Lara: Chanderpaul deserved proper send-off
DUBAI, UAE (CMC):Batting legend Brian Lara believes recently retired West Indies batsman Shiv Chanderpaul should have been afforded the time to make a graceful exit from the game.Hailing Chanderpaul as one of the “giants of West Indies cricket”, Lara said he was disappointed the 41-year-old had been axed from the Test team without having the opportunity to have a “proper send-off”.”Shiv, who played since 1994, had a tremendous career. I started with Shiv in Guyana, and remember his first Test match against England,” Lara said here Monday.”That guy with the most Test matches for the West Indies, playing for over 20 years. I don’t think people in the West Indies understand exactly his contribution.”I was very disappointed that Shiv was not allowed a couple of more Test matches, not necessarily to break the record, but to have a proper send-off – something I think he is very disappointed (about); and, unfortunately, that did not happen.”Chanderpaul’s form came under the microscope after he managed just 91 runs in three Tests against South Africa last year January and 92 runs in a similar three-Test series against England in April.In announcing the left-hander’s sacking ahead of Australia’s tour of the Caribbean last May, chief selector Clive Lloyd said Chanderpaul’s decline in form had been “rapid”, and selectors had opted to focus on younger players.Overall, Chanderpaul pummelled 11,867 runs from 164 Tests at an average of 51, with 30 centuries.Lara said he was a big admirer of Chanderpaul throughout his career.”He has been a great servant for West Indies cricket, and he has done some tremendous things throughout his career, and credit must be given to the man for how he has played,” said Lara, who is here to play in the Masters Champions League.See related story on B3.
POKER STAR confirmed his status as the country’s top sprinter at Caymanas Park yesterday with an emphatic victory in the annual renewal of the Eileen Cliggott Memorial Trophy over 1300 metres, the season’s first grade one trophy race.Installed a 4-5 favourite with four-time champion Omar Walker riding him for the first time, the classy 4-y-o colt from the stables of 15-champion trainer Wayne DaCosta won by 1 3/4 lengths from PHINEAS (7-2) under former champion Wesley Henry with old rival CAMPESINO (Paul Francis up) in third.Breaking smartly from the number-one post position, POKER STAR led briefly before giving way to the highly fancied American-bred UPPA TUNE (2-1) under champion jockey Shane Ellis. He came back strongly to dispose of topweight UPPA TUNE and, on entering the straight, quickened impressively to win going away.Owned by Alexander Haber and bred by Y.S. (1955) Limited, POKER STAR a 4-y-o bay gelding by Liquidity out of Buyabook, was notching his fourth consecutive win and his third over this trip since May of last year. In between, he won the November 14 Caribbean Sprint Championship and more recently, the St Catherine Cup open allowance race over 1100 metres on January 2. DaCosta said POKER STAR did what was expected of him … and more.”He was ridden with some degree of patience, having to run from the number one post position, but there was a lot to like about the manner in which he found another gear when PHINEAS came on the scene a furlong out, and so long as he remains healthy, he won’t be beaten for now,” said DaCosta.
West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Whycliffe ‘Dave’ Cameron has disclosed that West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell will not be pulled from the West Indies team for the upcoming ICC World T20 World Cup. The Windies are currently preparing for the upcoming tournament to be held in India. Russell, an anticipated key figure in the West Indies push to regain the World Twenty20 crown, recently missed three out-of-competition drug tests over a 12-month period, which under World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) rules equates to a positive finding and carries a suspension of two years for a first offence. The 27-year-old, according to Cameron, is to face an independent panel of the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission after the March 8 to April 3 tournament. “Mr Russell is not suspended as he will play in the World T20,” Cameron said, following the annual general meeting of the WICB at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel at the weekend. “The matter has been sent to an independent panel for hearing, and that will be done after the tournament.” Cameron, who expressed surprise at Russell’s rule violation given efforts of the board to inform players of WADA requirements, also stated that Russell has the full support of the board. “We have Ayana Cooper (WICB player relations officer), who is on board, on staff and that is exactly one of the reasons she is there for: To support the players directly on those things,” stated Cameron. “We have to now move to try and support him in ensuring whatever sanctions we can mitigate.” The big-hitting Russell guided Islamabad United to the inaugural Pakistan Super League title last month. He was also named man of the tournament. He also helped Sydney Thunder win the Australia Big Bash League, Kolkata Knight Riders the Indian Premier League and Jamaica Tallawahs the Caribbean Premier League. He is also in talks with Nottinghamshire in a bid to represent them in this year’s England T20 Blast tournament. According to WADA rules, athletes must tell their local anti-doping agency, where they will be for at least one hour each day, to accommodate out-of-competition drug tests.
