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By Martyn Herman |
Chambers, who was banned for two years after testing positive for the designer steroid THG in 2003, met with UK Sport's Anti-Doping chief John Scott yesterday to shed light on the doping regime that led to his downfall.
UK Sport, the agency in charge of elite sport in Britain, said it hoped for more meetings with Chambers who has since returned to action, taking the silver medal at the world indoor championships this year.
"We had a constructive and positive meeting and see it very much as the starting point of what we hope will be an ongoing relationship," Scott said in a statement.
"Through the letter which Dwain handed to us, he has provided a detailed account of his doping programme which highlights the level of sophistication that goes into these systematic regimes.
"It is through this sort of information that we are able to better understand both the mindset of why athletes choose that path and the network that sits behind them.
"It is these networks of manufacture, trafficking and supply that we need to be able to tap into if we are to get to the heart of doping in sport."
BALCO LINK
Chambers, who is of Caribbean background, was supplied by Victor Conte, owner of the now defunct San Francisco-based BALCO laboratory that was also linked to other leading athletes.
The BBC, who claim to have seen a copy of the letter written by Conte to John Scott, said it reveals all of the substances Chambers was taking at the time as well as schedules for their use and the amounts.
In February Conte, who is still in contact with Chambers, told the Times that Chambers should be allowed to work with UK Athletics in its fight against doping.
"He's an eyewitness, he was at the scene," he said at the time.
UK Sport appear keen to tap into Chambers' knowledge of doping and Scott praised his commitment to helping clean up the sport.
"We have got the sense from Dwain today that he wants to help us ensure others don't fall into the same trap as he. We appreciate his openness and honesty and look forward to further dialogue in the future," Scott said.
Following his failed test Chambers was stripped of the European 100 metres title he won in 2002.
He returned to athletics in 2006 but under British Olympic Association (BOA) rules regarding drug cheats he is extremely unlikely to be eligible for this year's Beijing Olympics.
He recently had a trial with rugby league club Castleford Tigers but was not offered a contract.
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Smith stroked 96 and was one of three batsmen getting half-centuries in the match at the Stanford Cricket Ground, which will bring the curtain down on the week-long preparation camp for the Australia series.
The 26-year-old stroked 10 fours and three sixes and faced 221 balls. He shared a third-wicket stand of 169 with Ryan Hinds who scored 66 with six fours off 190 balls.
Wicketkeeper/batsman Denesh Ramdin chipped in with an unbeaten 50 off 86 balls, which was decorated with five fours and one six.Antigua & Barbuda will start their reply today.
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Gayle is still suffering from a groin injury and Ramnaresh Sarwan will lead the squad in his absence.
There are no surprises in the squad though batsman Runako Morton and Brenton Parchment, who missed out against the Sri Lankans, have been included.
The left-handed Gayle has been struggling with the injury since the final One-Day International of the three-match series against Sri Lanka last month.
It forced him out of the Indian Premier League where he had been contracted to the Kolkata Knight Riders for US$800 000.
After impressing selectors with his leadership on the tour of South Africa earlier this year, Gayle was named captain for the Sri Lanka series where the Windies drew the Test series 1-1 and won the ODI series 3-0.
Sarwan, from whom Gayle took over as captain, will now lead the squad for the first Test at Sabina Park.
Morton, who scored heavily in the latter stages of the Carib Cup competition, makes a return to the squad and will be joined by Parchment, who played one Test against South Africa earlier this year in January.
After a wretched tour of South Africa, the right-handed Morton plundered 414 runs in three Carib Cup matches to keep himself in the selectors' memory.
The 25-year-old Parchment, in contrast, managed just 107 runs from his three matches for Jamaica, after returning from South Africa.
Batsmen Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, both of whom have been playing in the IPL, have left India and are due to join the team in Jamaica tomorrow.
All-rounder Dwayne Bravo, named as the team's vice-captain, played for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL yesterday and is also scheduled to leave India shortly to join the team in Jamaica.
Fast bowler Jerome Taylor, who bowled impressively against Sri Lanka, will once again lead the attack with support from fellow pacers Daren Powell and Fidel Edwards.
Trinidadian off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth has been named in the squad along with lanky Barbadian left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn who made his debut against Sri Lanka in March.
TEAM Ramnaresh Sarwan (captain), Dwayne Bravo (vice-captain), Sulieman Benn, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Ryan Hinds, Amit Jaggernauth, Runako Morton, Darren Sammy, Devon Smith, Brenton Parchment, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Jerome Taylor.
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Less than a week before his return to the Test side, MacGill earned four wickets as the home team was dismissed for 297 in the final session. Scores: Australia 89 for 0 (Jaques 44*) trail Jamaica XI 297 (Baugh 111*) by 208 runs
MacGill delivered 12 overs before lunch, claiming two stumpings and an lbw, and he recovered from some Baugh punishment to remove Gavin Wallace after tea, ending the ninth-wicket stand of 89. It was a solid pre-Test workout for MacGill, who has recovered from wrist surgery, and he finished with 4 for 79.
While his team-mates struggled, particularly in the first session, Baugh, the former West Indies wicketkeeper, helped them out during an aggressive display.
Dropped on seven by Brad Haddin, Baugh made the tourists pay by hitting nine fours and two sixes during his 112-ball stay.
Baugh, who was struck on the helmet by Stuart Clark, entered at 117 for 5 and started the strong recovery, which gained momentum when he was joined by the No.10 Wallace. Clark and Simon Katich had both picked up two wickets and it was left to MacGill and Brett Lee to finish off the innings.
In a sign they will pick a specialist batsman to fill the absent Michael Clarke's place for the first Test next Thursday, Australia chose both Katich and Brad Hodge. Ashley Noffke was left out alongside Matthew Hayden, who was rested.
Katich improved his chances of appearing at Sabina Park with 35 not out as Australia reached 89 for 0 at stumps. Phil Jaques added an unbeaten 44 in a good warm-up for the first Test.
The home team won the toss and the first two breakthroughs came from Clark and Mitchell Johnson.
Brenton Parchment, the captain, has been named in West Indies' first Test team, and he collected 25 as the Jamaica XI started with a 51-run partnership. Simon Jackson (29) and Xavier Marshall (30) also contributed before MacGill struck. (Cricinfo)
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Campbell-Brown, her country's most successful women's sprinter with Olympic and World Championship gold medals on her log, continued her build-up for the Beijing Olympics this summer with strong victories.
Trinidad and Tobago's Aaron Armstrong ensured a strong showing in the sprints for Caribbean runners when he also took the sprint double among the men.
In the 100 metres, Campbell-Brown won by almost 0.2 seconds, when she clocked 11.02 seconds to defeat Alexis Joyce (11.21).
The reigning Olympic 200-metre champion and 100-metre gold medallist at the Osaka World Championship last year, coasted to victory in the 200 metres.
She stopped the clock at 22.38 seconds, winning by nearly a full second over Ginou Etienne (23.16).
Meanwhile, Armstrong landed the men's 100 in 10.35 seconds and took the 200 in 20.81, beating Chris Lawson (20.97) with Jamaican Omar Brown third in 20.98.
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Picked out by Keon Daniel's well-weighted chip over the Bajan defence, Gay, a Lower Six Form pupil at El Dorado Senior Comprehensive, got around keeper Adrian Chase and rolled the ball into an empty net, giving T&T a 1-0 advantage in the 41st minute.
Gay also assisted on the home team's second goal in the 87th, providing the cross which Devon Jorslyn, playing only his second game for Trinidad and Tobago, headed home.
And Aklie Edwards, another with just two international matches under his belt, also found the net, banging in a rebound in added-on time, after coming on as a 90th minute substitute.
As has been the recent case, T&T head coach, Colombian Francisco Maturana, gave several new and inexperienced players a tryout on the national team.
Gay was having just his third game, having featured against Jamaica and El Salvador earlier this year, while Caledonia AIA midfielder Stephan David, Jerrol Forbes (United Petrotrin), Kern Cupid (W Connection) and Kevon Carter (Defence Force) all started, and Ancil Farrier, a university student in the US, was given a debut at left back. In the absence of injured Aurtis Whitley, veteran Anton Pierre captained the hosts from central defence.
