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ZIMBABWEtooka 1-0leadintheTestseriesagainstBangladesh afterfetchinganervy three-wicketwinonthe fourthdayinSylhet.
BlessingMuzarabani, whoalreadyhadthreewicketstohisnamebeforethe startofplay,addedthreeto histallytobowlBangladesh outfor255.Zimbabwe's openersthensetuptherun chasewithasolid95-run openingstandwhicheventuallyprovedtobeverycrucialconsideringZimbabwe stutteredtheirwaytoawin intheend.
Withaleadof112atthe startofplayandsixwickets inhand,Bangladeshneeded agoodstart.However,NajmulShantoplayedapoor ashegotatopedgewhileattemptingapulltofallearly.
Thatwicketprovedto beamassiveblowforthe hostssinceShantowasthe setbatter.Afewoverslater, Muzarabanistruckagainfor Hasanedgedonetogully. BangladeshwerenowslippingrapidlyasRichardNgaravastfuckattheend,just sevenballsafterMehidy's
LUKADoncicscoreda game-high31pointsfor theLosAngelesLakersas theybeattheMinnesota Timberwolves94-85tolevel theirWesternConference at1-1.
Doncicsank16ofhis thehomesidestartedstronglyandhisoverallperformancealsoincluded12reboundsandnineassists.
LeBronJamesadded21 pointstotheLakers'tally ashealsoregistered11rebounds,whileteam-mate AustinReavescontributed 16points.
"Itwasjustaquestionof ifwewouldbemorephysicalornotandIthinkwe showedthat,"saidDoncicas hehelpedhissidetoa34-15 leadattheendofthefirst quarter.
"Weweretherefor48 minutes.Wegotupbigin fromthelastgameandwe juststuckwithit."
BARBADOS’HeadCoach BryanHolderhasexpressed prideinhisyoungteam’s performanceatthe52nd CARIFTAGamesinTrinidadandTobago,notingthe athletes’growth,improved performances,andthevaluableexperiencegainedover thethree-daychampionship.
Barbadosfinishedthe meetwith14medals—one gold,fivesilver,andeight bronze—withthelonegold medalcomingfromJayden Green,whodeliveredasuperbperformancetowinthe U20Boys200min20.93seconds.Greenalsostarredinthe sprintrelays,playingapivotal roleinboththe4x100mand 4x400m,earninghighpraise fromHolder.
dismissaltoputthehostsin deeptrouble.
JakerAlithenrallied withthetailtoaddafew crucialrunsbeforebecoming Muzarabani'ssixthwicketas Bangladeshgotbowledout for255.Withatargetof174, Zimbabwemadeabreezy startasopenerBrianBennett lookedingoodtouchagain, slammingback-to-back togetgoingbeforeBen Curranfoundtheboundary twiceinthefollowingover.
asBangladeshjustcouldn'tingstand.Bennettstamped
TaijulIslamasZimbabwe keptrunningawaywiththe target. The95-runopening whenCurrangotaleading edgewhileattemptingto hitMehidyagainstthespin.ty,Bangladeshslowlygrew intothegameandcaused panicintheoppositioncamp withafewquickwickets
LukaDoncicscoredagame-high31points
Minnesotawerenotas withJuliusRandlescoring27 pointsandAnthonyEdwards adding25.
"Itseemedlikeevery timeIcaughttheball,they kindofwentintoazoneina sense,"saidEdwards.
"Itwaskindofconfusing attimesbutwe'llwatchthe three]."
MilwaukeeBucksstar GiannisAntetokounmpo scoredagame-high34points buthisvisitingsidewere
beaten123-115bytheIndianaPacersandwent2-0 downintheirEasternConseries.
TheBuckshadDamian weekabsenceandhesank athree-pointerinthelatter stagesofthefourthquarter tohelphissidereducea 15-pointdeficitanddraw towithintwopointsofthe Pacersat115-113.
However,AndrewNembhard,whoscored17points, respondedwithathree-point-
asMehidyandTaijulkept posingquestions. From112/1,Zimbabwe werereducedto128/4but afterabriefresistance,a fewlatestrikesgavethe homesidehopeagainas fer.Atthispoint,Zimbabweneeded13runswhereasBangladeshneededthe MadhevereandNgarava thenhitafoureachtoease thepressurebeforeeventuallygettingthejobdone. (Cricbuzz)
erforthePacersastheyheld oninagamewhichincluded numberoftechnicalfouls.