take early leadDefending champions Passagefort United signalled from early that they will be the team to beat in this year’s South East St Catherine Constituency Domino League, which is sponsored by Member of Parliament Colin Fagan, after they copped their second win in as many games last Sunday. Passagefort moved to eight points as they got by a spirited Garveymeade 250-243.In other games, Westmeade Rising Stars stopped Waterford 250-233, and Cumberland defeated pointless Portsmouth 250-200.Tomorrow’s games: Ken’s Wildflower vs Garveymeade, Portsmouth vs Westmeade Rising Stars, and Waterford vs Passagefort United.Church football clash in semisDefending champions Edgewater FC will take on East Portmore Portals in the opening semi-final game of a double-header, in the Pines Imaging Centre-sponsored Portmore Under-17 Football League at Cedar Grove playing field at 1 p.m. In the second semi-final, Portmore United take on Cedar Grove at 3 p.m.Meanwhile, Portmore had to dig deep last Saturday to secure their semi-final spot, as they clipped Daytona 2-1 in their finalpreliminary-round game.Passagefort semi-finalsThe semi-finals of the Power of Faith Ministries (PFM) Church Football League will be played today at Passagefort playing field. Hope & Mercy Ministries play Fair View in one semi-final, while defending champions 65 Waltham Park New Testament Church of God will take on Power of Faith Ministries in the second semi-final.In their final preliminary-round game, Hope & Mercy stunned Faith Temple Pentecostal3-0 through goals from Jason Williams (37th, 65th) and Jemarc Graham (71st).PFM ‘A’, Equator, In Your Neighbourhood
Edgewater, Portals face off in finalPower of Faith Ministries ‘A’ take on Equator Faith Mission in the final of the PFM Church Netball League at the PFM Sports Complex today, beginning at 2:15 p.m. In the play-off for third place, PFM ‘B’ play Faith Temple New Testament at 1:30 p.m.In semi-final games played recently, PFM ‘A’ beat PFM ‘B’ 29-22. Debbie-Ann Coghiel, 15 goals from 18 attempts, and Melonie Bailey, 14/18 attempts, scored for PFM ‘A’. Sophie March scored all of PFM ‘B’ goals from 32 attempts. Equator Faith Mission defeated Faith Temple New Testament 22-17. Equator’s Nickeisha Duncan’s 20 goals from 25 attempts led her team, while shooting for Faith Temple was Lorraine Miller, with 12/19.
The richest race in the English-speaking Caribbean, the inaugural running of the Diamond Mile offering a record purse of $13.5 million, will be run at Caymanas Park on Saturday, December 5, with Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) coming on board as title sponsor.The event is hosted by the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) and Caymanas Track Limited (CTL) and, according to racing secretary Denzil Miller Jr, it promises to be a memorable experience, “bringing glamour, fine entertainment and excitement to the Caymanas racing complex”.Details for the Supreme Ventures Diamond Mile were outlined by representatives of SVL, BGLC and CTL at yesterday’s launch at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston.PRESTIGIOUS EVENT”Supreme Ventures’ commitment of $5 million to the raceday demonstrates our ongoing commitment to enhancing the horse-racing industry,” said Paul Hoo, SVL’s chairman. “We commend the BGLC for its vision in conceptualising and launching the plan earlier this year for what promises to be the most prestigious horse-racing event in the region.”We certainly share the view of the BGLC chairman, Gary Peart, in his comments at the BGLC’s launch in June this year that an event of this nature will help generate more revenue for CTL and, ultimately, it will help the owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms, and all stakeholders at Caymanas Park.”It is also very encouraging for a stakeholder in the gaming industry to note that the regulators do not see themselves as regulators, but also as facilitators assisting in the growth of the industry by their sponsorship.”Our sponsorship of the Diamond Mile race day, a new investment for Supreme Ventures, is valued at $5 million, which will represent an investment of $18 million in sponsorship at CTL for 2015 alone. Indeed, our investment in the sponsorship of horse racing and the promotion of the racedays to date exceeds $103 million, by far the largest partnership in the horse-racing industry.”As one of the companies bidding for the operations of CTL, our vision is to return horse racing to its former glory, with prestigious events that bring out the attendance of patrons, engender the interest of sponsors to come on board throughout the year and make the track one that all stakeholders will be proud of,” he concluded.Also speaking was CTL’s chairman, Christopher Brown, who said SVL has now raised the bar with the addition of the ultra-rich Diamond Mile “which boasts the single-largest purse of any race – $13.5 million”.Denzil Miler pointed to several of the top horses expected to vie for top honours, including two-time ‘Horse of the Year’ TYPEWRITER; the 2013 Derby and St Leger winner, PERFECT NEIGHBOUR; and the crack imported horse, UPPA TUNE. He added that entries for the Diamond Mile will close on Wednesday, November 4, at 2 p.m.