Trinidad and Tobago were most times well in control of the match. Maintaining possession for long periods and moving the ball from side to side, they kept the Bajans unbalanced and created enough first half chances to be further ahead than by Gay's lone goal.
Early on, Gay hit a low effort just wide of the dive of Chase after being sent clear by Daniel. And when another Daniel chip found Khaleem Hyland, the Barbados goalie was again on spot to turn the ball into the side netting.
Chase later pushed over a header from Hyland, stopped right back Cupid from scoring, and also tipped over a scorching 25-metre shot from powerful T&T striker Forbes. And, without the keeper's help, Forbes also headed Daniel's corner kick over the bar.
Trinidad and Tobago assistant coach Anton Corneal felt the missed chances were all part of the learning process.
"Though we squandered one or two opportunities, we had good chances at goal," said Corneal. "But, you don't talk about missing goals when you scored three...but we probably could have converted a few more."
The situation looked far more grim for Barbados with the upcoming World Cup qualifier against the United States on June 15. It would be an upset of the greatest proportions should Barbados get by the Americans as, except for captain Norman Forde and goalkeeper Chase, they look woefully short of quality.
The introduction of a couple England-based players did nothing to improve their play. However, they did have a couple of scoring chances. Jonathan Straker had Barbados' best first half chance on the half hour, cutting in from the flank and testing T&T custodian Marvin Phillip with a curling shot. Strikers Kieren Crichlow and Walton Burrowes also both had dangerous runs through the centre of the Trinidad and Tobago defence in the second half, but lacked the composure to convert. And substitute striker Brent Carrington also could not find a way past Phillip even after Pierre missed his attempt to cut out a cross ball.
Despite the occasional chance, Corneal felt Barbados were generally disorganised.
"They didn't bring a lot of experience to the game and you could see they are trying to find their way," he said.
"They don't even have the experience of our inexperienced team. One or two times they did get behind our backs, but were not a threat. They really were not a threat," Corneal declared.
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Massa held off McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton's challenge to win by 3.779 seconds at Istanbul Speed Park circuit and claim his third straight victory in Turkey.
The Brazilian trails defending world champion and teammate Kimi Raikkonen, who finished third, by seven points in the standings after also winning in Bahrain last month.
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The article contains gross inaccuracies and Stanford 20/20 wishes to clarify these and let the facts be known as follows:
1. In the initial year of funding each territorial board received US$100 000 as start-up money in order to prepare their players and upgrade their facilities.
2. Following this each territorial board received US$180 000 for the year (US$15 000 per month) as part of the Stanford 20/20 development programme.
3. At the Stanford 20/20 Board Meeting in November 2007 a decision was taken by the Board to suspend the funding as outlined in 2 above as a result of a lack of accountability by some of the territorial boards.
4. At the Stanford 20/20 Board Meeting in March 2008 a decision was taken by the Board to resume funding by way of a restructured disbursement scheme in order to ensure a higher level of accountability.
5. In March of 2008 representatives of all the territorial boards were flown to St Croix in the United States Virgin Islands in order to discuss with them the status of their funding. The President of Stanford 20/20 Andrea Stoelker and other representatives of Stanford 20/20, Merlice Charles and Natasha Flynn-Lewis, outlined to the representatives of the territorial boards the reviewed scheme for the disbursement of funds whereby each territorial board will submit their bills to Stanford 20/20 and those bills will be paid directly by Stanford 20/20 not exceeding US$15 000 per month.
6. There are some territorial boards which currently do not have their accounts in a satisfactory manner. Once a satisfactory level of accountability is achieved for funds already disbursed to them then the funding will continue under the new disbursement scheme as outlined in 5 above.
Stanford 20/20 remains committed to the development and resurgence of West Indies cricket on the international stage. Sir Allen Stanford and the legends on the Stanford 20/20 Board of Directors have never wavered in their dedication to ensuring that West Indies cricket rises from the regrettable state it has reached.
Further Sir Allen and the legends continue to work tirelessly to ensure that this is achieved with urgency and Sir Allen has already dedicated in excess of US$80M towards this.
Finally Sir Allen and the legends are constantly exploring new, creative and innovative ways of ensuring that West Indies cricket remains acutely relevant and a force to be reckoned with on the world stage.
To this end Sir Allen in conjunction with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) will shortly announce some exciting initiatives which are guaranteed to have the eyes of the cricketing world firmly focused on the West Indies.
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The West Indies Cricket Board said in a press release yesterday that their Disciplinary Committee found by "majority opinion" at a hearing Friday that Samuels was guilty of violating the ICC Rules of Conduct 4 (ix) in that he "received money, benefit or other reward which could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute".
This violation carries a minimum two-year ban, effective from May 9, 2008, the date of the hearing, but the panel has written to the WICB president Dr Julian Hunte suggesting their punishment should not be so harsh, given very favourable affidavits submitted by reputable persons about the Jamaican's character.
Suggesting that a suspended sentence would be a more appropriate action, the panel of chairman, Mr Justice Adrian Saunders, Dr Lloyd Barnett, Professor Aubrey Bishop and Mr Richie Richardson, expressed concern about the propriety of prescribing mandatory minimum punishments generally and particularly for the specific offence with which Samuels was charged.
"Given the circumstances that attended Mr Samuels' commission of the offence and in light of the unchallenged evidence we received as to Mr Samuels' character, if we had the power so to recommend, we would have recommended that Mr Samuels be bound over to be of good behaviour for a period not exceeding two years," the WICB quoted the panel as stating.
The WICB release said the committee dismissed a second charge that "Mr Samuels engaged in conduct which, in the opinion of the Executive Board, relates directly or indirectly to the Rules of Conduct i.e. (i) to (xiii) and is prejudicial to the interests of the game of cricket."
The hearing came about after the ICC, the sport's world governing body, instructed the WICB to launch its own investigation into the alleged connections with the bookie, which were raised by Indian police on West Indies' tour of India in February 2007.
After receiving a report from its Anti-corruption & Security Unit, the ICC said that the report contained allegations that Samuels indulged in "inappropriate activity" and behaved in a manner that was "prejudicial to the interests of the game of cricket".
Phone conversations between Samuels and alleged Indian bookie Mukesh Kochchar were taped by the Nagpur police on the eve of the One-day International between India and West Indies on January 21, 2007.
Samuels had denied any wrongdoing but following an internal WICB investigation into bribery allegations, the regional cricket body found there was enough evidence to charge him with misconduct.
The panel has promised that reasoned written decisions will follow shortly.
In the meantime, the decision and recommendations of the panel have been sent to the ICC, which reserves the right to reopen the case.
According to ICC rules, there is no appeal allowed over a ruling on this matter.
Samuels, who made his Test debut as a 19-year-old against Australia in Adelaide in December 2000, has played 29 Test matches and 107 One Day Internationals for the West Indies.
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The 28-year-old field athlete threw the iron ball 18.40 metres to finish behind China's Li Meiju (18.46m) and ahead of another Chinese thrower, Li Ling (18.17m). Liz Wanless of the United States (17.10m) copped fourth spot.
Borel-Brown had opened her 2008 outdoor campaign with victory at the Sea Ray Relays in Tennessee, USA, last month. In her outdoor opener, she produced a big 18.81m throw.
In March, Borel-Brown finished seventh at the World Indoor Championships, in Valencia, Spain, with an 18.47m effort.
At the Georgia Invitational, in Georgia, USA, on Friday, T&T's Annie Alexander recorded an impressive throwing double. The University of Tennessee freshman topped the women's discus field with a 54.66m throw, and in the shot put she triumphed with a 15.80m effort.
And at the Taylor Cattle Farm Clasic, in North Carolina, University of South Carolina student Jamil James clocked 48.34 seconds to finish 10th overall in the men's 400 metres.
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Guyana's Tricia Munroe is about to make a pass after being tackled by her Jamaican marker during their intense matchup in the final game of the NAWIRA Women's 15 a side rugby tournament at the National Park yesterday. (Lawrence Fanfair photo)
In the feature game of the double header, host Guyana, who approached the final day with a +39 points difference over Trinidad, commenced their final preliminary round match needing to beat defending champions and number one seed Jamaica by 40 clear points. They were unable to do so, but came away with a 13-10 victory.
In the first game, Trinidad were all over their opponents and led by their diminutive captain 19-year-old Juliana Straker who scored 27 points (inclusive of three tries and seven conversions) and was elected as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of her team, utilized their speed and energetic moves to good effect over a hapless looking Cayman Islands team.
