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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday April 6, 2016
Best phase in West Indies cricket Sarfraz replaces Afridi as Pakistan’s after our era - Viv Richards
HOW can any West Indies cricket achievement beat the period of dominance in which the Clive Lloyd-led teams won two World Cups (in 1975 and 1979) and were beaten in a Test series only once after 1975-76 (by New Zealand in 1979-80) till the time Lloyd quit the game in 1985? According to Sir Vivian Richards, the chief batting architect in that glorious period, Sunday’s ICC World T20 victories by the women’s and men’s teams come close. “This is the greatest period ever since that wonderful phase involving Clive’s team. Considering the success that West Indies team had on a consistent basis, this is the closest any West Indies team would have got in terms of pride among all nations that make up West Indies cricket,” Richards told mid-day from Antigua yesterday. ‘WI HAD BELIEF’ Richards, who took over
Clive Lloyd
Sir Vivian Richards
the captaincy mantle from Lloyd in 1985 and led the team till his 1991 retirement, didn’t lose a Test series. He reckoned self-belief played an important part in West Indies’ Sunday glory and the quality was aptly epitomised by Carlos Brathwaite, who hit four sixes in the last over to deny England their second World T20 triumph. Richards didn’t appear surprised by Brathwaite’s stunning show. “Carlos is a determined guy. I worked with him in the West In-
dies ‘A’ team (Richards was Technical Director in the Brathwaite-led team in Sri Lanka). He is strong, big and took it away from England. If someone has that kind of belief, anything can be achieved. “Belief is the greatest thing to have as a competitor. You may have talent and ability but the most important thing to have is belief and of course, enough ammunition and personnel to chase down anything that the opposition sets,” Richards, who kept abreast of West Indies’ progress while playing golf.
SUPREME CONFIDENCE He had expressed supreme confidence in the West Indies team before their semi-final clash against India. “I think it’s the best opportunity (to win) regardless of the fact that they are playing India at home. “These guys have got to believe that all things can be accomplished. I believe West Indies have a great chance,” Richards told this newspaper before the March 31 game. Is this the best time for the administrators to sort out their differences with the players? Richards is hopeful, but didn’t sound optimistic: “Judging from what Darren Sammy said in his post-match comments, it didn’t sound all that good. I am just hoping that the folks who didn’t play a huge role on the administrative side of things are not going to jump and start acclaiming that they have done this and that.”
HERSTELLING Raiders have continued their dream run in the STAG/East Bank Football Association Senior
League when they recorded yet another upset win as play continued last Sunday at the Grove Playfield.
Guyana Amazon Warriors congratulate Champions West Indies
THE FRANCHISE owner, management and members of the Guyana Amazon Warriors Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Team extend their heartiest congratulations to the West Indies Men’s team on emerging as Champions with their heart-stopping, spectacular and fantastic victory over England in the ICC World T20 2016 tournament. The fact that several players on the team were members of Guyana Amazon Warriors over the past two seasons makes the team’s success even more satisfying. In winning the trophy for an unprecedented second time, the West Indies T20 team have demonstrated they can proudly maintain the tradition of their illustrious predecessors. We also extend, just as effusively, congratulations to the West Indies Women for emerging victorious in their ICC World T20 tournament in the same trademark West Indian style of passionate cricket. Finally, we would be remiss not to cite the win of the West Indies Under-19 in their ICC World T20 tournament for leading the way to ignite the spark of West Indian cricketing victories in 2016. Both the Senior Men’s and Women’s teams took pains to mention at every stage of their triumphant tournaments, the victory of the youths inspired and challenged them to follow suit. Several of the players in the Under-19 team were also members of the Guyana Amazon Warriors as part of our commitment to nurturing and developing West Indies Cricket. Once again we of the Guyana Amazon Warriors salute our three winning teams for bringing our Caribbean nation together as only cricket can. Meanwhile, the Franchise Owner of the Guyana Amazon Warriors team, together with the management and staff of the franchise would like to extend sincere condolences to Sunil Narine and his family on the untimely passing of his father.
T20 captain
(REUTERS) - Wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed has replaced Shahid Afridi as Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced yesterday. The 36-year-old Afridi quit as captain on Sunday after Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the recent World Twenty20, where they lost three of their four pool matches and failed to reach the semi-finals. Sarfraz was made vice-captain of Pakistan’s ODI and Twenty20 international squads last year and the PCB moved quickly to name him as Afridi’s successor in the game’s shortest format. “I spoke to Sarfraz this morning and conveyed to him that he was our natural
Sarfraz Ahmed choice for this position. His appointment is open-ended. I wish him good luck in his new role,” PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan said in a statement. Despite resigning as skipper, Afridi said he wanted to continue as a player for the Twenty20 side.
Herstelling beat Agricola Red Triangle to record another upset win
Damien Bacchus (left) and Ijaz Cave Latest Points Standings Team Grove Herstelling Agricola Kuru Kururu Mocha Soesdyke Diamond
P 3 4 4 3 3 3 2
W 3 3 2 1 1 1 0
D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
L 0 1 2 2 2 2 2
GF 10 6 10 4 2 6 0
GA 3 6 4 4 3 8 10
The Herstelling boys upstaged Agricola Red Triangle 2-1 to move into second place in the points table, a position they have never experienced before. Ijaz Cave who netted the winning goal in Herstelling’s 2-1 win over Soesdyke one week earlier, set the tone for the win this time around when he netted in the 28th minute. But Agricola, who finished second to Grove Hi Tech in the previous league and reeling from the two red cards issued to two key players in back-to-back matches prior to Sunday’s match, fought back to draw even in the 39th minute when Kacy ‘Boombie’ John fired past goalkeeper, Quazim Yussuf. With such an entertaining first half, the final 45 minutes served up even more excitement but it was not in favour of the more experienced Agricola side;
GD +7 0 +6 0 -1 -2 -10
Points 9 9 6 3 3 3 0
it was the Herstelling Raiders who raided Agricola’s barn. Full points were secured in the 55th minute when Damian Bacchus breached Agricola’s defence to nail his shot into the back of the net, past the hapless Shemroy Kendall, much to the delight of his fellow players and the dismay of their opponents. Herstelling stood firm in defending their advantage and did not allow Agricola to repeat their firsthalf exploits when they came back to equalise. When the final whistle sounded, it meant Herstelling had upset their more accomplished opponents by a 2-1 margin - a similar score line to their win over Soesdyke the previous week. Sunday’s other match saw Kuru Kururu Warriors walk away with full points by way of walkover over Mocha Champs. Defending champions Grove Hi Tech will play this Sunday’s feature match against Kuru Kururu Warriors when the League continues with opening play between Mocha Champs and Soesdyke Falcons at 13:30hrs.