"It'sfun,"saidTyrese Haliburton."Thisiswhat everybodylivesfor.We'reall competitors,sohavingalot offuncompetingrightnow."
Haliburtonscored21 pointsandadded12assists, whilePacersteam-matePascalSiakamadded24points and11rebounds.
WesternConferencewinnersOklahomaCityThunder play-offseriesagainstthe MemphisGrizzliescourtesyofacomfortable118-99 homewin.
ShaiGilgeous-Alexanderscored27pointsforthe Thunderasteam-matesJalen WilliamsandChetHolmgren added24and20pointsrespectively.
JarenJacksonJrscored 26pointsandJaMorant added23fortheGrizzlies buttheystruggledtotroubletheirhosts.(BBCSport)
“Theperformancewas quiteoutstandingforajunior boy,”Holdersaid.“Andtosee howhetookupthestickinthe 4x400mandbroughtusright backintocontention—that wasexceptional.Eveninthe 4x100m,Ithoughthetook theConcordedowntheback-
WhileBarbadosfellshort oftheexpectedmedalcount, Holderemphasisedthathis focusremainsondevelopment andperformance,notjustthe podium.
“Thisisaprettyyoung team,”heexplained.“Alot ofthemembersareeligible toreturnnextyear,andthat bodeswellforthefuture.We broughtsomeoftheU17athletesheretogainexperience. Yes,somerelayteamsdidn’t goasplanned,butnowthey’ve hadatasteofwhatthislevel islike.”
Holder,whoisknownfor championingathleteprogressionovermedalhauls,added thatthelevelofcompetition atthisyear’sGameshadrisen
“Thevalueofamedalin 2025isnotthesameaslast
yearortheyearbefore.Performancesthatwould’veearned makethecutthistime.For example,ourU20boysran 3:08inthe4x400mandplaced fourth—that’sheartbreaking, butitshowsthestandardwe’re nowcompetingagainst.”
Lookingahead,Holder believesBarbadosmustevolve inhowitsupportsandretains talent,particularlythoseathleteswhomoveoverseasfor scholarships.
“Weneedtoexplorehow wecanstrengthenourpool withsecond-generationBarbadiansabroad.Toooften,our athletesleaveanddon’tcome back.Othercountriesaretappingintotheirdiaspora—we shouldbedoingthesame.”
Despitenotreachingthe medalheightsofpastyears, Holderconsiderstheteam’s showingasuccess,particularly withthenumberofnational recordsbrokenandpromising performancesfromemerging athletes.
“I’mreallyhappywith thisteam,”hesaid.“This groupneedscontinuedmotivationandsupport,andI hopeBarbadiansunderstand thatbehindeverymedalisationisbeingbuilt,andwe’ve gottherightblocksinplace forsomethingevenbetterin 2026.”
KINGSTON,Jamaica, (CMC)–Jamaica’syoung trackandfieldstarsreturnedhometoahero’s welcomeafteranother historicperformanceat the52ndCariftaGamesin TrinidadandTobago.
TheJamaicanssecured astaggering78medalsand their47thoveralltitle,markingtheir39thconsecutivevictoryattheprestigiousregional championships.
Theteam,celebratedfor theirrecord-breakingperformances,wasgreetedbyMinisterofSportsOliviaGrange, whohailedtheirachievements asproofofJamaica’senduringdominanceinathletics.
“Iamsoproudofthem. Whatamazesmeandalso inspiresmeisthatwekeep producingacadreofyoung athleteswhomaintainthe highstandardforwhichJamaicaisknown.Ourfuture isgreat;ourfutureisbright whenitcomestotrackand andthepressureofperformingonrivalsoil,Jamaica’s
teamrosetotheoccasion. AssistantcoachKirkKing acknowledgedthechallenges butpraisedtheresilienceof
theathletes.
“Itwasachallenging meet.Whenyou’reinenemyterritorylikeTrinidad
LONDON,England, (CMC)–Followingasuperb2024,WestIndies’ T20starNicholasPooran hasbeenvotedWisden’s LeadingT20Cricketerin theWorld.