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A World Championship silver and bronze medallist and Commonwealth Games champion, Foster-Hylton got off to a flying start and held her nerves to beat Americans Lolo Jones, 12.65, and Virginia Powell, 12.77. Lacena Golding-Clarke was fourth in 12.83 seconds.
Foster-Hylton broke Powell's meet record of 12.66 seconds set last year. She now has the third-fastest time in this year, after American Damu Cherry, 12.47 and compatriot Delloreen Ennis-London, 12.54.
Foster-Hylton was the only Jamaican winner at the Qatar Grand Prix, though Sherone Simpson, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Danny McFarlane, Isa Phillips, Shericka Williams, Michael Frater, Christopher Williams, and Chelsea Hammond finished in the top three.
Simpson, the fastest woman in 2006, indicated that she was putting a disappointing 2007 behind her when she finished second in the 100 metres, clocking 11.09 seconds. American supergirl Allyson Felix won in a world-leading and meet record 10.93 seconds, while Jamaica's Sheri-Ann Brooks was third in 11.14 seconds.
Felix, last year's 200m world champion, wrapped up the race in the last 40 metres to break the meet record of 10.99 seconds set by Jamaica's Beverly McDonald in 1998. Felix beat Jamaican Kerron Stewart's world-leading mark of 10.96 seconds ran at the Jamaica International Invitational in Kingston last week.
The American Felix returned to win the 400m in a meet record and world-leading 49.83 seconds, beating Jamaican Shericka Williams, 50.50 and American Natasha Hastings, 50.80. Shereefa Lloyd and Kaliese Spencer placed fourth and fifth, respectively, clocking 51.18 and 51.48 seconds.
Olympic Games silver medallist Danny McFarlane was pipped on the line to place second in the 400m hurdles won by South African L J van Zyl in 49.03 seconds. McFarlane ran 49.10 seconds, ahead of compatriot Isa Phillips 49.71 seconds.
In the men's 100m, Norway's Jaysuma Saidy Ndure ran a personal best 10.01 seconds to beat Trinidad and Tobago's Darrel Brown, 10.02 and Jamaica's Frater, 10.08 seconds. Nesta Carter was fourth in 10.10 seconds.
LaShawn Merritt of the USA easily won the 200m in a time of 20.08 seconds, beating countryman Joel Brown, 20.84, and Jamaican Christopher Williams, 20.91. Ainsley Waugh, another Jamaican, was fourth in 21.05 seconds.
Chelsea Hammond of Jamaica leapt a personal best 6.69 metres (1.8 m/s) to finish third in the long jump won by Russian Tatyana Kotova, 6.83m, ahead of Brazilian Maureen Higa Maggi, 6.75.
Dorian Scott was fourth in the shot put won by American Reese Hoffa in a world-leading and meet record 21.48 metres. Scott threw 20.58 metres.
Korene Hinds was fourth in the 3,000m steeplechase won by Australian Donna McFarlane, 9:31.47, who beat Kenyans Ruth Bisibori Nyangau, 9:32.15 and Eunice Jepkorir, 9:36.23. Hinds' time was 9:37.67.
More Jamaicans are scheduled to compete in today's Osaka Grand Prix in Japan, including sprint hurdler Maurice Wignall and one-lap hurdlers Ian Weakley and Dean Griffiths.
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The Trinidad and Tobago sprint star clocked 10.02 seconds to cop second spot in the men's 100 metres dash. He finished just behind Norway's Jaysuma Saidy Ndure, the winner in 10.01.
Brown's teammates at the MVP Track Club in Jamaica, Jamaicans Michael Frater (10.08) and Nesta Carter (10.10), finished third and fourth, respectively. Qatar's Samuel Francis clocked the same time as Carter, but was edged into fifth spot by the Jamaican sprinter.
Also trailing Brown to the line were reigning world indoor 60m champion Olusoji Fasuba (10.27) of Nigeria and France's Ronald Pognon (10.29).
In his 2008 100m opener, at the Sydney Athletics Grand Prix in Australia back in mid-February, Brown finished second to Aussie Matt Shirvington, both sprinters getting home in 10.43 seconds.
The Qatar century was Brown's second 100m outing this season, and the 10.02 clocking is certain to boost his confidence in the countdown to the August 8-24 Olympic Games, in Beijing, China.
Brown is now fifth on the 2008 performance list, behind Jamaica's Usain Bolt (9.76), T&T's Richard Thompson (10.00), Churandy Martina (10.00) of the Netherlands Antilles, and Ndure (10.01).
On Thursday, at the Meeting du Conseil General, in Martinique, T&T half-miler Sherridan Kirk returned a time of one minute, 48.48 seconds to snap up silver in the men's 800m.
Kenyans Vincent Rono (1:48.03) and Philip Lagat (1:49.15) earned gold and bronze, respectively.
T&T's Josanne Lucas copped sixth spot in the women's 400m hurdles in 56.82 seconds. Lashinda Demus outclassed the field, winning in 53.99 from her fellow-American Christine Spence (54.21) and Jamaica's Shevon Stoddart (54.71).
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The eight-team competition for the 2008 CONCACAF Women's Under-17 Championship, will be held from July 17 -26 at two venues in Trinidad & Tobago: the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Tobago and the Marvin Lee Stadium in Trinidad.
The hosts, T&T have been drawn into Group A, to be played at Marvin Lee Stadium, along with Costa Rica, El Salvador and USA, while Canada, Jamaica, Mexico and Puerto Rico are in Group B at the Dwight Yorke Stadium.
The CONCACAF Tournament will qualify three teams to the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup New Zealand 2008.
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The Trinidad and Tobago camp was ablaze with excitement as Sellier's team-mate Elisha Greene copped the bronze medal for a 1-3 Trinidad and Tobago coup on the prize rostrum.
An Argentine cyclist won the silver medal.
In their respective heats, Sellier won his ride-off, while Greene was second and both qualified to be among the final six in the event.
Sellier has now joined a select class of Trinidad and Tobago cyclists--Roger Gibbon, Leslie King, Gene Samuel and Compton Gonzalves- who have won gold medals at the Pan Am Championships over the years.
Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation Michael Phillips was in a joyous mood yesterday. He told the Express: "The success of Trinidad and Tobago is travelling around the cycling fraternity and everyone is elated.
"The TTCF have called a special emergency meeting to treat with the success of our cyclists at the Pan Am championships."
Phillips, himself a former national cyclist added: "I am looking forward for the sport to grow and continue to develop in the future with the full support of the national community and corporate sponsors."
The kierin medals yesterday made it four so far for T&T at the championships. Sellier has also led T&T to silver in the three man sprint which included brothers Ako and Azikiwe Kellar and took bronze in the match sprint.
But asked if the success at the Championships could be attributed to the work of new national coach, Colombian Absie Rincon, Phillips was cautious in his response.
"It is too early to impact on his success, since Sellier did all of his training in Switzerland and only got together with him for the Pan Am Games," he said.
"However," he added, "Elisha Greene has been training consistently under coach Rincon and has shown some marked improvement in his overall performances."
Gregory Dandrade the secretary of the TTCF is with the team in Uruguay. Yesterday, while Sellier and Greene went off for compulsory drug testing, he responded to the successes saying the camp was, "in ecstasy with the golden success of Sellier and the bronze of Greene."
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Following their shocking come-from-behind victory over the Jamaicans in their first round matchup, the youthful Trinidadian side, led by robust play from captain Julian Straker, dominated the Guyanese in the feature match of the day.
Had it not been for some sturdy defence by the host, the scorecard would have showed a different result one in favour of the Twin Island Republic team - who were relentlessly attacking their opponents goal line throughout the game.
Guyana's Abigail Tinnis, who was expected to feature prominently in this match, was a mere onlooker and had to be content with performing defensive duties as the Trinidadians prevented her from getting the ball and even when she did get a touch, she was given no room to display her spirited runs on the wings.
Touch Down!!! Guyana's Tricia Munroe scores her team's only try against Trinidad and Tobago when the two teams met in the second round of the Demlife/Tropical Rhythm North American West Indies Rugby Association (NAWIRA) women's 15-a-side Rugby tournament at the National Park yesterday.(Lawrence Fanfair photo)
Trinidad did not ease up on attack with Straker and the burly Sojourner Hyles-Lewis pushing the ball into their opponents half with superb assistance from forward Laura Moses, who enjoyed a good day in the field.
