The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced the schedule of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.After staging IPL across Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad in the last edition, the 16th season of the IPL will revert to the home and away format, where all the teams will play 7 home games and 7 away games respectively in the league stage.
A total of 70 league stage matches will be played across 12 venues over the course of 52 days.The 16th season of the marquee event will kickstart on 31st March 2023, with a blockbuster clash between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad at Narendra Modi Stadium – the largest cricket stadium in the world.1st April, 2023 will be the first double-header day of the season, where Punjab Kings will square off against Kolkata Knight Riders in Mohali and Lucknow Super Giants will take on Delhi Capitals in Lucknow.
The TATA IPL 2023 will have 18 double headers, with the day games starting at 3:30 PM IST and the evening games starting at 07:30 PM IST. Rajasthan Royals will play their first two home games in Guwahati before playing the remainder of their home games in Jaipur. Punjab Kings will play their five home matches in Mohali and then, play their last two home matches in Dharamshala against Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals respectively.
The schedule and venues for the Playoffs and Final will be announced later. The summit clash of the TATA IPL 2023 will be played on May 28, 2023.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) today announced Shai Hope as the new captain of the West Indies Men’s One-Day International (ODI) team and Rovman Powell as the new captain of the West Indies Men’s T20 International (T20I) team.
Shai Hope is the new West Indian ODI skipper
Hope, the wicketkeeper/batter and Powell, the batting allrounder, and will take over from Nicholas Pooran, who stepped down from the positions last November following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
The first assignments for both captains will be the upcoming tour of South Africa in March where the West Indies face the Proteas in three ODIs and three T20Is from 16 to 28 March, following two matches in the ICC World Test Championship. Each captain will be heavily involved in strategy and planning leading up to the next ICC World Tournaments. In ODI cricket, the West Indies are likely to need to qualify for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, with the qualifiers scheduled to be held in Zimbabwe in June. In T20I cricket, the West Indies will be hosting the next ICC T20 World Cup with the USA in June 2024.
Hope is selected as ODI captain after demonstrating strong leadership on and off the field and experiencing the vice-captain role over a number of Series since 2019. He became vice-captain for a second time in June 2022 and played his 100th ODI for the West Indies against India in July last year. Hope has played 104 ODIs and was recently selected in the ICC ODI Team of the Year for 2022.
Hope said: “It is a tremendous honour and privilege to be appointed captain of any West Indies team. To lead a team that is of such incredible significance not only to myself and my teammates but to our legion of fans the world over, is something one dreams of as a child. The rich history and legacy that our region and our brand of cricket is so famous and loved for, requires no intricate explanation. I would like to thank CWI for entrusting me with this immense opportunity. To navigate West Indies cricket in the right direction will be my fundamental priority and a task that I shall be unwaveringly committed to. With the support of my team-mates and our dedicated fans, I look forward to a long and fulfilling tenure as captain of the West Indies One-Day International team.”
CWI’s Selection Panel recommended Powell as T20I captain, referencing his demonstrated leadership acumen and tactical ability when acting as the West Indies T20I vice-captain and as captain for Jamaica in 2022 with double success in both regional competitions. He led Jamaica winning firstly the Caribbean Premier League with the Tallawahs in September before captaining the Jamaica Scorpions to the CG United Super50 Cup title in November.