TUESDAY’S MEETING “You have some people in their office pushing to start a (certain) team and asking why is a player playing or not playing. They don’t know if the player attended training or if he was late. I came in a situation where players are not coming to training, players coming to training late, coming to training drunk, players having injuries and not going to the physio, all these things I try to fix. “I tried to teach them how to be a professional as this is the closest some will come to professionalism, and that is what I was trying to bring to Waterhouse. For them to respect the game and treat it as if their lives depends on it,” Young added. He revealed that following the defeat to Tivoli on Sunday, a meeting was arranged between himself and Vidal, who wanted Donovan Duckie to assist him for the remainder of the season. However, he flatly refused the proposal, and following another meeting with other stakeholders, he decided that they should part ways. “Sunday, after the (Tivoli) game, the president called and said he had a proposal for me. So we met at Jojo’s and he told me he had no problem with my coaching and that I knew what I am doing, but noted that we are not getting the results and asked if I could bring in (Donovan) Duckie to be my assistant. “On Monday, I got an email from the treasurer, (Ainsley) Smeikle, saying the warm-up was poor and that too many old players were in the team. That email was accompanied by another from the manager, Conrad Byfield, agreeing with the treasurer and bashing the players, which I resented. After just one win in nine matches, Waterhouse and former national striker-turned coach, Paul Young, parted ways by mutual consent on Wednesday. The former Waterhouse coach, however, defended his time in charge at the Drewsland club and shared that he walked away following a proposal from the club’s president Fitzroy Vidal to take on Donovan Duckie as an assistant for the rest of the season. Young also accused players of not being professional enough and club administrators of trying to influence team selection. He was very disappointed at leaving the club as he believed they were on the right path.. “At the first staff meeting, I told them we needed to be united on and off the field and that was the only way. But we have members trying to influence who play, when they play and why they play. But the only person I listen to when it comes to team selection is my assistant Shavar (Thomas), and they didn’t take lightly to that,” he explained. “Tuesday after training, I saw the president, vice-president, treasurer, manager, gen-sec, and me and my assistant went in a the meeting, which was chaired by the president. He came with the same (Duckie) story and my response was the same. I told him that the reason why we were here is because some people wanted to influence who play, and I don’t go for that,” he revealed. “They knew that I wouldn’t go for it though, so maybe they wanted to fire me, but never knew how,” he added. Although disappointed, Young said he always knew it was going to be a tough job and wished the Drewsland team the best in their fight to avoid the drop. FIXING PROBLEMS
GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC):Leaders Guyana Jaguars remained on course for a title repeat when they trounced Windward Islands Volcanoes by six wickets on a dramatic third day when 17 wickets fell yesterday.The visitors were dismissed for 339 in the morning session to secure a first innings lead of 123 at the Beausejour Cricket Stadium and then promptly dismissed Volcanoes for 161, to set themselves a target of 39 for victory.Drama then followed as Jaguars crashed to 13 for four before Man of the Match and captain Leon Johnson smashed a four and a six in an unbeaten 17 off 15 deliveries to see his side to victory in the eighth-round contest.The win handed the title-holders 18 points and propelled them to 125 points, keeping them in pole position to pick up their second straight Regional four-day title.Resuming the morning on 310 for six, Jaguars added 29 runs with Barbadian Raymon Reifer finishing on 37 not out and seamer Mervin Matthew claiming six for 81 – his third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket.Reifer then sliced through the Volcanoes innings to finish with four for 35, while Test leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo claimed three for 71, as Volcanoes slumped badly in their second innings.Veteran opener Devon Smith hit his second half-century of the match with 51, while Shane Shillingford struck 26 and Dalton Polius got 22.They were cruising at 90 for two at one stage, but lost their last eight wickets for just 71 runs.In one final twist, off-spinner Shillingford (2-26) combined with seamer Kyle Mayers (2-13) to stun the Jaguars’ top order before Johnson restored order.Red Force poised for victoryAt the National Cricket Centre: Leeward Islands Hurricanes, trailing Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by 181 runs, were 147 for five in their second innings at the close on the third day of their eighth round game here yesterday.Scores: HURRICANES 225 all out (Jahmar Hamilton, 53; Nkrumah Bonner, 47; Rahkeem Cornwall, 31; Montcin Hodge, 24; Rayad Emrit, 3-55; Marlon Richards, 3-55; Imran Khan, 2-63). RED FORCE 406 for nine (Imran Khan, 82; Narsingh Deonarine, 68; Steven Katwaroo, 50; Marlon Richards, 31 not out; Yannic Cariah, 30; Rahkeem Cornwall, 5-88; Gavin Tonge, 2-73).