The youthful Trinidadians, as they did in their first round encounter, played this game without any substitutions.
Despite their attacking mode, it was the team from the Land of Many Waters who scored the first try in the 28th minute of play.
Winger Tricia Munroe received a gem of a pass from Latoya Hamilton who retrieved a loose ball following a scrum and, after making inroads into the Trinidadians' half, sent a pass to Munroe who eluded her markers twice to score the try.
The resulting kick to further send Guyana two points ahead was missed by full back Andrea Lashley who was having a bad day in the field.
The miss would prove costly to the home team as Trinidad continued to attack their opponents and it was from one such attack that they got the equalizer.
Once again, it was Straker, who, in collaboration with Hyles-Lewis, carried the ball deep into the Guyanese half up to two metres from the touch line.
The resulting scrum saw Moses pouncing on a loose ball which she passed to Straker who found her full back Merlin Blackford in open space and watched with delight as the latter scored the try.
Like Guyana, the Trinidadians too missed the spot kick which would have sent them ahead, and, at the half, the score was knotted at five points apiece for both teams.
On more than one occasion, in the second half, Hamilton and Shennel Daniels were forced to work overtime to thwart the efforts of Moses and company who were trying desperately to put their team in the lead.
Lashley must have blamed herself for her performance, taking into consideration the fact that she was rushing the plays especially in some dead ball situations.
She also had the opportunity of closing off the game for her team when they were awarded a penalty kick in the dying stages of the game from about 20 metres from the Trinidadian touch line.
Spurred on by the vociferous crowd who were on their feet at this time, Lashley stepped up to take the kick but to the disappointment of her team mates and the throng of supporters gathered on the sides, the ball went eight feet to the right of the goal mouth and when the referee blew his whistle signalling the end of the game, the Trinidadians were dancing and hugging each other even as their number two ranked opponents watched on in utter disappointment.
In the first game of the double header, Jamaica staved off a strong challenge from debutantes Cayman Islands to triumph 12-7.
The 'Reggae Girls' were the first to open the score sheet when full back Misty Stewart scored a try in the sixth minute of play. The resulting kick was missed and this brought some life back into the debutantes who continued to surge forward despite being down.
The Jamaicans did not sit on their lead but counter attacked the Islanders and scored their second try four minutes after getting the first, courtesy of Sandy Thompson. This time around, Kaydian Gayle made no mistake in converting the kick and when the whistle went to signal the end of the first half, the score line read 12-0 in favour of Jamaica.
A resurgent looking Cayman Islands started the second half in search of their first try of the tournament and Lady Luck smiled on them, when full back Olive Macdonough pounced on a loose ball from a scrum and wormed her way through the defence to score the try, becoming the first player from her team to do such in the process.
The resulting kick that followed was converted by skipper Gill Comins and this brought some life back into the Cayman Islands team who threw all they had at the Jamaicans, forcing them to go on the defensive in the process.
When the final whistle came the result remained unchanged, thus ensuring the defending champions etched their names into the points column.
With Saturday being the final day of the competition, joint leaders and host Guyana will oppose Jamaica from 1600hrs, whilst Trinidad and Tobago who are at the top of the leader board with the Guyanese will be engaging The Cayman Islands in the first game from 1400hrs
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Trinidad and Tobago's Emile Ramsammy is second with 13 wins, while Barbadians Patrick Husbands and Jono Jones also hold Top Five spots.
James McAleney is leading rider with 14 wins, one ahead of Ramsammy, followed by Eurico Da Silva (12), with reigning champion Husbands fourth on 11 wins and Jones joint fifth on ten.
Husbands and Ramsammy were among the winners at the latest race day on Sunday.
Ramsammy, a two-time Woodbine champion who was third in last year's title race, scored his win in the CAN$47 882 second race over seven furlongs with the three-year-old gelding Hot As Ice .
A 7-to-2 second favourite in the eight-horse field, Hot As Ice led the field and won by two lengths in one minute, 23.27 seconds.
Husbands, whose outstanding season last year earned him a fifth Sovereign Award as Canada's Most Outstanding Jockey , used the five-year-old gelding No Dilettante to win the CAN$69 522 fourth race over six furlongs.
No Dilettante showed good speed to lead and won by half-length in 1:09.43 under Husbands, who rode 149 winners last year including 21 stakes triumphs en route to his fourth Woodbine jockeys' title.
There was also a victory for Trinidadian jockey Anthony Stephen, who scored by three-quarters of a length on the 9-1 shot Cianorte, in the CAN$31 200 first race over 1-1/16th miles in 1:46.81. (CMC)
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The Colby Community College student returned a time of 39 minutes, 38.09 seconds to beat her nearest rival by more than a minute.
In the 5,000m, Nero bagged bronze in 19:15.96, and in the 1,500m, she clocked 5:12.95 for fourth spot.
Nero's Colby teammate and brother, Sandino Nero, seized silver in the men's 10,000m in 34:13.80. In the 5,000m, he was 11th in 16:13.69.
Anuola Bailey finished third in the women's 200m. The Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC) student clocked 25.05 seconds. Her teammate Candace St Louis was eighth in 26.67. And in the 400m, Bailey (58.12) and Colby's Sherry-Ann Baggoo (1:03.05) were fourth and eighth, respectively.
At the Big East Championships, in Pennsylvania, Sheron Mark snapped up women's long jump silver with a personal best 6.13 metres leap. In the triple jump, the Syracuse University senior produced a 12.61m effort to earn bronze. And in the men's 800m final, University of South Florida student Carlan Arthur finished fifth in 1:49.53-a new PR (personal record).
Andre Marcano claimed silver in the men's 100m dash, at the Northeast Conference Championships, in Pennsylvania. The Long Island University (LIU) sprinter stopped the clock in 10.79 seconds. Fairleigh Dickinson University student Reyon John clocked 11.19 in the preliminary round to finish tenth overall. The top eight advanced to the final. John (21.88) was sixth in the 200m final.
Denele DeVerteuil copped second spot in the women's 400m final in 55.90 seconds. And in the 800m championship race, the LIU runner was seventh in 2:18.85. DeVerteuil had clocked 2:17.21 in the qualifying round.
At the Jamaica International Invitational, in Jamaica, Sherridan Kirk clocked 1:48.05 to pick up bronze in the men's 800m. The T&T half-miler trailed two Americans-Jonathan Johnson (1:47.51) and Karjuan Williams (1:48.02).
In the men's 200m, T&T's Aaron Armstrong was fifth in 21.20 seconds. Reigning world double sprint champion Tyson Gay, of the United States, triumphed in 20.00.
T&T sprinter Wanda Hutson finished fourth in the women's 100m, at the UTA (University of Texas at Arlington) Open, in Texas, USA. Hutson got to the line in 11.71 seconds. Cleavon Dillon produced a 7.13m leap for fourth spot in the men's long jump.
Caleigh Bacchus cleared the bar at 1.65m to finish fifth in the women's high jump, at the Iowa Musco Invitational, in Iowa.
And at the Houston Invitational, in Texas, Alicia Cave finished sixth in the women's 100m hurdles in 13.91 seconds and 33rd overall in the 200m in a wind-assisted 25.76.
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In the ride-offs in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sellier placed third behind Colombians Johnathan Marin and Rodrigo Barron. Sellier had a rough semi-final, with Marin taking him to three rides, while Barron shook off his countryman Hernan Sanchez in two straight rides. In the qualifying Flying 200 metres, Sellier brought home the fastest time in 11.1 seconds, with fellow nationals Azikwe Kellar clocking 11.2 seconds and Elisha Greene 11.5.
At the quarter-final stage, Sellier disposed of Greene in two straight rides, while Kellar was shut out by Colombian Marin in two straight rides.
Sellier went into the semi-finals facing three Colombians. In ride-offs for fifth to eight place, Greene was sixth, while Kellar placed eighth. Sellier continues his quest for gold in the Kierin ride-offs today.
On the opening night on Sunday, Team T&T, comprised of Sellier and the Kellar brothers Azikwe and Ako, clinched the silver medal in the three-man team sprint with a time of one minute eight seconds.
