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Andre Russell has been named in West Indies’ T20I set-up for the first time since the 2021 T20 World Cup, as part of a 15-man squad to face England in next week’s five-match series in the Caribbean.

Russell, 35, has spent the past month in the UAE, where his Deccan Gladiators team lost to New York Strikers in the final of the Abu Dhabi T10 on Saturday.

He will link up with the squad in Barbados this week, with the first T20I getting underway at Bridgetown on Tuesday.

Matthew Forde, the uncapped 21-year-old all-rounder, has also been named in the squad after his maiden call-up to the ODI set-up this month, while Sherfane Rutherford is also back in the T20 reckoning for the first time since 2020.

Gudakesh Motie, who impressed with his left-arm spin in the second ODI against England in Antigua, has been recalled to the squad after missing the recent India tour through injury.

Nicholas Pooran and Jason Holder, both of whom have been unavailable for 50-over selection in recent months, also return.

The five-match series against England, the defending T20 World Champions, is an important staging post for West Indies ahead of their co-hosting of the next T20 World Cup, alongside the USA, in June and July 2024.

Shai Hope, West Indies’ captain and stand-out batter in the just-concluded ODIs, has been named as vice-captain to Rovman Powell, while Johnson Charles, Obed McCoy, Odean Smith and Oshane Thomas all miss out on selection having featured against India in August.

“This will be the final home T20I series for the West Indies in 2023, as they prepare to be one of the two host teams for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA in June 2024,” Desmond Haynes, CWI’s lead selector, said.

“We have selected a squad that we think gives us the best chance of success in that tournament. We will continue to assess in the lead up to the competition.”

The selection panel has the opportunity for squad adjustments ahead of the final two matches of the series, in Trinidad on December 19 and 21.

West Indies squad: Rovman Powell (capt), Shai Hope (vc), Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd (ESPNcricinfo)

 

Part of the action on day one in the Future Warriors Tapeball tournament, powered by ExxonMobil

Moreover, Tain pilled on 64-2 as Sunil Samaroo made 28* (2x4s; 2x6s), and Lekraj Ramberran got 10. In response, Bohemia was restricted to 48-4.

Cropper got the highest score as they posted 76-3, led by top innings of 47 (7x4s; 2x6s) from Jayden Gardner, and Timothy Ramsaywack got 17.

While Rose Hall Town Primary battled hard, they fell by 13 runs, reaching 63-4.

The impressive Anthony Shaeed smashed 33* (1×4; 3x6s) and got support from Randy Williams (16*).

The other six participating schools were Belvedere Primary, Number 36 Primary, McGowan Primary, Kildonan Primary, St. Aloysius Primary and Albion Primary.

As part of the festive nature, the organisers, FL Sport provided bats, balls and transportation free of cost to all of the participating schools, along with various meals and refreshments throughout the playing days.

fareeza@newsroom.gy

Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), Dr Ralph Gonsalves says the face-to-face meeting between Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro next week will be of “great value” even though the Guyanese leader has declined to discuss the ongoing border controversy.

Speaking at an impromptu press conference on Saturday night in SVG, Dr Gonsalves urged that the planned meeting is not derailed, highlighting that “Guyana and Venezuela are neighbours” and they “have to live with one another.”

Asked about the value of the meeting given Ali’s stance, Dr Gonsalves said, “many things need to be addressed and the matter of the commitment to international law, the commitment to maintain the region as a zone of peace and not to go to open conflict, all are of great importance and I’m sure when leaders sit down, they will search for modalities to maintain the peace.

“I see great value for the communication.”

Dr Gonsalves said it is better to have the two neighbours “talking in peace, respectfully, than fighting.”

“Not to be talking is very dangerous and it is something I believe will weigh very heavily on people’s hearts and minds.”

Guyana’s Head of State has consistently made it clear that the border controversy is squarely before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which will give a final and binding ruling on the matter and it is not up for discussion.

The News Room reported earlier that amid rising tensions fuelled by Venezuela’s attempts to undermine Guyana’s sovereignty, Ali agreed to meet Maduro in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The meeting will be held on Thursday December 14, 2023, at 10:00 hrs and will be hosted by Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Heads of State of CARICOM, a United Nations Under-Secretary General and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

The meeting was brokered on Saturday by Dr Gonsalves.

“The fact of the matter is that our region has been a zone of peace and we want to keep it like this.

“If open conflicts emerge, the implication are horrendous to contemplate.

“It will affect negatively everyone… in our Caribbean and the Latin America region,” the SVG PM said.

He explained that St Vincent is making all the adequate preparations in terms of security for the high-level meeting.