FIFA will expand the World Cup to 48 teams, adding 16 extra nations to the 2026 tournament which is likely to be held in North America. President Gianni Infantino’s favoured plan — for 16 three-team groups with the top two advancing to a round of 32 — was unanimously approved today by the FIFA Council. It meets Infantino’s election pledge of a bigger World Cup, and should help fund promised raises for FIFA’s 211 member federations. With 80 matches instead of 64, FIFA forecasts the equivalent of $1 billion extra income at current rates from broadcasting and sponsor deals, plus ticket sales, compared to $5.5 billion revenue forecast for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Meanwhile, Jamaica’s 1998 World Cup goalkeepers, captain Warren Barrett and his number two, Aaron ‘Wild Boy’ Lawrence, have expressed opposing views on the development. Barrett says that many would welcome the change, but he does not see the reason to increase the numbers. “I think that is watering it down a bit. For the World Cup, the most prestigious tournament in the world, teams need to work hard to get there. It should not be watered down to accommodate or commercialise the sport. I would rather it stayed at 32,” Barrett said. “If they are increasing it and the format remains the same, maybe I would support it. If you are going to have that knockout stage, I won’t agree with that. If teams are going to play one game and get knocked out and go home, it makes no sense. For the group stage, you have at least three games, so you get a chance to make it to the knockout round. I would stick with that format,” he added. Barrett’s number two during the ’98 campaign, Lawrence, holds a contrasting opinion as he believes that it would be good for developing football countries and aspiring players from these countries. “I don’t think it will water it down because you would give more countries a chance to showcase themselves. You have countries with good talent and ability, and they never got a chance based on how difficult it is in their region. So you will see more football, and more countries will get an opportunity to show their skills on the big stage,”said Lawrence. “It will be more challenging for the Caribbean teams. Teams like Costa Rica, Mexico, and the US might not mind, but for smaller nations like us, Trinidad, Haiti, Cuba, and the top teams in the Caribbean, will find it a lot more difficult to qualify. I certainly wouldn’t welcome that change,” Barrett added. FIFA projects an increased profit of $640 million despite some extra operating costs and prize money for teams. FIFA’s six continents should find out by May how many extra places they will each get. UEFA wants 16 European teams at the tournament, which is strongly favoured to be played in North America. Africa and Asia could be winners in a bigger World Cup with up to nine places each. They had only five and four teams, respectively, at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Still, FIFA said it expects the standard of soccer to drop compared to the 32-team format locked in for the next two World Cups in Russia and Qatar. FIFA must break with tradition to make its new format work after an original 48-team plan — with an opening playoff round sending 16 “one-and-done” teams home early — was unpopular. Instead, three-team groups will replace the usual groups of four to create simple progress to a knockout bracket. However, it leaves one team idle for final group games and could risk collusion between the other two teams. FIFA said it could guard against result-rigging by introducing penalty shootouts after group games that end in draws.
