“[…] 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 »Was Shakib Al-Hasan a better all-rounder than Sobers? Gomes counters with list of cricket’s top all-action men
“[…] An all-rounder (according to Anantha Narayanan’s first definition) is someone who could be selected as a batsman, batting at six or higher, or a bowler—one of the top three choices… But only eight players qualify on the basis of this definition: Keith Miller, Shakib Al-Hasan, Imran Khan, Ian Botham, …
Read More »Pakistan roar back to level at 1-1 with easy 109-run win over West Indies
A T20-Powerplay-style opening partnership between Abid Ali (29 off 23 balls) and Imran Butt (37 off 44) on Monday afternoon pushed the door open for Babar Azam’s Pakistan to level the two-match Test series at 1-1 at Sabina Park on Tuesday. But it was Man-of-the-Match (10 wickets for 94 runs) …
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: Grant-Perez wants Chris Gayle, Khary Pierre and Sunil Narine in well-knit WI squad
“[…] Khary Pierre is perhaps my surprise pick. He’s never expensive and, like Chris Gayle, has the ability to stop the haemorrhaging of runs. “He could be the silent sniper with the wherewithal to take out the best teams in the world…” Anthea Grant-Perez, a recent graduate from the Ken …
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 »Pooran, Holder half-centuries help West Indies hold off Aussies and draw level at 1-1
Needing only 188 to win Game 2 in the three-match ODI series against Alex Carey’s Australians, the West Indies seemed headed for a second successive shipwreck at Barbados’ Kensington Oval on Saturday. But a solid 93-run sixth wicket partnership between vice-captain Nicholas Pooran and former captain Jason Holder steadied the …
Read More »Best: Is Holder’s unbirthday gift enough to take Brathwaite’s WI over the line?
Joshua da Silva had a birthday on Labour Day, Day Two of the Second Test between West Indies and South Africa. His former skipper Jason Holder will turn 30 on November 5 so yesterday would have been his unbirthday. He celebrated it in style, giving the side he once captained …
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