Dr Gonsalves also noted that high-ranking government officials in the United States and the United Kingdom are in touch with CARICOM leaders on the issue.

“This matter is of great interest. We have to address it with the seriousness it deserves and not flippancy.

“It is easy to play clown with any matter but this is a very serious issue.”

There have been numerous calls for the region to remain a zone of peace, and for Venezuela to meaningfully participate in the case before the ICJ.

At the ICJ, Guyana hopes for a final, binding settlement of the controversy, reaffirming the 1899 Arbitral Award that established the boundary as it is known internationally.

undermine Guyana’s sovereignty, Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali will meet his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The News Room was reliably informed that the meeting will be held on Thursday December 14, 2023, at 10:00 hrs and will be hosted by Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Heads of State of CARICOM, a United Nations Under-Secretary General and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

In a letter sent to Presidents Ali and Maduro by Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, and seen by the News Room, he wrote, “Given the recent events and circumstances attendant upon the border controversy, the leaderships of CELAC and CARICOM have assessed, in the interest of all concerned, including our Caribbean and Latin American civilisations, the urgent need to de-escalate the conflict and institute an appropriate dialogue, face-to-face, between the Presidents of Guyana and Venezuela.”

Guyana’s Head of State has consistently made it clear that the border controversy is squarely before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which will give a final and binding ruling on the matter and it is not up for discussion.

On Saturday, the Head of State reiterated that view on the social media platform X.

“We are committed to peace in this region. The ICJ will determine, finally, the controversy in the Guyana/Venezuela borders.

“We are uncompromising on this and the respect for international law. We have made it clear; we are unopposed to conversations and meetings as responsible people and country.”

Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the Office of the President on Saturday in Georgetown, it was noted that President Ali was contacted by leaders representing CELAC, Brazil and several bilateral partners, encouraging dialogue with Maduro.

And on Friday, during the emergency meeting of the Heads of Government of CARICOM, President Ali was urged “to explore the possibility of a meeting with President Maduro in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

“President Ali reiterated that Guyana’s land boundary is not up for discussion, as it is currently before the ICJ and when adjudicated will be fully respected by Guyana.  The President on numerous occasions has made it explicitly clear that the case before the ICJ will not be an issue for bilateral discussions.

“President Ali will continue to engage our bilateral partners on defence cooperation pacts, as well as the on-going range of political, social and economic arrangements,” the statement noted.

However, on Saturday, President Ali was approached by Dr Gonsalves on a meeting with President Maduro.

“President Ali has since agreed to have this meeting.

“Guyana is clear that the advancement of our development agenda will not be compromised. Our development partners and investors can be assured that there will be no changes nor alterations to existing arrangements,” the government’s statement emphasized.

It added, “Guyana has always been committed to international peace and security and promotion of good neighbourly relations,” noting that the country “will not deviate from and will strictly adhere to the ICJ process in the resolution of the border controversy, and to ensuring that the region remains Zone of Peace.”

Many countries view Venezuela’s recent actions, including a sham referendum and redrawing its map to include Guyana’s Essequibo region, as a threat to the peace and stability of the region.

There have been numerous calls for the region to remain a zone of peace, and for Venezuela to meaningfully participate in the case before the ICJ.

At the ICJ, Guyana hopes for a final, binding settlement of the controversy, reaffirming the 1899 Arbitral Award that established the boundary as it is known internationally.

In 1899, the borders of Guyana (then British Guiana) and Venezuela were settled, with Venezuela inheriting 13,000 square kilometres of what was then British Guiana territory – an area bigger than Jamaica or Lebanon.

Venezuela participated in that tribunal and accepted the boundary award for about six decades until 1966 when British Guiana was about to become an independent state, Guyana. Venezuela then challenged the award, raising concerns about the 1899 award.

So, the 1966 Geneva Agreement was created, establishing a framework to resolve the controversy. This is a political agreement, not a legal one like the 1899 Award. And for decades after this agreement, Guyana and Venezuela were locked in bilateral talks and a UN-backed engagement known as the Good Offices process.

In mid-February 2017, the new UN Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Dag Halvor Nylander of Norway as his Personal Representative on the Border Controversy, in a final effort at dialogue to settle the matter. That failed and on January 31, 2018, the UN Secretary-General referred the matter to the ICJ and Guyana filed its case.

In 2020, the ICJ found that it has the jurisdiction to hear the border case and earlier this year, it threw out Venezuela’s preliminary objections that, among other things, the United Kingdom must also be part of the case.

(Reporting by Fareeza Haniff and Vishani Ragobeer)