Powell said: I’m truly humbled and grateful to be given this amazing opportunity to lead the West Indies. For me, this a huge vote of confidence and I see this as the greatest honour of my career. To be asked to ‘carry the flag’ for the people of the Caribbean, there’s no bigger role in cricket in the region — a job previously held by some of the greatest servants of West Indies cricket. I also want to thank CWI for allowing me to guide the team in the coming years as we set sights on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which we will be jointly hosting with the USA next year. I’m a passionate cricketer who believes in leading from the front and always giving 100 percent. “
Match schedule in South Africa
21 to 24 February: vs South Africa Invitational XI at Willowmoore Park, Benoni
28 February to 4 March: 1st Test at SuperSport Park, Centurion
8-12 March: 2nd Test at the Wanderers, Johannesburg
Thursday, 16 March: 1st ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)
Saturday, 18 March: 2nd ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)
Tuesday, 21 March: 3rd ODI at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom
Saturday, 25 March: 1st T20Is at SuperSport Park, Centurion
Sunday, 26 March: 2nd T20I at SuperSport Park, Centurion
Tuesday, 28 March: 3rd T20I at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (night)
At the inaugural edition of the Alanzo Greaves Cycling Classic on Saturday at the inner circuit of the National Park, fans were treated to a spectacle rarely seen in the Guyanese cycling . The outright dominance of a race by arguably Guyana’s current best cyclist, Jamual John.
No competition! Eventual race-winner Jamual John distanced himself from all his competitors enroute to victory.
Along his way to taking first place, John reset the record for the fastest lap around the National Park’s Inner Circuit and the overall time taken to finish the 30-lap race.
The fastest lap came in the final lap of the race, one minute & 55 seconds while John crossed the finish line with the clock at one hour, six minutes, 17.82 seconds.
At the start of the race, Jamual along with Briton John who shares the same surname and a few others easily distanced themselves from the pack, with each lap offering up $1000 for the leader, the Johns and Romello Crawford shared the lead for the first half of the race before Jamual took the attack to the peloton and broke away… never to be caught. He ended up with 16 Preems (sprint prizes) and lapped his nearest challenger, Briton, twice in the process. In addition to the Preems, Jamual walked away with $5000 for the fastest lap of the race and an added cash prize from organizer Alanzo Greaves for lapping the peloton twice.
The chasing peloton.
Finishing in second place was Briton, while Crawford came home third with Robin Persaud fourth, Christopher Griffith fifth and Alex Mendes sixth in that order.
The Greaves Cycling Classic, the brain-child of former National Cyclist Alanzo Greaves is set to be a weekly feature. Greaves revealed that while he is now permanently out of action due to leg injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident, he is all about giving back to the sport.
The next edition of the Greaves Cycling Classic is set for February 18 at the same venue.
Mr. Chen Xilai, the Deputy Chief of the Chinese Embassy, invited Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) President Godfrey Munroe and his team last Thursday (February 2) to have a discussion on the shared vision and continued partnership between the Peoples Republic of China and the Guyana Table Tennis Association. Mr. Chen shared a quote which forms part of the Chinese philosophy “It is joyful to play alone but its more joyful to play with others”
On this premise both sides discussed the continued partnership in relation to overseas and local training stints for players at all levels at the High Yield Training centres in China in 2023, training opportunities for officials, high level coaches to visit Guyana to work with our national teams, technical support and combined efforts on projects which will be geared to impact the livelihood of members of communities.
GTTA President Mr. Godfrey Munroe and Mr. Chen Xilai, Deputy Chief of the Embassy.
Several other initiatives were discussed including a goodwill tournament similar to the one held last year to celebrate 50 years of bilateral engagement between the two nations.
A review of some initiatives inclusive of the donation of equipment to the national program and the school program in partnership with the Ministry of Education was presented by GTTA President who also took the opportunity to convey greetings on behalf of the Minister of Education Hon. Priya Manickchand who is keen on having China’s support for expanding the national table tennis for schools project as part of the Ministry’s and Minister’s plan to have each student exiting the schools system exposed and oriented to sports, language and playing one musical instrument .
An opening double century stand from openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Tagenarine Chanderpaul has lifted the West Indies into the ascendancy against Zimbabwe in the first Test match in Bulawayo.
In control for large periods across day one and two, the pair’s biggest threat seemingly came from inclement weather, though rain only could delay the success of the pair who were both close to their best with the bat.
Brathwaite (126*) brought up his century first, reaching the milestone with a late cut through the slip cordon off the bowling of Wellington Masakadza. Not to be outdone, Chanderpaul brought up his maiden Test century in just his third Test match, calmly pushing Victor Nyauchi into the leg-side.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul reacts upon reaching his maiden test century vs Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.