President of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) Dr Warren Blake said the IAAF will have to find a way for lower-tier athletes to make a liveable income from track and field after the world governing body on Monday placed a freeze on athletes’ transfers of allegiance.According to statistics on the IAAF’s website, since 1998, 11 Jamaicans have switched allegiance.In 2015, three Jamaican sprinters – Winston Barnes, Kemarley Brown and Andrew Fisher – switched allegiance to Turkey and Bahrain, respectively. All three represented their respective countries at last year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.The transfers were controversial, and Blake had raised concern about the practice.He said that the fact that some countries went only in search of the top-tier athletes meant that if more Jamaicans were gobbled by wealthy countries, within 10 years, the country would begin to suffer a shortage of talent.”They (other countries) are not really interested in second-stream people. It is only top- tier people they are after, and they have significantly deep pockets and if you remove 10 people each year out of the programme, it would not take long to affect Jamaica,” Blake told The Gleaner.MAIN CONCERNBlake added that the IAAF’s main concern was with African countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia, evidenced from the statement by its president Sebastian Coe on Monday.”It has become abundantly clear with regular multiple transfers of athletes, especially, from Africa, that the present rules are no longer fit for purpose. Athletics, which at its highest levels of competition is a championship sport based upon national teams, is particularly vulnerable in this respect. Furthermore, the present rules do not offer the protections necessary to the individual athletes involved and are open to abuse,” Coe’s statement said.Blake said that in Kenya, once an athlete switches allegiance he is stripped of nationality, which raised problems if he or she failed to perform satisfactorily for their new countries.”What has been happening is they are not given full citizenship of those countries. They are given passport and nationality and if anything happens to them, they find themselves stateless and once they can’t run anymore, they can’t go back to the home country, and they can’t stay where they are. It’s only good for them while they continue running,” Blake said.He also noted that in the case of Jamaicans, many of them continue to train in Jamaica even after switching allegiance.”… And it’s clear they don’t live in the country. It’s things like that that prompted the IAAF to say they need to regularise it,” he added.He admitted, however, that with so few spots for the highest calibre athletes, the IAAF would have to find a way to make the lower-tier athletes earn enough on which to live.”Because right now, only the top of the top can live comfortably off the sport, and once it remains that way, it will always be for people to find ways to around it.”
An 82-strong squad has been named to represent the island at the 2017 staging of the Carifta Games, which is scheduled to take place at the Ergilio Hato Stadium, Willemstad, Curacao from April 15-17.The 22-member boys’ Under-20 squad is headed by Calabar High’s Christopher Taylor, who won the 400 metres at the trials in a national leading time of 45.41 seconds.Taylor is stepping up to the senior-age group for the first as he won the Under-18 one-lap event a year ago in Grenada. Taylor is joined in this age group by Kingston College’s Jhevaughn Matherson, who won the Under-20 100 metres at the Trials in 10.25 seconds.World Under-20 400m silver medallist Junelle Bromfield will lead a strong senior girls team. Now a student at the University of Technology, she won the one-lap race in an impressive 52.75 at the trials.Full squadUnder-18 girls: Britanny Anderson, Annia Ashley, Abigail Brooks, Lotavia Brown, Janique Burgher, Kevona Davis, Lamara Distin, Cemore Donald, Rushana Dwyer, Shaquena Foote, Marie Forbes, Daszay freeman, Michae Harriott, Shaday Hudson, Joanne Reid, Kimone Reid, Taffara Rose, Danielle Sloley, Sanique Walker, Briana WilliamsUnder-20 girls: Gabrielle Bailey, Aneka Brissett, Junelle Bromfield, Amoi Brown, Devia Brown, Janeek Brown, Kasheika Cameron, Britnie Dixon, Taqece Duggan, Nicolee Foster, Kara Grant, Kayan Green, Tissanna Hickling, Chrissani May, Kimoria Muchette, Lorean Murray, Myesha Nott, Fiona Richards, Shian Salmon, Sah-jay StevensUnder-18 boys: Ricardo Clarke, Daniel Cope, Dashinelle Dyer, Michali Everett, Kimar Farquharson, Cobe Graham, Renardo Johnson, Ramone Lindo, Damar Marshall, Xavier Nairne, Wayne Pinnock, Tyrese Reid, Tarees Rhoden, Dejour Russell, Michael Stephens, Antonio Watson, Rovane Williams, Safin Wills, Terrol Wilson, Tyreke WilsonUnder-20 boys: Gabriel Allen, Timor Barrett, Orlando Bennett, Ryan Brown, Tyreke Bryan, Ackeen Coley, Delano Dunkley, Ronaldo Griffiths, Agerian Jackson, Keenan Lawrence, Jhevaughn Matherson, Carey McLeod, Kyle Mitchell, Dashawn Morris, Kevin Nedrick, Kobe-Jordon Rhooms, Alex Robinson, Shemar Salmon, Malik Smith, Roje Stona, Christopher Taylor, Jelani WalkerOFFICIALSChef de mission: Colleen MontagueTeam manager: Ewan ScottAssistant manager: Orett WallaceAssistant manager: Georgia FrancisHead coach: Corey BennettCoaches: Glasford Stona, Marion James, Ruel James, Dwight Jones, Roderick Mile.Doctor: Dr Peter SoltauMasseurs: David-Patrick Thompson and Rory Rhoden