The USA won gold, while Guatemala took bronze.
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Perkins, a stylish opening batsman, had a modest Carib Beer Series in which he scored 234 runs at an average of 29.25.
But the selectors have still included him in the training squad still to be officially announced by the West Indies Cricket Board and which will be encamped in Antigua from May 12 to 17.
Also named in the training squad is uncapped fast bowler Kemar Roach, as well as uncapped off-spin bowler Amit Jaggernauth and his compatriot Kieron Pollard.
Two notable omissions are the left-arm spin bowler Nikita Miller, the leading wicket-taker in this year's Carib Beer Series, and the Australian-born left-hander Brendan Nash both star performers for undisputed Carib Beer Series champions Jamaica in
the Challenge Final against Trinidad & Tobago.
The training squad does not include any of West Indies' four recent captains incumbent Chris Gayle, current vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and all-rounder Dwayne Bravo.
All were set to take part in the Indian Premier League, but a groin injury during the second One-day International against Sri Lanka in Trinidad last month prevented Gayle from taking part, and he has returned to the Caribbean to give himself time to
heal.
The selectors are likely to nominate Gayle and Sarwan for the two leadership positions in the team.
But the extent of Gayle's injury is likely to weigh heavily on their minds when they make their recommendation to the
directors of the WICB today.
West Indies face Australia in three Tests, five One-day Internationals, and a Twenty20 International between May 24 and July 4.
Training squad:
Sulieman Benn, Patrick Browne, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Fidel Edwards, Ryan Hinds, Amit Jaggernauth, Runako Morton, Brenton Parchment, William Perkins, Kieron Pollard, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.
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Radio Jamaica has reported that Samuels has retained two top Jamaican lawyers K. Churchill Neita and Delano Harris both Queen's Counsel to represent him at this weekend's hearing.
Samuels and his two attorneys are expected to leave Kingston tomorrow for the hearing which will take place in St Lucia.
Following an internal WICB investigation into bribery allegations, the regional cricket body found there was enough evidence to charge him with misconduct.
The investigation was undertaken by Jamaican attorney Derek Jones, after the International Cricket Council, the sport's world governing body, instructed the WICB to launch its own investigation into the alleged connections with the bookie which were raised by Indian police on West Indies' tour of India in February 2007.
After receiving a report from its Anti-corruption & Security Unit, the ICC said that the report contained allegations that Samuels indulged in "inappropriate activity" and behaved in a manner that was "prejudicial to the interests of the game of cricket".
Phone conversations between Samuels and an alleged Indian bookie were taped by the Nagpur police on the eve of the One-day International between India and West Indies on January 21, 2007.
Samuels denied any wrongdoing and the WICB backed him pending its investigation.
Samuels is expected to defend himself in front of the WICB Code of Ethics & Disciplinary Committee chaired by Justice Adrian Saunders.
The Committee also includes Professor Aubrey Bishop, Dr Lloyd Barnett, and player-representatives Richie Richardson and Courtney Walsh.
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After five days of intense competition Guyana emerged as overall winners of the of the West Indies Fullbore Rifle Shooting competition, hosted by the Jamaica Rifle Association at the Twickenham Park, Jamaica Defence Force range on Sunday.
Guyana, who have won the tournament four times in the past five years, sealed the Milex Long Range Cup with 748.55 points, with Jamaica placing second at 704.42 and Barbados hot on their heels only 7.01 points behind at 697.41.
Captain of the Guyanese team, Mahendra Persaud, stated that despite the difference in climatic conditions, his team remained focused and had not allowed complacency to set in.
"We knew we had to keep shooting well as Jamaica has a very good team. Thankfully, we kept it together and fought hard to ensure that we did not lose," Persaud said.
Mere difference
Jamaica placed second again for the Wray and Nephew-sponsored Anchor Cup for short range distances, but this time the points difference with Guyana was a mere 5.003. The final score being Guyana 1148.108 with Jamaica 1143.105. Trinidad placed third with 1107.74.
With these two wins, the Mitsubishi Motors-sponsored grand aggregate went to Guyana who had a total score of 1896.193. Other scores were: Jamaica 1847.147; Trinidad and Tobago 1801.120; Barbados 1787.109 and Antigua and Barbuda 1625.67. Bermuda did not field a team.
Jamaica's Maj. (Ret) D. John Nelson retained the coveted Worgath Cup as the best short-range shooter. Nelson, his compatriot Ronald 'Junior' Brown and Guyana's Ransford Goodluck all finished with 148 points. Nelson scored 19 V-bulls to clip his rivals. The target is split into several scoring zones with the V-bull having the highest points value.
This was the first time in the history of the Worgath Cup that V-bulls distinguished the eventual winner.
Good performances
The London and Middlesex Rifle Club, who participated in the shoot, but were not eligible for the trophies, performed well as their points placed them just behind Guyana in the long-range events with 740.64, and third in the short-range behind Jamaica with 1128.114 points. This performance gave them second place in the overall team aggregate.
Guyana's Ransford Goodluck and Dylan Fields emerged as top X-Class individual shooters from the region. Goodluck's second-place score was 388.033 and Fields' 385.028 earned him third place.
The event's top shooter was Andrew Wilde from the London and Middlesex Rifle Club (LMRC), who gained top score of 390.046. Jamaica's Jose Nunes was sixth, with a score of 379.028, Carl Smith was ninth with 378.021 and Nelson and Brown tied for tenth place with 377.035.
Wilde, in an interview with The Gleaner, stated that he had hoped to do reasonably well in the championships.
"It was very difficult dealing with the local weather conditions but I got it right, and it feels good to have remained focused and in control of my game," he said.
In the 'O' Class, Michael Gill from Trinidad had the highest score with 367.021, followed by Terene Stewart with 352.018 from Guyana and Christopher Josephs of Antigua and Barbuda with 345.019.
In the Tyro (T) class Anderson Perry from Antigua and Barbuda gained 366.02 followed by Anthony Evans of Bermuda with 366.009.
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The Kellar brothers, Azikwe and Ako, and with Christopher Sellier were the members of the three-man sprint team that earned second place in one minute, eight seconds.
Chile won the gold medal with Guatemala taking the bronze.
Sellier's cycling triumph was a historical feat, for with his father Anthony, they have now become the first Trinidad and Tobago father and son to medal at the prestigious Pan Am Cycling Champs.
Anthony Sellier, in 1976, bagged bronze in the kilometre time trial in San Cristobal, Venezuela.
Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation (T&TCF) president Michael Phillips spoke to the Express, yesterday, about T&T's latest cycling success.
"This has been our second silver medal at the Pan Am Cycling Championships three-man sprint event. In Colombia 2000, Ako Kellar, Elisha Greene and I were beaten into second place by the United States of America.
"On Sunday night we mounted the international prize rostrum again and I do hope it becomes more consistent given that a lot of positive strides have been made by the Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Federation to put the necessary infrastructure in place to develop cycling.
"This silver medal comes after a very successful local season with Easter Grand Prix and Beacon International Cycling meetings.
"Cycling fans would have noticed the very positive impression that this sport has been making recently and I would like to congratulate Team Trinidad and Tobago on a job well done.
"And I do confirm that Anthony and Christopher Sellier are the only Trinidad and Tobago father and son to have medalled at the Pan Am Cycling Championships."
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Playing in the opening match of the double header, Trinidad, despite carrying the fight to their opponents Jamaica and being awarded two penalties within the first 10 minutes of the game, found themselves trailing soon after when Dacia Gilroy scored the first try of the 2008 tournament in the 22nd minute after intercepting a pass from the Trinidadians to put her team 5-0 ahead.
The resulting kick was not converted, but this did not deter the Jamaicans who gained a new life with the lead.
The ladies from the Twin-Island Republic continued to attack the Jamaicans but were held up by some sturdy defence.
The Jamaicans went further into the lead 12 minutes later when centre Kaydean Gayle outran the defence and scored the second try.
Once again, the resulting kick was missed by the Jamaicans, an opportunity they must have regretted at the final whistle.
The Trinidadians were fortunate to pull one back two minutes later when Dacia Gilroy scored a try after receiving a gem of a pass from captain Juliana Straker.
Straker duly converted the ensuing kick as the Trinidadians trailed the Jamaicans 7-10 at the half.