Chanderpaul’s hundred was also the first Test century scored by a West Indies opener outside of Brathwaite since 2013, breaking a streak of a dozen unmatched hundreds from his partner.
As a result of their efforts, the pair joined elite company in their achievement, compiling just the West Indies’ tenth opening wicket double-century stand since their first ever Test back in 1928.
Rather fittingly, Daren Ganga, who accompanied Chris Gayle to the West Indies’ other opening double-century stand in Zimbabwe (214 in 2001 at the same ground), was on the call when the pair passed his figure. The stand is the first double-century opening stand for the team in Test cricket since 2012, and the fifth away from home.
Perhaps making the feat more remarkable, just 17 fours and a six have been hit by the pair at stumps on day two, with Zimbabwe’s bowlers toiling to no avail across the two days.
The hosts’ five-pronged attack have 20 maidens to show for their efforts, with Masakadza’s 0/30 from 16 overs the most economical of the group (1.87).
A fiery spell after lunch from Guyana Harpy Eagles pacer Nial Smith ensured that his side recorded a big win in their first round encounter against the defending champions Barbados Pride at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Saturday afternoon.
Smith’s 2nd innings figures of 5/31 (10 Overs) vindicated the Harpy Eagles’ skipper Leon Johnson’s decision to bat first as the previously dull pitch came alive on the fourth and final day of the match. Smith’s performance complemented the first innings effort of 19-year-old debutant Matthew Nandu who set the platform for the win with his excellent 126 on debut.
Earlier in the day, the Guyanese batting order collapsed in a heap as the Barbados pacers got the ball to move with poor shot selections not helping either. Seamers Akeem Jordan and Keon Harding were the destroyers-in-chief sharing six wickets between them with 3-apiece. Veteran Veerasammy Permaul and Smith had the highest partnership of the Guyanese 2nd innings and when the former was bowled by Chaim Holder, the Guyana Harpy Eagles declared at 126/9 leaving Barbados staring at a total of 278 for an unlikely victory.
Enter Smith; he began proceedings by getting first innings top scorer Sheyne Mosely to nick one to wicket-keeper Anthony Bramble for a duck in the second over while Shamar Joseph trapped Zachary McCaskie LBW in the very next over. However Jonathan Drakes and Shamarh Brooks looked to steady the ship and took their side from 9/2 to 30 before Brooks became Ronsford Beaton’s first victim.
The beginning of the end for the defending champions came courtesy of Veerasammy Permaul who snared the scalps of Nicolas Kirton and Shamar Springer in the 19th over to take his career tally to 504 wickets (the highest by a Guyanese bowler). Then Beaton added his second wicket of the innings when he sent back the Bajan skipper, a wounded Shane Dowrich for a two-ball duck to leave Barbados in serious trouble at 38/6.
Drakes (36) and Akeem Jordan (20) offered a brief resistance but the return of Smith sealed their end. He had Jordan holing out to Kevin Sinclair, then Drakes followed in similar fashion, caught by Permaul while Harding was also dismissed via a catch. Fittingly Smith sealed his five-wicket haul and a resounding win for the Guyana Harpy Eagles by bowling Jair McAllister to end the Barbados innings at 94 (36 overs).
SCORES: Guyana Harpy Eagles – 371 & 126/9 Declared, Barbados Pride – 220/9 & 94 All out
Guyana Harpy Eagles’ young debutant opener Matthew Nandu stroked a rock-solid century to mark his entry into regional four-day cricket and put his team in charge at stumps on day 2 of their first round encounter with defending champions Barbados Pride.
Resuming with their side on 205/5, Nandu and Kevin Sinclair added a further 20 runs to their partnership before the latter fell 7 runs short of a half-century edging Jair McAllister to stand-in skipper and wicket-keeper Shamarh Brooks.