The29-year-old left-handedbatsmanearned theprestigiousawardafter arecord-breakingyearthat sawhimsetanewmark forthemostT20runsina calendaryear.
His2331runsscoredat anaverageof40eclipsed MohammadRizwan’sT20 recordforacalendaryear of2,036,whichhadbeen setin2021.
Pooran,whoovertook ChrisGayletobecome WestIndies’leadingT20 scorer,alsohitthemost sixesinacalendaryearin T20cricket.
HebrokeGayle’spreviousrecordof135sixes setin2015,smashing139 sixes.
NicholasPooranvotedWisden’sleadingT20cricketer intheworldfor2024
Meanwhile,India’s fastbowlerJaspritBumrah andopeningbatterSmriti Mandhanawerecrowned theworld’sleadingmale andfemalecricketersrespectively.
Bumrahwonthehonour inthemen’ssectionafter astellar2024whenheexcelledacrossformatsand wasnamedplayerofthe tournamentasIndiawon
theTwenty20WorldCup intheWestIndies.
Mandhanawonthe women’shonouraftera prolific2024thatincluded fivehundreds–fourof theminone-dayinternationals.
ShealsoledRoyal ChallengersBengaluru totheirfirstWomen’s PremierLeaguetitlelast year.
…theJamaicanssecureda staggering78medals
andTobago,theymakeit difficultforyou.Butwe didextremelywell.We’re verypleasedwiththemedal
count.Wefacedsomeinjuries,butwemanagedto workaroundthemandgot thejobdone.”
THEWorldTestChampionship(WTC)isa"shamblesmasqueradingasa showpiece",saysWisden editorLawrenceBooth.
Writinginthe162nd editionoftheyearlybook, Boothalsosethissights ontheInternationalCricket Council(ICC).
BoothquestionedJay Shah'spromotionfromBoard ofControlforCricketin India(BCCI)secretaryto ICCchairmaninAugustatatimewhenIndiawere refusingtoplayChampionsTrophymatchesinthe ICC-appointedhostnation ofPakistan.
"Thecommunalshrug [thatmetShah'sappointment]confirmedasorry truth:2024wastheyear cricketgaveupanyclaimto beingproperlyadministered,
withchecks,balances,and governanceforthemany,not thefew,"Boothwrote.
"Indiaalreadyhadthe monopoly:nowtheyhad hotelsonParkLaneand Mayfair.
BooththenturnedhisattentiontothebiennialWTC, suggestingthetournament shouldrunacrossfouryears ratherthantwo.
TheWTCcyclerunsfor twoyears,withteamsplayingsixseriesduringthatperiod-threeathomeandthree away-12pointsareawarded forwinningamatch,sixfora tieandfourforadraw.
However,asteamsplay acrosstheirsixseries,the tableisrankedbypercentage ofpointswon.
Shah'sin-trayoughttobethe
WorldTestChampionship,a shamblesmasqueradingasa showpiece,"Boothsaid.
"Withteamsplayingaponents,itrequiresacalcusportingendeavour:itmust beeasytofollow.
"TheICCcannotallow thechampionshiptocontinueasifdesignedonthe backofafagpacket.Doubleitslengthtofouryears, likefootballandrugby,and ensurethetopnineinthe rankingsallplayeachother, homeandaway,overseries ofatleastthreeTests."
Thethirdeditionofthe WTCcomestoaconclusion between11-15June,when SouthAfricafaceAustralia atLord's.(BBCSport)
TheCARIFTAGamescontingentthat wasinTrinidadandTobagoalong withDirectorofSport,SteveNinvalle (PHOTO:NewsRoom/Jagroop)
MINISTERofCulture, Youth,andSport,Charles RamsonJr.,hasissueda government'ssteadfastsupportfortheGuyaneseathleteswhoreturnedhomeon Tuesdayafterparticipating intherecentlyconcluded CARIFTAGamesinTrinidadandTobago.
MinisterRamsonJr.'s strongstatementdirectly addressesthepublicdisappointmentexpressedbysome
TheCARIFTAGamescontingentsthatwasinTrinidadandTobagoalong withDirectorofSport,SteveNinvalle(PHOTO:NewsRoom/Jagroop).
quartersregardingtheteam's overallperformanceatthe prestigiousregionaljunior championships.