The second half began just as the first half ended with the Trinidadians applying relentless attacks to their opponents.
But they failed to penetrate the defence until the 75th minute when Dalia Jordan-Browne scored a try.
Although the ensuing kick was not converted, the five points gained from the try was enough to propel Trinidad into the lead which they maintained until the final whistle.
In the second game, Guyana proved to all and sundry their development in this form of the game when they mauled debutantes Cayman Islands in front of a vociferous crowd of home supporters who did not hesitate to cheer every time the home team moved the ball forward.
The Guyanese signalled their intentions from the opening whistle and it was no surprise when they surged into the lead in the seventh minute, courtesy of a Careen Skeete try that was converted by Andrea Lashley who was having a marvelous afternoon on the field for Guyana as the home team took a 7-0 lead.
This lead was increased to 12-0 when Latoya Hamilton, another player who was having an exemplary game for her country, scored a try in the 15th minute.
A penalty kick taken by Lashley in the 26th minute increased the lead to 15-0 with 14 minutes remaining in the half and when The Cayman Islands brought the ball back into play one minute later, they were astonished to see Desaun Josiah score a try that made their deficit 20 points.
The visitors began to find their rhythm just before lemon time but the hosts proved why they were the number two team behind defending champions Jamaica, when Abigail Tinnis outran the islanders' defence from just about the halfway line and scored an easy try which was later converted by Lashley in the 36th minute to see Guyana into the half with a comfortable 27-0 lead.
When play resumed it was clear that the Guyanese were bent on sitting on their lead whilst their opponents launched relentless attacks on them with Gill Camio and Eileen Mc Laughlin trying desperately to score a try for The Cayman Islands.
And, but for the sturdy defence of the Guyanese, The Cayman Islands would have opened their account in the tournament.
Guyanese captain Sabiola Gray played a one two with Lashley before scoring a try in the 48th minute which Lashley converted.
This knocked the wind out of the debutantes and shortly after a water break, Lashley got a pass from Josiah and outran the defence to score a comfortable try.
She then watched as Collette Hope converted to put the score 41-0.
The final whistle came without any addition to the score line despite many relentless attacks by The Cayman Islands that forced the Guyanese defence to work overtime. The competition will continue tomorrow with the two losing teams in the first round ,namely defending champions Jamaica and The Cayman Islands clashing from 1400hrs (2:00pm) whilst Guyana will go up against Trinidad and Tobago from 1600hrs (4:00pm) at the National Park.
Prior to the opening whistle, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony along with officials from the two major sponsors Ansa Mc Al Limited and Demerara Mutual Fire and Life Insurance Company met with officials and members of the two teams that played the opening game, as well as with officials from the Guyana and Cayman Islands teams.
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Jones also scored in the ninth race on Year After Year to complete a double. He steered the 3-1 favourite to victory by a neck in the CAN$18 916 race over 5-1/2 furlongs.
At Stampede Park , Quincy Welch piloted three winners. Rickey Walcott, Desmond Bryan and Jonathan Grant also won to give Barbadian jockeys six wins on the nine races. (CMC)
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Nicholas Dussard, the 18-year-old Wolmers' Boys student, on Saturday created local martial arts history by winning Jamaica's first ever International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) senior gold medal by taking the lightweight title at the Pan-Am Games in Florianopolis, Santa Catrina, Brazil.
Dussard, who won the Interna-tional Sports Karate Association (ISKA) United States Open black belt junior title in Orlando last July, ended decades of Jamaica's failure to win a senior ITF gold medal in his first attempt.
Unseeded, the Jamaican teenager went through four gruelling bouts, facing opponents from Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay before defeating a Brazilian rival in the final.
Stunning victory
Dussard's victory, according to the captain of Jamaica's combined martial arts team, Jason McKay, stunned the packed auditorium.
Each fight consisted two rounds lasting two minutes each and it was the first time the ITF was using electronic points recording system in a major tournament in the region.
McKay, who has always hit out against the officiating at international tournaments, said the new system was instrumental in ensuring a fair fight for the underdog Dussard and vindicated his arguments about faulty scoring.
Dussard, who was awarded the Prime Minister's Youth Award for excellence in sports three years ago, was elated at his achievement.
"I am ecstatic," said the teen, who added the senior Pan-Am gold to a junior title he had won in Paraguay in 2004.
"It represents my greatest achievement to date in my career, to win an adult black belt gold medal, an ITF gold, the one which many greats before me were unable to achieve," he added.
Jamaica's coach, Claude Chin, said hard work paid off for Dussard.
"As I said before, I would have been greatly disappointed if he had not won gold.
"We did everything according to plan and I have no doubt, come October, in Italy, he will be the World Cup champion as well," said Chin, pointing out that Dussard could have easily won an ITF world junior gold medal last July in Quebec, Canada, but was pulled from the squad to concentrate on external examinations.
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At the Don Kirby Memorial Invitational, in New Mexico, South Plains College athlete Renny Quow clocked a wind-assisted 20.67 seconds to top the men's 200 metres field.
Last Thursday, at the Baie Mahault meet, in Guadeloupe, Ato Modibo finished fourth in the men's 400m "A" race in 45.50 seconds. American LaShawn Merritt won in 44.34-the fastest time in the world this year. Merritt's compatriots, Angelo Taylor (45.06) and David Neville (45.08), finished second and third, respectively.
Bahamian Andrae Williams clocked 45.95 to top the men's 400m "B" field. T&T's Damion Barry faced the starter in that race, but did not complete his lap of the track.
Arlon Morrison captured the men's javelin title, at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships, in Maryland, USA, on Saturday. The Coppin State University junior hurled the spear 54.85m.
Morrison's Coppin State teammate Natoya Baird cleared the bar at 1.69m to seize silver in the women's high jump. Another Coppin State student, Ayana Riviere, and Delaware State University's Cuquie Melville were joint eighth, both athletes going over the bar at 1.54m.
Coppin State senior Jieutonne Archer returned a time of one minute, 52.99 seconds to finish fourth in the men's 800m. And in the women's triple jump, Baird (11.94m) and Riviere (9.98m) were sixth and 15th, respectively.
At the Bronco Twilight meet, in Idaho, on Friday, Boise State University sprinter Marlon Douglas won the men's 100m dash in 10.94 seconds.
Desiree John bagged bronze in the women's 200m, at Saturday's Patriot Open Invitational, in Virginia. The Campbell University student clocked 24.98 seconds. John's teammate Shelly McLean was ninth overall in 25.76. In the 400m, John (56.41) and McLean (58.11) were sixth and 10th, respectively.
Another Campbell athlete, Adoniss Jones, finished fifth in both the men's 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles events. He clocked 55.89 seconds in the one-lap hurdles and 17.46 in the shorter race.
At the Washington State/Washington dual meet, in Washington, Sadiki James copped fifth spot in the men's 100m in 10.95 seconds. The Washington State University sprinter also competed in the 200m, finishing sixth in 21.98.
In Mississippi, Abigail David was sixth in the Ole Miss May Invitational women's 400m. The University of Florida student clocked 54.41 seconds. University of South Alabama athlete Natalie Dixon finished eighth in 54.91. In the women's 200m, David was sixth in 24.13. And in the men's 400m event, University of Alabama's Joel Pile was 15th fastest in 48.86 seconds.
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Needing to win at all costs, John saved the day for his club with goals in the 53rd and 69th minutes, giving Maturana a close-up look at his scoring abilities as the Colombian along with assistant Anton Corneal and team manager David Muhammad were in the Director's Box as guests of the club on the day.
John put Southampton in front and on course to stay up before substitute Jonathan Stead's equaliser in front of a crowd of 31,957 at home in St Mary's.
John struck again to save Saints from relegation but the striker was sent off on 80 minutes for a second bookable offence and the hosts were forced to endure a tense finish. John had been booked before for pulling his shirt off after scoring the opener.
Saints fans watched their 10-man team protect a narrow lead for the final 10 minutes knowing that a United equaliser would see them fall below both Coventry and Leicester and into the relegation zone.