Veteran Veerasammy Permaul joined Nandu and together they put on a 90-run 7th-wicket partnership to flatten the Barbados Pride bowling unit. Nandu’s century was brought up just before lunch with a savage cut off the bowling of Keon Harding.
Shortly after lunch, the partnership was broken as Permaul now on the offensive, holed out to McAllister to give Keon Harding what would be his only wicket of the innings. Now in his 8th partnership, Nandu and fellow debutant Shamar Joseph further frustrated the Bajans and added 39 before Nandu’s marathon knock came to an end with the total at 354. The youngster’s 126 spanned 331 deliveries, and included 14 boundaries.
His wicket reinvigorated the Barbados Pride bowlers and they wrapped up the remaining two wickets for just 17 runs but Nandu had already done the damage.
In reply, Barbados openers Zachary McCaskie and Sheyne Moseley put on a valuable 69 run opening stand. However McCaskie would be the first wicket to fall, holing out to Chandrapaul Hemraj off the bowling of spinner Kevin Sinclair.
Jonathan Drakes followed quickly, trapped LBW to Permaul for duck. Moseley would push on to register a dogged 65 before he made his way back to the pavilion giving Shamar Joseph his first wicket at this level, he was out caught behind.
At stumps, Barbados Pride were105/3, still 266 runs adrift of the Harpy Eagles first innings total.
Scores:
Guyana Harpy Eagles 1st Innings 371 (121.1 Overs), Matthew Nandu 126, Kevin Sinclair 43, Jair McAllister 3/43.
Barbados Pride 105/3 (39 Overs) Sheyne Moseley 69, McCaskie 26, Veerasammy Permaul 1/18, Shamar Joseph 1/20, Kevin Sinclair 1/26
Highly touted as one for the future, Guyana Harpy Eagles 19-year-old debutant Matthew Nandu played with patience, class and composure that belies his age to frustrate Barbados at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua & Barbuda with an unbeaten 71 on day one of their first round encounter.
At stumps, the Harpy Eagles were on 205/5 (76.4 Overs) after winning the toss and electing to bat. The morning session was cut short due to a Keon Harding delivery which tore a chunk of the turf out of the pitch which then had to be repaired by the ground staff. In that shortened session, openers Nandu and Chandrapaul Hemraj navigated their side to lunch (at 29) without loss. However, Barbados Pride would be left ruing a couple of dropped catches which enabled the Harpy Eagles to push on.
Shortly after lunch, Hemraj and Tevin Imlach would fall quickly to leave the Harpy Eagles wobbling at 35/2. First, Hemraj fell LBW to seamer Jair McAllister then Imlach had to return to the pavilion without troubling the scorers also via the LBW route off the bowling of Akeem Jordan.
From thereon out, it was the Nandu show as he strung together useful partnerships with fellow debutant Kemol Savoury, skipper Leon Johnson and Anthony Bramble, who all made starts but failed to bat on.
Savoury (25) and Nandu combined to take the Harpy Eagles to 80 before the aggressive wicket-keeper batsman nicked spinner Chaim Holder to Shane Dowrich to end his first innings at the regional level. In strode the under pressure Johnson who looked attractive in his innings of 26 and it was only fitting that he was at the non-striker’s end when Nandu brought up his maiden fifty on the stroke of tea to raucous applause from his teammates. However, after the break, Johnson too, fell to Holder with the score at 126/4.
Kevin Sinclair defends.
The ever consistent Anthony Bramble did all the hard work at the beginning of his innings only to give his wicket away with a nothing shot as he fell for 20 caught by McAllister of the bowling of Jordan. At that point, the Guyana Harpy Eagles looked vulnerable with the total at 163/5 but all-rounder Kevin Sinclair and the increasingly confident Nandu took the fight to a waning Pride attack.
