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Victory was duly sealed by Russell’s powerful cut for four off Sam Curran at the start of the 19^th over, as West Indies romped to the highest run-chase in T20Is in Barbados.

Despite the defeat, there were some encouraging signs for England – particularly the successful pairing of Adil Rashid and his heir apparent, Rehan Ahmed, who claimed five wickets between them. And yet, in the wake of last week’s ODI series loss, it was another setback in their bid to re-establish their white-ball aura ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup defence.

Andre Russell pulled things back with the ball after England threatened a big score (Photo: Getty Images)

Windies hit the roof in run-chase

Chasing 172, West Indies charged out of the starting blocks, with Brandon King mashing 16 runs off Sam Curran’s opening over, including two leg-side pick-ups for six, before Kyle Mayers launched two vast hits onto the roof of the stand at deep midwicket – the first off Will Jacks, and the second an astonishing 103-metre dispatching of a Tymal Mills short ball.

Ben Duckett extracted King with a brilliant grab at point to hand Chris Woakes a wicket with his fourth ball, but the in-form Shai Hope continued West Indies’ surge by bopping a Woakes slower ball over long-on for the fifth six in as many overs.

Their Powerplay total of 59-1 wasn’t quite a match for England’s 77 for 0 – the third-highest of their T20I history – but given how comprehensively that performance had fallen away, it seemed more than enough to set up the chase.

Kyle Mayers gave West Indies a rollicking start (Photo: Getty Images)

Master and apprentice

With his precocious combination of penetration and control, Rehan had been England’s outstanding bowler in last week’s ODI series, and so his inclusion for this match was entirely on merit, in spite of the presence of the returning Adil Rashid.

Rehan’s first over of the night, however, was not an auspicious one. With the ball seemingly tough to grip in the mounting dew, he was spanked for three sixes – two more for Mayers as he twice picked the googly, and a second for Hope, who stepped into a length ball to drill it over long-off.

Enter Rashid, to show immediately how it should be done. Prior to the match, he’d been presented with a special cap to mark his 100th T20I, and now he struck with his first ball of the night, as Mayers misread the slider out of the front of the hand, and was rushed into a pull to Jacks at long-on.

Quite apart from his talent, however, Rehan’s temperament is every bit as much of an asset. His return to the attack was a triumph of character, as Nicholas Pooran lobbed an attempted pull back down the pitch to be sent on his way for 13 as Rehan leapt high to his left to intercept.

He conceded just two runs in the over too, which doubtless helped Rashid to spring the trap on Shimron Hetmyer in his next over, as Duckett at deep midwicket reached high to intercept a flat slog across the line. It was Rashid’s 100th T20I wicket, the first England bowler and the tenth overall to reach the mark.

Phil Salt and Jos Buttler gave England a flying start (Photo: Getty Images)

Rain can’t derail West Indies

A half-hour rain delay appeared to have arrived at an opportune moment for West Indies – they led by six runs on DLS at the break, whereupon Hope put a further dent into Rehan’s figures with an emphatic sweep for six. But once again, Rehan’s response was wise beyond his years.

He offered Hope another tempter, but slid his line a fraction wider, and Brook at wide long-on did the rest. In came a slip to greet the new man, and Romario Shepherd duly spooned the biggest leg-break of Rehan’s spell straight into his hands.

Russell and Powell, however, weren’t about to be fazed by an asking-rate pushing 10 an over. Powell took a chunk out of that requirement with back-to-back sixes off Liam Livingstone, before Russell joined the onslaught with a top-edged pull off Mills that sailed over fine leg.

Rashid’s final over was make-or-break for England, but Russell picked the googly to hoist him high over deep midwicket, and the end came quickly. (ESPNcricinfo)

Dr. Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana (Photo: DPI/ November 01, 2023.)

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.

The border controversy is squarely before the World Court and Guyana hopes for a final, binding settlement that reaffirms the 1899 Arbitral Award that established the existing boundary between itself and Venezuela.

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.

President Ali and Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro are scheduled to meet in St Vincent and the Grenadines on Thursday.