An ecstatic John delivered when it mattered most to finish the season with 19 goals as Southampton finished in 20th spot with 54 points, one point more and a place above his ex-club Coventry City
"I always have confidence because I know my capabilities as a goalscorer but today was special because it was do or die and you never know how things could go,"John told TTFF Media. "But we hung in there and I put the ball where the Southampton fans wanted it to go. No club likes being relegated and credit must go to the entire team and especially the manager who came here and worked very hard to try and help us turn around the results. The fans were great and the club now has to look ahead to building for a better season next time around."
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After being defeated by two runs by Pakistan in the knockout final two Thursdays ago in St Kitts, the West Indies outfit triumphed easily this time against the visitors by 89 runs to lift the prestigious CLICO Trophy.
Chasing the home side's challenging total of 228 for seven off the allotted 50 overs, the Pakistanis struggled in front of a decent crowd and were stifled to 139 all out in 42.5 overs.
It was a fitting end for the West Indies youngsters, who were well tuned up for the grand finale by their coach, former Test cricketer Keith Arthurton.
The result gives the Caribbean's young teenaged cricketers another title success.
West Indies won the 2000 Costcutter U-15 World Championship in England eight years ago, the last time a similar tournament was played.
Missing from this year's tournament though were major Test playing nations Australia, England, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Leading the victory charge for West Indies were prolific opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite, who notched another half-century, and impressive all-rounder Ramon Senior, who struck 50 and bagged four wickets for 24 runs to claim the 'Player-of-the-Match' award.
Only skipper Muhammad Babar impressed with 51 off 60 balls, laced with six fours.
The only other batsmen to reach double figures were Usman Qadir (21) and Ahsan Mirza (17).
The others failed to negotiate the probing six-pronged pace and spin attack employed by the West Indies captain Steven Katwaroo.
In pursuit of their victory target, the Pakistanis were off to a poor start as with the first ball of their innings, opener Muhammad Naeem was trapped in front to Kyle Mayers without scoring.
The visitors never recovered from that early loss and there was a constant trek to and from the pavilion as the talented Senior broke the back of their middle-order batting.
Senior also held two brilliant catches, including that of Babar, who was the seventh batsman to be dismissed.
Earlier, openers Braithwaite and John Campbell gave their team a good start, posting 66 runs for the first wicket after Katwaroo chose to bat on a placid Oval track.
However, with the introduction of leg-spinner Usman Qadir, the much needed breakthrough for the Pakistanis came, when Qadir, son of former Pakistan spinner Abdul Qadir, had Campbell caught in the deep by Zafar Gohar for a well-played 37, which came off 44 deliveries and included five fours.
Senior joined Brathwaite and the pair -- although they found the going tough at times -- batted intelligently against the probing spin of Qadir.
They added 85 off 156 balls for the second wicket, before Senior was well-stumped by wicketkeeper Faizan Khan off Gohar's bowling for an even 50 off 86 balls, which was decorated with five fours and one six.
The 15-year-old Brathwaite continued to carry the fight against the opposition attack.
He saw the dismissals of Sunil Ambris (2), Kyle Mayers (5) and Derone Davis (12) before he was the sixth wicket to fall with
the total on 202, run-out for a solid 82.
The right-handed batsman faced 128 balls and struck three fours.
Brathwaite ended both knockout and league phases of the series with a total of 548 runs.
Qadir was the pick of the Pakistanis bowlers with the impressive figures of three for 25 from 10 overs.
Former West Indies Test fast bowler Kenny Benjamin, the assistant coach of the regional team, praised the team's performance.
He spoke highly of Brathwaite's batting and Senior's bowling.
"I like the approach of Brathwaite. He has a healthy appetite for runs. He likes to bat long and that is commendable and a good sign. He has a good future ahead of him," said Benjamin, who played in 26 Test matches and captured 92 wickets.
He stated that Senior is an intelligent player, who once harnessed and nurtured can go a long way in the game.
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Bolt runs blistering 100m at JII Meet |
Bolt, the reigning World-200 metres silver medallist and World Junior record-holder, clocked a mind-boggling 9.76 seconds to equal the second fastest time of all time.
Jamaica's Usain Bolt (centre) thunders down the track on the way to winning the Men's 100 metres in a startling 9.76 seconds at last night's 5th Jamaica International Invitational Meet at the National Stadium. At left is American Wallace Spearmon and at right, compatriot Darvis Patton. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)
Running with a legal trailing wind of +1.8 m/s, Bolt held his nerve after two false starts to produce a blistering final 50 metres, to separate himself from the rest of the field to shatter the previous stadium record of 9.84secs established by current world record holder, Asafa Powell.
"I never knew that I would run 9.76, so this is good," an excited Bolt told the Sunday Observer. The previous world-leading time was 10.00 done by Richard Thompson of Trinidad & Tobago.
Only Powell with 9.74 seconds has ever run faster that Bolt over the distance. Bolt's previous life-time best was 10.03 secs.
Meanwhile, Darvis Patton of the USA was a distant second with 10.08, followed by Daniel Bailey of Antigua, 10.12secs.
Stewart, a member of Jamaica's silver medal-winning sprint relay team from the Osaka World Championships last year, posted a life-time best 10.96 seconds (+0.9 m/s) to win the Women's 100 metres, beating the previous world best of 11.06 done by T&T's Kelly-Ann Baptiste.
The United States pair of Marashevet Hooker and Bianca Knight was second and third with 11.01 and 11.11 respectively.
Stewart, who trailed the field up to the 40-metre mark and produced a late burst to overhaul her competitors, was elated with her performance.
Clement, the reigning world champion in the one-lap obstacle event, ran a technically sound race to post a world's best of 47.79 seconds, holding off the challenge of a fast-finishing Danny McFarlane, who clocked 48.74. Michael Tinsley of the US was third in 48.84 secs.
"Before I came out here, I said in my mind that I want to run 47 and I did that," said the T&T-born Clement. "Me and (coach) Bobby (Kersee) have been working very hard on the last half of the race and it came through today," added Clement, who ran in lane three to shave 0.53 secs off Bershawn Jackson's previous world best and shattered the meet (48.65) and the stadium (48.14) records.
McFarlane, Jamaica's 2004 Olympic silver medallist, was pleased with his season's best, especially after hitting the first hurdle.
"To run 48.7 like that, you know what's in the making. I feel I'm definitely ready to run 47 seconds,' McFarlane said.
The Women's equivalent went to meet record-holder (54.20 in 2006) Lashinda Demus in 54.83 secs. Despite the easy win ahead of Jamaica's Shevon Studdart (55.68), Demus was disappointed with her performance.
Josephet Kithill of Kenya clocked 3 minutes 47.51 seconds to win the 1500 metres ahead of the USA's Shane Stroup (3:47.85) in sprint finish, which brought the estimated 14,000 spectators to their feet. Another Kenyan, Phillip Lagat, was third in 3:48.74.
The girls from Edwin Allen continued their unbeaten run by posting 44.81 seconds to win the 4x100 ahead of Holmwood (45.70) and Manchester (45.84).
The Boys equivalent went to Calabar (40.35), with Oshane Bailey on anchor leg holding off a fast-finishing World Youth 100 metres gold medallist, Dexter Lee of Herbert Morrison (40.42). Camperdown were third in 41.07.
At press time, the Men's and Women's sprint hurdles, 800m, 400m and 200m were yet to be contested.
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In the team's opening match of the series on Thursday, TT defeated Pittsburgh by nine wickets while in the second encounter, TT beat Privateers of Canada by 83 runs.
Pittsburgh batted first in the opening clash and were dismissed for 88, with left-arm spinner Visham Ramroop, who represented the TT team in last year's TCL Youth Challenge in St Kitts and Nevis, picking up two for 18 from five overs.
In response, TT reached their target for the loss of one wicket, with Franklyn Rouse scoring an unbeaten 40 and Kareem Jumadeen, 28 not out.
The second match against Privateers of Canada saw Rouse scoring an unbeaten 52 to guide TT to 185 for five off their allotted 25 overs. Clifton Halls made 44 and Shiva Rambaran, 36 not out.
In reply, Privateers were restricted to 102 for six, with spinner Ansil Bhagan claiming two for seven from three overs.
Former TT and West Indies left-arm spinner Raphick Jumadeen is coach of the side with former TT middle-order batsman Narine Bidhesi serving as manager.
Twelve teams from the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Houston, New York and Canada are taking part in the tournament.
The tournament concludes tomorrow.