Their partnership worth 45, Sinclair (28 not out) and Nandu guided the Harpy Eagles to the close of play with the score at 205/5 (76.4 Overs), albeit not without incident, as an edge from Nandu seemed to carry to Akeem Jordan, but the umpires correctly ruled not out which replays vindicated as the ball appeared to bounce before entering Jordan’s grasp. Nandu will resume his innings on day two at 71 (219 deliveries and 9 boundaries).
(Day 1 Stumps: Guyana Harpy Eagles 205/5 – Matthew Nandu 71 not out, Kevin Sinclair 28)
Jaryl Moore is a fitness trainer certified by the International Sports Science Association. Moore recently worked at the Ministry of Education attached to Queen’s College where he taught Physical Education and Sports. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, a Graduate Diploma in Computer Science, Psychology at the Cambridge A Level, and CXC subjects in the area of science.
The appointment of Jaryl Moore as the Strength and Conditioning Coach with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) is in keeping with CWI Sports Medicine and Science Strategy for the development of players. CWI Manager of Sports Medicine and Science Dr. Oba Gulston expressed gratitude to the Territorial Boards for their commitment shown in the appointment of physiotherapists and Strength and Conditioning Coaches.
Moore’s selection complements the appointment in December 2022 of Angelica Holder as a physiotherapist attached to the Guyana Cricket Board, with her main responsibility being that of the Guyana Harpy Eagles. On the implementation of this new Regional Medical Team, Dr. Gulston indicated that “the assignments of the physiotherapists and Strength and Conditioning Coaches will greatly improve the medical support for all players in our system and the communication between our medical professionals, teams, and players.”
Dr. Oba Gulston
Further, Dr. Gulston mentioned that “CWI will centrally train all the Strength and Conditioning Coaches and Physiotherapists to ensure compliance with operating procedures for testing. The Territorial Board’s assigned Strength and Conditioning Coach and Physiotherapist will now be able to work collaboratively to carry out the relevant tests locally for all players Men, Women, and Youths within their Territory. Given this fact, it is necessary that each Territorial Board has access to the correct equipment, with the initial equipment purchases including that Timing gates, Jump Mats, Dynamometer (Muscle tester) with an expansion pack, and Software and IT support for all equipment.”
Jaryl Moore said that he was happy to be appointed as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Guyana Cricket Board and that he is keen on using his knowledge and experience to improve players by getting them to match readiness.” Jaryl indicated that thorough planning on mental, skills and decision-making will be necessary for player growth. This approach will help to realize improved performances and so help the players to transition to higher competitive levels.
(Scores: Windward Islands Volcanoes 1st Innings 243, T&T Red Force 1st Innings 50/1*)
On the opening day of the opening fixture of the 2023 West Indies Championship, it was the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force who were in charge at stumps in Grenada.
After winning the toss and sending in the Windward Islands Volcanoes to bat, Red Force made early inroads. First Terrance Hinds accounted for Kimani Melius (4) in the third over while he had Kavem Hodge knicking behind for a 7-ball duck to leave the Volcanoes at 16/2. From there on the Volcanoes struggled to string together meaningful partnerships. Jerlani Robinson and Alick Anthanaze put on 28 for the third wicket before he holed out to Bryan Charles off the bowling of Tion Webster.
Terrance Hinds
Anthanaze held his composure to steady the ship with Sunil Ambris (55), however, with the partnership (worth 54) in ascendancy Anthanaze was dismissed by off-spinner Charles for 41. The only other partnership of worth was 98 runs between Ryan John (who fell for 36) and Tevyn Walcott. The latter eventually ran out of partners as the Volcanoes were skittled out for 243, Walcott’s innings was a mixture of aggression and composure, his 87 not out came off of 101 deliveries and included 14 boundaries and one maximum.
Hinds snared 4/72 while Charles ended with figures 4/46.
In response, the Red Force only suffered one casualty, Khary Pierre who fell for a duck off the bowling of Darius Martin with the score at 6. By stumps, Jeremy Solanzo (18 not out) and Darren Bravo (32 not out) were looking solid and had reduced the 1st innings deficit to 193 with their team on 50/1.
The 592 Dugout 