At an emergency meeting last Friday, Heads of the Government of CARICOM had urged the two leaders to explore the possibility of meeting in light of the tension over the border controversy.

And following a series of consultation, President Ali had agreed to participate in the meeting. However, the Head of State has reiterated that that the border controversy will not be discussed at this meeting.

He has consistently said he is willing to engage his Venezuelan counterpart on any shared matter but not the controversy since that is squarely before the ICJ.

The high-profile elections fraud case, which has been stalled for years, is set to see movement as Senior Magistrate Leron Daly adjourned the proceedings until January 15, 2024.

On that date, a Case Management Conference (CMC) will be held to set the stage for the upcoming trial at Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

On Tuesday, the State provided flash drives containing certified copies of Statements of Poll (SOPs) and Statements of Recount (SORs), along with video interviews, as part of the evidence.

Attorney Darshan Ramdhani, KC, who is the prosecutor in the case, said this will streamline the court proceedings after Magistrate Daly requested more organised evidence for easier access.

Magistrate Daly commended the prosecution for the organised approach but one of the defendant’s lawyers, Eusi Anderson, expressed concerns about verifying the consistency of the evidence submitted now with that provided in 2021.

Magistrate Daly clarified that the court requested better organisation, not different statements, cautioning against pre-emptive skepticism.

“Same statements, better organised…The court does not have the impression that there are different statements,” Magistrate Daly told him.

On January 15, 2024, the defendants are expected to uplift the statements, and the court will schedule a date for the CMC hearing and subsequently determine a trial date.

It is alleged that the defendants conspired during the March 2, 2020, general and regional elections to defraud the electors of Guyana by declaring a false account of votes cast.

Those accused include former APNU+AFC government minister, Volda Lawrence; former GECOM Returning Officer for District Four, Clairmont Mingo; former GECOM Deputy Chief Election Officer, Roxanne Myers; APNU+AFC’s Chief Scrutineer, Carol Smith Joseph and former GECOM Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, among others.

As the hearing approaches, the court anticipates clarity from Chancellor of Judiciary (ag) Yonette Cummings regarding the possibility of appointing a special magistrate or court to adjudicate the case.

meets his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro under tense circumstances, the Guyanese leader has once again sought to clarify the agenda for those talks.

Dr. Ali will meet Maduro for the first time since becoming President in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Thursday.

It comes amid heightened tensions with fears of an imminent invasion from Venezuela in a decades old border controversy over Guyana’s resource rich Essequibo Region – two thirds of Guyana to be exact.

But Dr. Ali is maintaining that those talks will in no way seek to address the border controversy which is squarely before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for resolution.

President Ali, in a second letter to Dr. Gonslaves dated December 12, maintained that he is committed to the high-level dialogue but said it will only go as far as seeking a de-escalation of the conflict to ensure the region remains a zone of peace.

He was at the time indirectly responding to Maduro’s acceptance letter to Gonsalves and the Guyanese Head of State sought to clarify what he described as certain “inaccuracies” contained in Maduro’s letter.

President Ali reminded that he is duty-bound by Guyana’s Parliament not to make the controversy a point of discussion in any bilateral meeting with Maduro.

“I, too, have a mandate from the National Assembly of Guyana which is unanimous in its resolve that the land boundary is not a matter for bilateral discussions and the settlement of the matter is properly in the International Court of Justice where it must remain until the Court gives its final ruling on the merits of the case which, Guyana has always said, and I repeat, will be fully respected by Guyana,” the Head of State wrote.

Maduro’s letter to Dr Gonsalves refers to oil concessions “in a maritime area yet to be delimited,” and President Ali sought to provide the facts on this matter.

“Contrary to that misleading assertion, all of the oil blocks are located well within Guyanese waters under international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees coastal States the exclusive rights to the resources in the sea and seabed within 200 nautical miles of their coasts. The oil blocks are all located adjacent to Guyana’s coast and within 200 nautical miles of it.

“To underscore the misleading nature of President Maduro’s statement, it is important to note that in 2015, a significant oil discovery was made by Esso Exploration & Production Guyana Limited in the Stabroek Block approximately 120 miles offshore of Guyana.