Thisyearwitnessedarecordcontingentof42athletes proudlyrepresentingGuyana inthetwin-islandrepublic, asignificantincreasefrom the23athleteswhosecured eightmedalsforthenationat thepreviousGamesheldin Grenada.
Despitethelargerteam size,Guyanareturnedwitha
PORTOFSPAIN,Trinidad,(CMC)–Forthesecondyearrunning,Jamaica, TheBahamasandTrinidadandTobago emergedtopofthemedalstandingswhen the52ndCariftaGamesconcludedhere onMondaylastattheHaselyCrawford Stadium.
Jamaicawaspredictablycrownedoverall championsafterendingthethree-dayevent with78medals,sixlessthanthe84they capturedatlastyear’sGamesinGrenada.
Thistimearoundtheycaptured30gold medals,27silverand21bronze,compared tothe45gold,23silverand16bronzemedalslastyear.
Therewassignificantimprovement bysecondplacedBahamas,whichalmost
onesilver,andthreebronze.
Acknowledgingthesubstantialinvestmentmadeby thegovernmentinfacilitating thetravel,accommodation, andauxiliaryneedsofthe extensivedelegationtoTrinidadandTobago,Minister RamsonJr.emphatically statedthatthiscommitment tothedevelopmentofGuyana'syoungathletesremains unwavering.
Hestressedthatthegov-
doubledtheirgoldmedaltallyofninefrom 2024to16ontheirwaytocollecting37 medals,whichalsoincluded13silverand eightbronzemedals.
forthesecondyearrunning,withtheirnine goldmedalsmorethandoublingthefour theywoninGrenada.
Additionally,thehostsalsotookhome sixsilverand10bronzemedalsontheirway
Grenada,Antigua&Barbuda,Saint Lucia,CaymanIslandsandtheUSVirginIslandsallendedtheGameswithtwo goldmedals,whileBarbadosandAruba eachearnedonegoldmedaltoroundout thetop10.
ernmentwillcontinuetoprovidethenecessaryresources andsupportastheathletes andtheAthleticsAssociationofGuyana(AAG)work diligentlytowardsachieving greatersuccessandamore substantialmedalhaulatfutureCARIFTAGames.
Furthermore,Minister RamsonJr.offereddirect counseltothereturningathletes,urgingthemtomaintain theirfocusandresiliencein thefaceofanynegativecrit-
icismorpubliccommentary.
Heunderscoredthegovinherentpotential,dedication, andongoingathleticdevelopment,encouragingthemto usethisexperienceasasteppingstoneforfuturetriumphs ontheregionalstage.
Guyana'smedalwinners atthe52ndCARIFTAGames includedTiannaSpringer, whosecuredagoldmedalin theGirls'Under-20400m; MalachiAustin,whoearned
asilvermedalintheBoys' Under-20400m;andAttoya Harvey,whoaddedabronze medalintheGirls'Under-20 1500m.
EboMcNeilalsocontributedabronzemedalin theBoys'Under-173000m, whileRodelGreene'spersonalbestleapof15.50metersintheBoys'Under-20 TripleJumponthefinal andfinalmedal,another well-deservedbronze.
STJOHN’S,Antigua, (CMC)–DefendingchampionsBarbadosrompedto claimtheirsecondsuccessive RisingStarsUnder-15title indominantfashionhereon Wednesday.
PlayingattheCoolidge CricketGround,Barbados defeatedGuyanaby50runsto anddefendthetitle. Itwasthesecondstraight yearthatBarbadosplayed unbeateninthetournament, havingwonfourmatcheslast yearwiththeothercontest
endingbeingrainedout. Needingtoavoiddefeat againstGuyana,whoenteredcord,Barbadosposted209for eightfromtheir50overs.
SethSmithwhotopscored with47off75balls,while captainJustinParrismadea counterattacking38from40 balls.
Barbadosfoundthemselvesinaspotofbotherat 70forfourwhenmedium pacerReyazLatifdismissed Parris,butSmithandRajeev Parsooramcametogetherto
MediumpacerReyazLatif wasonceagainthepick oftheGuyanesebowlers with3-31 (Turntopage24)