Friday, September 13, 2024

26 THE WEEKEND STAR SPORTS • September 13 - 15, 2024 @JamaicaStar www.facebook.com/JamaicaStar • www.jamaica-star.com ST JOHN’S, Antigua: W ith Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) chief executive officer Johnny Grave set to depart in just under three weeks, the regional institution has commenced its search for his replacement. However, with Grave set to step down at the end of November, the new hire will not take up the position until the first quarter of 2025. This was announced by CWI in a press release yesterday, which said that an executive manager would lead the organisation for the interim. In making the announcement, CWI president Dr Kishore Shallow said he was excited about the organisation’s direction and potential. “This is an exciting and transformative time for Cricket West Indies. With the ongoing enhancement of our human capital, we are extremely excited to complement this with the recruitment of a new CEO,” Dr Shallow said. “In addition to executing our 2024-2027 Strategic Plan, we are enthusiastic about the prospect of a fresh perspective and ideas for the organisation. The opportunities for West Indies cricket are immense in a sporting industry that is growing and evolving rapidly. “We expect the new CEO to lead a high-performance environment, drive innovation, and reflect both CWI’s and the region’s values,” he added. Grave was named CEO of CWI by former chairman Dave Cameron back in 2017, following the resignation of Michael Muirhead. Interested applicants should send their curriculum vitae with a cover letter via email to recruitment@cricketwestindies.org , addressed to the Human Resources Manager, Cricket West Indies, Coolidge Cricket Ground, St. George, Antigua, West Indies. The deadline for submission is 5 p.m. AST on September 30, 2024. The successful applicant will be expected to commence duties in the first quarter of 2025. – CMC CWI officially begins search for new CEO BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: B arbados Royals kicked off their four-game home fixtures with a less than impressive 10- run victory over the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in a rain-affected contest at Kensington Oval on Wednesday night. The Royals produced a shoddy performance in the field before their home fans, which assisted the Falcons in reaching their eventual total of 176 for five from their 20 overs. Quinton de Kock and Alick Athanaze then set a solid foundation for the Royals, who reached 127 for three in 14.3 overs before heavy showers brought a premature end to the match and gave the home side victory via the Duckworth-Lewis- Stern method. It was the Royals’ third successive win in as many matches, and they joined defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors as the only unbeaten teams remaining in the tournament. Despite the result, the Royals would have been disappointed with their fielding, which included three dropped catches and several misfields. Falcons’ openers Brandon King and Justin Greaves gave them a perfect start, slamming 55 runs from the first six overs to put Royals on the backfoot. King, who was dropped at long on by Royals’ captain Rovman Powell when he was 18, made a boundary- studded 27 with five fours, before being stumped off the bowling of spinner Keshav Maharaj. Sam Billings joined Greaves at the crease and the pair frustrated the Royals’ bowlers during a 92-run partnership for the second wicket that spanned 12 overs. While both batsmen scored half centuries, they struggled to increase the run rate against average bowling. Billings also survived two dropped chances; the first as Maharaj put down a regulation return catch when he was just 11 and later when Rahkeem Cornwall and Powell collided after he skied a delivery from Obed McCoy to extra cover, when he was 54. Jason Holder eventually broke the stand when he bowled Billings for 56. His innings lasted 43 balls and contained five fours and one six. Fabian Allen (1), Chris Green (4) and Roshon Primus (6) all had short stints before Shamar Springer struck a four and a six in an unbeaten 10 from three balls to finish off the innings. Greaves batted through the innings and finished unbeaten on 61 from 52 balls, with eight fours and one six. Holder and Naveem-ul-Haq captured two wickets apiece for the Royals. The Royals got off to a shaky start in their run chase, with Cornwall facing seven balls before lofting spinner Chris Green straight into the hands of Primus at mid off without scoring to leave the score 1-0. Athanaze and de Kock added 72 runs in nine overs to steady the innings before Athanaze was needlessly run out for 34 after colliding with de Kock, trying to complete a quick single. The turning point in the match came in the 12th over bowled by Primus. In what could only be described as catastrophic, Primus sent down four wides and three no balls in an over that lasted 13 balls and conceded 23 runs. He did manage to dismiss de Kock in the over, but when the rains eventually came two overs later and forced the players off the field, the Royals were comfortably ahead of the DLS by 12 runs. De Kock made 48 from 30 balls with four boundaries and two sixes. The players returned to the field, but not for long, as heavy showers forced the end of the match, with the home side still ahead of the DLS. – CMC Barbados Royals claim third straight victory CWI President Dr Kishore Shallow. F ile Quinton De Kock of Barbados Royals bats during the men’s 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League T20 cricket match against Antigua & Barbuda Falcons and Barbados Royal at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground on Wednesday night in Antigua. A shley A llen - CPl T20