“Production has since commenced and been carried on without interference from Venezuela. The 14 oil blocks included in the 2022 Licensing Bid Round are farther east of the boundary with Venezuela – and farther from the Venezuelan coast – than the Stabroek Block,” the Guyanese leader clarified.

As it relates to Maduro’s allegations of the United States Southern Command “meddling” in the affairs, President Ali maintained that the Government of Guyana reserves the right to engage in any form of cooperation with its bilateral partners “and does not support intervention in the internal affairs of any other State a principle that is honoured by responsible states in the international community.”

“Any allegation that a military operation aimed at Venezuela exists in any part of Guyanese territory is false, misleading and provocative,” President Ali said.

He assured Dr Gonsalves that he remains committed to speaking with Maduro on any other aspect that “may contribute to improving and strengthening amicable relations between our two countries.”

See below the full letter sent to Dr. Gonsalves:

December 12, 2023

Dr the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves

Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines

Office of the Prime Minister

Kingstown

St Vincent and the Grenadines.

I look forward to attending the “high-level dialogue” on 14th December in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to which President Maduro of Venezuela and I have been invited. This letter is further to my letter to you of 10th December in which I communicated that I will be attending this meeting.

In my prior letter, I indicated my understanding that the meeting is to be conducted in consonance with the framework elaborated for such a meeting in the Communique of CARICOM Heads of Government of 8th December 2023.

In that Communique, CARICOM:

• ‘firmly supports Guyana in pursuance of the resolution of its border controversy with Venezuela through the process of the

of the International Court of Justice’;

• ‘urges Venezuela to respect the conservatory measures determined by the ICJ in its recent ruling until a final resolution’, and
• ‘reiterates CARICOM’s commitment to the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace and the maintenance of international law.’

In their urging of an engagement between Guyana and Venezuela, the CARICOM Heads of Government further called for “a de-escalation of the conflict through an appropriate dialogue between the leaders of Venezuela and Guyana to ensure peaceful co-existence, the application and respect for international law and the avoidance of the use or threats of force.”

It is this framework for the meeting to which I have consented and to which I remain committed.

That being said, it is incumbent upon me to respond to certain inaccuracies in President Maduro’s letter to you of December 11, 2023. Particularly his statement that: the ‘high-level dialogue’ to which you have invited us, is “in order to directly to address the territorial dispute between Guyana and Guyana”.

In their urging of an engagement between Guyana and Venezuela at the meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government referred to above, the Heads called for “a de-escalation of the conflict through an appropriate dialogue between the leaders of Venezuela and Guyana to ensure peaceful co-existence, the application and respect for international law and the avoidance of the use or threats of force.”

As was clearly established in that meeting and conveyed in the outcome statement, there is full support by CARICOM for Guyana in pursuance of the resolution of its border controversy with Venezuela through the process of the International Court of Justice.

I, too, have a mandate from the National Assembly of Guyana which is unanimous in its resolve that the land boundary is not a matter for bilateral discussions and the settlement of the matter is properly in the International Court of Justice where it must remain until the Court gives its final ruling on the merits of the case which, Guyana has always said, and I repeat, will be fully respected by Guyana.

On 17 February 1966, the Geneva Agreement was signed between the UK/British Guiana and Venezuela.  Guyana became a party upon attaining independence. The Agreement provided several mechanisms for Guyana and Venezuela to resolve Venezuela’s contention of nullity and invalidity of the Award by talks; failing which, the Agreement mandates the United Nations Secretary General to select a final means of settlement of the controversy. That is the process that was scrupulously followed.

To recap that process: during the entire period of the existence of the Geneva Agreement, there have been several tools utilized. These include four (4) years (1966 -1970) of meetings through a Mixed Commission involving bilateral talks between Guyana and Venezuela, a twelve (12) year moratorium followed by twenty-eight (28) years (1989 – 2017) of the Good Offices Process under the aegis of the United Nations Secretary General. That Process facilitated dialogue between the two sides on a resolution of the controversy in the presence of the Secretary General’s personal representative.

