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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, June 19, 2017
Ming produces podium finish in Mexico to crown off F4 title
By Stephan Sookram
FOLLOWING his history-making drive that gifted him his maiden NACAM Formula 4 Championship title, Guyanese Calvin Ming racked up back-to-back wins in races two and three of the final round of the series. In the second of the threerace weekend, Ming started in 4th position before moving his way up to first in the opening lap before completing the 25-minute race to rack up his first win of the weekend. Ming won by 11.85 seconds over second and third place finishers, Alexis and Alexandra Mohnhaupt respectively. Up to press time, the results from race three were unconfirmed. Ming started off the weekend activities of the 8th and final round of the Mexican NACAM FIA Formula 4 championship series on Saturday morning by turn-
ing in the fastest times during the first practice session. He then went on to later qualify and start the first race in second position before encountering engine performance issues while in the lead after leading the race for several laps. Having carefully calculated the various permutations, and being aware that he had a 55 points lead, he nursed the car to a fourth place finish, knowing that in this position, he would emerge as the champion of the series, irrespective of whether or not he participated in the two other races on Sunday. The efforts of the members of the Ram Racing Team, which is owned by retired Mexican Air-force General, Jose Antonio Ramos and meticulously managed by his son ‘Pato’, were undoubtedly major contributing factors to the entire team’s successes during the series.
Uncapped seamer Kesrick Williams.
Calvin Ming stands atop his F4Car after taking race two
Cameron says seniority won’t ensure higher grade contracts
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Cricket West Indies boss Dave Cameron says senior West Indies players need to come to grips with the harsh reality of their performance-based requirements, stressing that experience alone would no longer count in the issuing of central retainer contracts. Speaking against the backdrop of the furore arising from Darren Bravo’s rejection of a Grade C contract last year, Cameron argued that Windies players now controlled their own futures as once they performed, they and not CWI dictated the quality of contract they received. The often controversial Cameron also contended that seasoned players needed to translate that experience into performances instead of hoping for a high level retainer based on their length of time in international cricket. “Everyone has been talking for years, we want performance contracts, we want performance contracts. Now we’ve put in performance contracts and now we have a problem,” Cameron told Massy Insurances Life and Length Network in a wide-ranging interview. “Telling me whether you’ve played 10 matches or 20 matches or 30 matches – well where are the numbers? If you have this experience, you should be getting better not worse so how is it that your numbers are better when you just started
and after two years you’re getting worse.” It was announced by CWI last November that Bravo along with seasoned campaigner Marlon Samuels and all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, had rejected cen-
Cricket West Indies boss Dave Cameron
tral retainer contracts. Media reports subsequently said that Bravo, the Windies premier Test batsman, had been offered a Grade C contract which was lower than the one he previously held. Cameron then said in a controversial television interview that CWI would not reward declining performances by senior players and appeared to suggest that Bravo had previously held a top tier A contract. The player took to Twitter to dispute Cameron’s assertion but also labelled him ‘a big idiot’ which resulted him being sent home from South Africa, ahead of the Tri-Nations Series in Zimbabwe. He has since
Windies selectors stick with same 13 for first two India ODIs
been barred from selection until he removes the tweet and apologises. CWI determines the grade of contract on a points system stemming for player performances over a 12-month period and Cameron said on this basis, players were aware of the performances required in order to stake their claim for higher grade contracts. “What we do is for our players but again, how do we keep compromising a system,” the Jamaican administrator explained. “Everybody writes their own contract. There is no stipulation that says we’re only going to have two A contracts, three B’s or four C’s, there is no stipulation across the board. If everybody is on a A-plus because their numbers merit that, they all get that.” He continued: “All we are saying is that you write your own contract. At the start of the season you are told what averages you need to have, volume of runs, volume of wickets, behaviours, whatever. It’s up to you.” Grade A is the highest level contract on offer from CWI and is worth US$150, 000, with Grade B valued at $125,000 and Grade C, $100,000. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite, who averages 35 from 37 Tests, is currently the only player on a Grade A contract with Test and oneday captain Jason Holder on a Grade B.
Cameron said going forward it was important that senior players understood the stated policy of CWI. “Something’s happening. Let us address it together but just to say I am a senior guy so therefore I need to be paid more, it’s not going to happen with Cricket West Indies,” he stressed.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) – Cricket West Indies (CWI) selectors have named an unchanged 13-man West Indies squad to face India in the opening doubleheader of the five-match one-day series starting here next Friday. It includes one uncapped player in seamer Kesrick Williams who was drafted into the squad for the third one-dayer against Afghanistan last week, following injury to speedster Shannon Gabriel. Williams has played eight Twenty20 Internationals and was the leading bowler in the three-match series against the Afghans. The side gathered here following the rained out third OneDay International against Afghanistan last week, to prepare for the upcoming rubber. West Indies will need to lift their game significantly if they are to challenge the Indians, who lost the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in London on Sunday. They were poor against the Afghans, suffering a stunning 63-run defeat in the opener before labouring to a four-wicket win in the second game in pursuit of 136. West Indies are expected to play a warm-up game against a Trinidad and Tobago XI on Tuesday. SQUAD – Jason Holder (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Kieran Powell, Rovman Powell, Kesrick Williams.