournament. He is one of the most improved bowlers …
Read More »Aussie bats wade into WI bowlers, romp to 6-wkt win to clinch series on ‘untrustworthy’ pitch
On a turning Barbados’ Kensington Oval track on Monday, Australia’s batsmen took an aggressive approach and fought their way to a commanding six-wicket victory over Kieron Pollard’s feckless West Indians. The win gave Alex Carey’s side a 2-1 win in the three-match ODI series, some degree of revenge for their …
Read More »Lewis slams 23-ball 50 to seal deal for Pooran’s West Indies against Australia
A magnificent, low, diving, one-handed catch by Fabian Allen stopped Aaron Finch’s Australians in their tracks as they sought to chase down an Evin Lewis-powered West Indies target of 199 runs. And unable to motor on, the tourists fell 16 runs short as the Nicholas Pooran-led home side closed out …
Read More »Marsh sets up Aussies with bat, Starc denies West Indies and Russell with ball
With 11 runs needed off the last over and Andre Russell on strike, there was not a West Indian in sight who did not see 4-0 coming. But although Mitchell Starc’s last ball went for four to the straight midwicket boundary, none of the first five—all clocked at over 140kph—had. …
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