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Green ran a 1:53 minutes split to take the Jerry Holness-coached Manchester High from third on the final leg, from about 25 metres back, to win.
Manchester High's Alwayne Green leads his school to their historic win at the Penn Relays after a gutsy come-from-behind victory in the High School Boys Championship of Americas 4x800m final on Saturday. (Photo: Paul Reid)
Manchester High, who had run a fast 7:49.47 at the first Central Relays and hurdle meet at GC Foster then 7:49.08 for second place behind MVP TC at Western Relays, ran a Jamaican high school season best 7:43.22 on Saturday, beating Calabar High's 7:47.35 set at Gibson Relays.
Calabar were third on Saturday at Penn Relays.
Green ran a well-timed anchor leg and Holness told Sporting World afterwards he had told the runners not to panic, but to maintain their composure throughout the race.
Holness who said he was disappointed with the failure of his girls teams to win any of the Championship of Americas relays events after being favourites in the 4x800m won by Holwood and was second in the 4x400m won by Maryland's Eleanor Roosevelt High, was more than happy with the boys' outstanding run.
In addition to the first ever Championships of America's plaque Green was named the Penn Relays High School Boys' Athlete of the meet for relays as well as a special awardee from the Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) organisation.
Manchester whose time on Saturday was the second fastest in five years, beaten only by Kingston College's 7:42.45 last year, was however overlooked for the TJB panel for the Jamaican male team of the meet.
That award went to St Jago High's winning 4x400m team that won in 3:15.66 the slowest time since Bethel of Virginia won in 1984, 24 years ago.
Holmwood Technical girls' 4x800m who ran the second fastest ever time at Penn Relays (8:41.92), trailing only Vere Technical's 8:37.71 set in 1991 was named TJB's top high school girls team.
Calabar's Andrew Riley who won two gold watches in his first trip to Penn Relays after winning the high jump (2.06m) and was part of the winning 4x100m Championship of America relay team was the Top Male athlete, while STETHS' 15-year-old high jump champion Peter-gay Reid was the female winner.
Reid, the CARIFTA Games Under 17 champion, jumped a personal best 1.76m to win the high jump on Thursday's opening day, the third athlete from the Santa Cruz school after Diane Guthrie and Lisa Wright to win the event at the Penn Relays.
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Curtly Ambrose lasted one over before a side strain ended his participation in the match and heavy midsections and slowed reflexes didn't allow some of his teammates to be flawless in the field. But the appreciative crowd for the first game of the WIPA 20/20 Club Championships still welcomed their victory over the university side.
While legendary West Indies paceman Ambrose, along with Colin Croft and heroic wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs are all in the firm grip of Father Time; there was enough youth in the Masters ranks to make them competitive.
Little Leon Garrick's one and only Test match against South Africa was seven years ago.
But the 31-year-old strokeplayer from Jamaica reminded the crowd of why he once had a career that promised much.
Garrick's 41-ball 52 (nine fours) was the highlight of the Masters innings of 152 for seven. It was a Man-of-the-Match performance that earned him US$1,000.
And during it, Garrick displayed the easy style which brought him great attention years ago on the same ground, when he made a century in each innings for Jamaica against Trinidad and Tobago in the regional four-day competition.
Playing authentic shots even in this frenzied game yesterday, his half century laid the foundation for the innings and ultimately decided the match.
Garrick came at No.3 after Barbadian openers from two different generations--Dale Richards and Philo Wallace--had put on 31 in three overs.
And it was only the most cruel of run outs--a deflection from the bowler onto the stumps--that removed Wallace, backing up.
Big Philo reminded everyone of the power that had often punished T&T, and which once brought him a century before lunch at Guaracara, with a big six onto the roof of the stands to the west. He made 16.
His stand with current Bajan opener Richards (26) was the highest of the innings.
But Richards' teammate and present day West Indies player Ryan Hinds also helped Garrick keep the innings together with 24 off 21 balls.
For UWI Barbados, medium pacer Tyson Belgrave--only one of two in an attack of spinners including former West Indies and T&T Under-19 left-arm spinner Kavesh Kantasingh (4-0-25-2)--was the most successful bowler with three for 18. He it was who removed Garrick, via a catch to wicketkeeper Matthew King.
Ambrose, like in the days of old, opened the bowling for WIPA Masters. He began with two wides but when he got his line right, sent one from a good length past the face of opener and captain Omar Phillips. But Ambi's hurting side forced him from the field soon after, ten runs coming in his single over.
Phillips and opening partner Ramnarine Chattergoon also got their team a good start--31. But once Phillips was bowled swinging at Corey Collymore in the fourth over, the UWI boys began to lose their way.
Rajindra Dhanraj, so prolific in his day not so long ago for T&T, troubled them with his leg-spin.
He got top-scorer Chattergoon (24) to sky a drive to Garrick at deep cover and had No.4 Ryan Wiggins lbw.
And while Croft (3-0-13-0) showed he could still put the ball on the spot in three tidy overs in which two run outs were effected, left-armer Hinds took up where Dhanraj (4-0-16-2) left off with three wickets himself in three overs.
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Playing in the league semi-final at Progress Park, West Indies used their lethal bowling attack and strong batting line-up to easily overwhelm the Malaysians.
The victory ensured West Indies their second title clash of the tournament with Pakistan who also easily beat Bangladesh in the other semi-final at La Sagesse Park by six wickets.
Malaysia, batting first after winning the toss, were undermined by the left-arm spin duo of Kavern Hodge and Derone Davis.
Hodge claimed four for 33 and Davis, two for 22, as Malaysia tumbled for 160 all out off 49.5 overs after cruising at 82 for one at one stage.
Faizshal Niaz-Lyn fell for 11 to a catch at the wicket off Kyle Mayers with the score on 37 but Zubair Asyraf (39) and captain Keithal Goonasagaran (33) played confidently to put their side in a strong position.
But the introduction of the spin duo triggered a slide where Malaysia lost four wickets for 30 runs before being bundled out for their eventual score. Only Ahmad Zahid with an unbeaten 30, showed any resistance in the middle order.
When West Indies batted, they lost John Campbell cheaply for four with the score on five but the prolific Kraigg Brathwaite stroked 52 in a 117-run, second wicket stand with Ramon Senior who hit 69 not out.
When Brathwaite fell, Sunil Ambris hit 35 not out and dominated a 44-run, unbroken third wicket stand with Senior, to guide the Windies to a handsome victory.
In the other semi-final, Pakistan predictably dismissed Bangladesh to reach their second final of the tournament after winning the knockout phase of the tournament a fortnight ago.
Didar Hossain hit a top score of 66 as the young Tigers, winning the toss and batting, managed a paltry 126 off 47.5 overs.
In response, Pakistan marched to 131 for four off 31.4 overs with Muhammad Barbar stroking 64.
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The Puerto Rico Islanders came to the field full of energy and sporting a new bright green uniform, ready to avenge the 2-0 loss suffered on Friday, and so they did.
From as early as the first minute the match heated up as Miami took the first free-kick, and Puerto Rico's forward Taiwo Atieno followed suit in minute four with a powerful shot that came dangerously close to the goal.
Both squads continued their spirited exchange until a foul inside the box on Puerto Rico's Noel Fabrice set up the first goal of the game. Victor Herrera had no problem blasting the penalty kick past keeper Josh Saunders for the score. But Miami came back in minute 24, as Alex Afonso also made good on a penalty kick that Bill Gaudette was unable to stop, evening the score 1-1.
As rain continued drenching the field, Puerto Rico kept moving forward and the Blues' defense fended well the attack. Noah Delgado came close to doing away with the tied score with two separate powerful shots to goal in minutes 27 and 42. Saunders, however, was ready to meet the challenge and the first half closed at 1-1.
The tiebreaker the local squad was eagerly seeking finally came in minute 76. A scramble inside Miami's box set up the perfect opportunity for Osei Telesford to put the ball into the back of the net.
The one goal advantage seemed to ignite the Islanders and stir tempers on the Miami side. Two yellow cards, followed by a red card expulsion for Cristiano Dias seemed to doom the visitors.
In minute 89 Puerto Rico closed the deal for good. An assist from Noah Delgado found Taiwo Atieno ready to blast in the third and final goal of the game.
The Islanders will stay home the rest of the week as they get ready to host the Montreal Impact on Friday, May 2.