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GUYANATIMESGY.COM
SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013
Zimbabwe players’ boycott ends
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Zimbabwe’s cricketers have reached consensus with their board
imbabwe’s players are “back to full training,” and are likely to rubber-stamp an agreement with their board today after agreeing terms on payment. The newly formed players’ union will continue to represent cricketers’ issues and the series against Pakistan will go ahead as planned. ESPNcricinfo confirmed the players have reached consensus with Zimbabwe Cricket after two days of meetings. One of them, who asked not to be named, said ZC had provided an assurance that outstanding salaries from
the month of July would be paid and that cricketers would receive match fees from now on. The exact amount has not been revealed, although the Zimbabwe Independent had reported players were demanding US$5,000 per Test match, $3,000 for an ODI and $1,500 for every T20. Given that the board is in severe debt, it is unlikely it will be able to match those figures but the players are said to be satisfied with the amounts ZC has offered. “We wanted to make them aware we were the only international team
that were playing without match fees,” the player said. “Now we will be receiving them.” The issue of disbursements from the board’s share of ICC events, which ZC MD Wilfred Mukondiwa said on Friday morning was the only outstanding article of debate, has still not been resolved. Instead, the players have been told the board needs “more time to do research,” and will clarify its position on how the monies from such tournaments will be distributed in an appendix to the new playing contracts. With financial concerns
smoothed over, the players will continue to prepare for the series against Pakistan that starts August 23, with the board announcing a 21-member practice squad. “Training has resumed in full and as things stand now, there will be no boycott of the series,” the player said. However, the players’ association formed by a group of senior players believed to be Brendan Taylor, Hamilton Masakadza, Vusi Sibanda, Prosper Utseya and Elton Chigumbura - will become a permanent fixture in Zimbabwe cricket. “It was something the players put together because we did not have a proper arrangement in the past. The board is now open to the idea of having a player association and we wanted to take that chance,” the player said. “There are a lot if issues that crop up in Zimbabwean cricket and without a singular voice it was very difficult for us to get things done.” Zimbabwe have had many aborted attempts at a players’ association and have not had a fully functioning body since a player representative sat on the board before the white-player walkout. Unlike then, when Zimbabwe’s players were divided over race, they “all united” in their cause to fight for what they consider better pay. (Cricinfo)
Bangladesh World T20 venues make progress
The under-construction grandstand at Sylhet Stadium, which will house the players’ pavilion and corporate boxes
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he construction work of stadiums in Sylhet and Cox’s Bazar for next year’s World Twenty20 will be completed by mid-October, said BCB president Nazmul Hassan. The expected finishing time is likely to exceed the ICC’s September 30 deadline but an inspection team from the governing body is likely to see enough evidence of progress buy the BCB the extra 15 days. The ICC team arrives in Dhaka on Friday, and will visit both cities as well as the two alternative venues in Fatullah and BKSP, Bangladesh’s largest sports institute. “I have no doubt that the construction work will end by mid-October,”
Hassan said. “We will finish the alternative venues [in Fatullah and BKSP] by September. So I don’t think there will be too many difficulties, but it is unlikely to be finished by September 30.” A visit by ESPNcricinfo earlier this week showed the Sylhet stadium has made significant progress since work began in June. The structure of two floors of the four-storey pavilion building has been completed. Located on the northern end of the ground, the building is directly linked to the main entrance from the airport road. On the opposite side, the interiors of the media structure are being refurbished, and work has gone on at a
rapid pace there as well. A hill, on the north-west part of the ground, is being carved to be at the same level as the one-tiered galleries on either side. It is being called the green gallery, and will be a grass bank on top of the hill. Around 400 workers have been employed for the project, with the contractors being strictly told to work around the clock by the country’s finance minister AMA Muhith, whose hometown is Sylhet. He has visited the ground a number of times since work started, and has directed all authorities to cooperate with the BCB and National Sports Council, the custodian of all sporting venues in the country.