It should be noted that Venezuela has never offered any credible support or evidence for its contention of nullity and invalidity of the 1899 Arbitral Award which settled the boundary between then British Guiana and Venezuela. Nor has it offered evidence to contradict the validity of the 1905 Agreement, signed by both parties, fixing the boundary along the line established in the 1899 Arbitral Award. To the contrary, between 1899 and 1962 Venezuela accepted and recognised that boundary as the international boundary between the two States, as reflected in all official Venezuela maps published during this 60+ year period. Indeed, it applauded the award, claiming as a great victory the attribution of the mouth of the Orinoco River – which was understood by both parties as the most important territory in dispute – to Venezuela.

The Geneva Agreement of 1966 provides assurances of a final settlement by vesting in the Secretary-General of the United Nations the authority to choose the International Court of Justice as the means of settling the controversy in accordance with international law. That is what he did in 2018. The parties are bound by the Geneva Agreement to accept the ICJ as the means of settlement, and to accept the Judgement of the Court as the final settlement of the controversy.

I am obliged to point to other inaccurate assertions in President Maduro’s letter. He refers to oil concessions “in a maritime area yet to be delimited”.  I point out that, contrary to that misleading assertion, all of the oil blocks are located well within Guyanese waters under international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees coastal States the exclusive rights to the resources in the sea and seabed within 200 nautical miles of their coasts. The oil blocks are all located adjacent to Guyana’s coast and within 200 nautical miles of it.

To underscore the misleading nature of President Maduro’s statement, it is important to note that in 2015, a significant oil discovery was made by Esso Exploration & Production Guyana Limited in the Stabroek Block approximately 120 miles offshore of Guyana.

Production has since commenced and been carried on without interference from Venezuela. The 14 oil blocks included in the 2022 Licensing Bid Round are farther east of the boundary with Venezuela – and farther from the Venezuelan coast – than the Stabroek Block.

As for the further inaccurate allegation that there is “meddling of the United States Southern Command, which has begun operations in the disputed territory”, the Government of Guyana maintains its sovereign right to engage in any form of cooperation with its bilateral partners and does not support intervention in the internal affairs of any other State a principle that is honoured by responsible states in the international community. Any allegation that a military operation aimed at Venezuela exists in any part of Guyanese territory is false, misleading and provocative.

Let me assure you dear Colleague that I am prepared to speak with President Maduro on any other aspect that may contribute to improving and strengthening amicable relations between our two countries.

I appreciate the efforts that you and my other CARICOM Colleagues are making to facilitate such a dialogue, as well as Brazil and other countries of CELAC, and wish to restate Guyana’s commitment to the peace and security of our region.

 

Sincerely yours,

Mohamed Irfaan Ali

President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana

 

Copy: His Excellency Nicolas Maduro

President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

 

His Excellency Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

President of the Federative Republic of Brazil

 

Honourable Roosevelt Skerritt

Prime Minister of Dominica

 

Dr Carla Barnett, Secretary General of CARICOM

 

From left: Richard Kansinally, Jameel Baksh, Timothy Bhagwandin, Jonathan Yearwood, Graeme Alli, Andrew Xavier, Gavin Ramsoondar and Ryan Hemraj

Each member of the committee brings a unique set of skills and a deep love for all sports, making them well-equipped to steer Georgetown Cricket Club towards new heights.

President Jonathan Yearwood expressed his enthusiasm for the new role.

“I am honoured to lead this talented group of individuals who share a common goal of ensuring the success and longevity of Georgetown Cricket Club. We are eager to work collaboratively with our members, supporters, and the broader cricketing and sports communities to create an inclusive and thriving environment for all.”

“Our focus is not only on achieving success on the field, but also on building strong relationships with our stakeholders whilst preserving the rich history of the club. We believe that unity and collaboration are the keys to sustained success in the world of sports.”

The Executive Committee is determined to uphold the values of sportsmanship, integrity, and community engagement that have defined Georgetown Cricket Club throughout its storied history. As they embark on this new chapter, the committee invites all members, supporters, and partners to join hands in building a bright and successful future for the club.