The cricket committee of Sylhet’s Divisional Sports Association has also helped in the project, although they have no direct authority of the stadium or the construction work. They are acting as a conduit in various ways, like making sure each of the two roads and walkways are built around the ground. Shafiul Alam, the committee’s chairman, was hopeful that the stadium will be completed on time for the World T20 which begins on March 16 next year, and the inspection team that arrives in Sylhet on August 20, will see a lot more than what they saw in June. “Work has progressed significantly over the last two months,” he said. “When it first started, I couldn’t imagine that it would come to this stage. Now there is the grandstand, the media centre and the green gallery that will be completed. The floodlight towers are almost done too. At this rate, all of this will be done in time. When the inspection team comes next week, I am quite sure they will be surprised by the progress. (Cricinfo)
Guyana, SVG, Barbados and Grenada win as Women’s T20 begins
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t George’s, GRENADA - StVincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Guyana and Grenada recorded wins as the West Indies Women T20 tournament opened at two venues in Grenada on Friday. St Vincent defeated St Lucia by nine wickets while Guyana whipped Trinidad and Tobago by 27 runs at the Tanteen playing field. In the other two matches played at the Progress Park, Barbados edged Jamaica by five runs while host Grenada beat Dominica by forty runs. Juliana Nero continued her prolific form to blast a half century that allowed the Vincentians to overhaul St. Lucia’s 85 for 8 in 20 overs. Nero scored an unbeaten 45 ball 55 that included seven fours which steered St Vincent to 88 for one. Also at Tanteen, Guyana’s frontline batsmen fired to compile a competitive 127 for four in 20 overs against Trinidad and Tobago. Shemaine Campbell hit a top score of 37 before she was trapped lbw, June Ogle smashed 29 before she was run out and Tremayne Smartt was bowled for 25. Guyana’s bowlers contained the run chase as Trinidad stumbled to 100 for nine in their 20 overs. Only Shenelle Lord 31 and Britney Cooper 21 temporarily survived the bowling of key destroyers Erva Giddings, four for 22 and Tremayne Smartt 2 for 12. At Progress Park, a stubborn knock from middle order batsman Chinelle Henry was not enough to save Jamaica who crumbled against Barbados in a low scoring affair.
Shemaine Campbell
Kycia Knight hit a top score of 31 before she was run out as the Bajans got to 70 for 9 in 20 overs. The Jamaicans lost wickets quickly on the chase until Henry arrived to try and stabilize the innings and revive the chase. She struck a four and was batting sensibly until she was run out when she was on 21 as Jamaica was eventually bowled out for 65 in 19.5 overs. At the same venue, host Grenada rode on a well played 39 from Anisha Thomas to reach 116 for seven in 20 overs. But Dominica’s effort to chase down the target was dealt a severe blow when Annica Andrew retired on a top score of 27 not out. The Dominicans were plunged in early trouble after Rackel Williams removed the openers without scoring-trapping Gem Eloi lbw and dislodging Debra Fredericks’s stumps. However Andrew had made some progress in repairing the damage when she was forced to retire without completing her innings. Dominica were 76 for six in 20 overs.
Guyana enjoy another... FROM PAGE 22
Cayman Islands beat Jamaica 3 - 2 Daniel Murphy lost to Bruce Levy 4-11,8-11,5-11 Gabby Rabess beat Dane Schwier 12-10,5-11,12-10,11-9 Mark Chaloner lost to Chris Binnie 11-4,10-12,11-13,7-11 Cameron Stafford beat Bruce Burrowes 11-5,11-5,11-3 Julian Jervis beat Julian Morrison 11-9,11-9,0-11,411,11-9. Matches continue from 09:00h today. Thursday action: Guyana win men’s and women’s titles In other results: Barbados Veterans beat Trinidad and Tobago 4 - 1 Mark Sealy beat Peter Pirtheesingh 11-3,4-11,1210,11-0 Nigel Griffith beat John Holley 11-5,13-11,8-11,11-8 Leon Truss lost to Richard Hart 6-11,2-11,4-11 Lynn De Cambra - Mc Leod walk over Ayoni Bradshaw walkover Men’s competition: Jamaica beat Trinidad and Tobago 3 - 2 Chris Binnie beat Kale Wilson 11-7,11-4,13-11 Bruce Burrowes beat Don Lee 11-8,11-2,11-4 Dane Schwier beat Mandela Patrick 15-13,11-7,14-16,9-
11,11-7 Julian Morrison lost to Paul De Verteuil 11-7,11-4,6-11,811,8-11 Bruce Levy lost to Nku Patrick 6-11-10-12,9-11 Cayman Islands beat OECS 4-1 Mark Chaloner beat Jules Snagg 11-4,11-3,11-4 Cameron Stafford beat kevin Hannaway 11-7,11-9,12-10 Gabe Rabess lost to Kevin Bailey 3-11,8-11,11-4,4-11 Julian Jervis beat Jason Doyle 11-8,12-10,11-5 Daniel Murphy beat Deion Anselm 11-8,5-11,11-2,11-6 Individual Veterans match: Janet Sairsingh of Cayman Islands defeated Monique Lovell of the OECS 6-11,11-9,11-7,10-9 retired. Veterans: Guyana beat Barbados 3-2 Chauncey Lee lost to Lynn De Cambra- Mc Leod 0-11,511,4-11 Dennis Dias lost to Leon Truss 11-6,7-11,7-11,6-11 Garfield Wiltshire beat Mark Sealy 9-11,11-3,8-11,11-1,11-9 Brendon Mounter beat Nigel Griffith 11-7,11-8,11-2 Jillian Lilico beat Ayoni Bradshaw 11-7,11-6,11-1 The championship is being powered by Powerade and Smalta.