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since December 2019, the six-wicket win in the second of three games their first after nine defeats in a row. The win helped West Indies level the series 1-1 after losing the first ODI on Thursday.

After Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd got three wickets each and Alzarri Joseph picked up two to bowl India – they had rested Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – out for 181, captain Shai Hope and the inexperienced Keacy Carty took care of the chase, which was completed with more than 13 overs to spare.

It was comfortable in the end for West Indies, but didn’t come without its share of hiccups – they slipped from 53 without loss in the ninth over to 91-4 after 17, Shardul Thakur the main reason for it.

That must have raised India’s hopes, but Hope and Carty ensured smooth sailing after that. Hope hit 63 not out, and put up an unbroken stand of 91 with Carty (48 not out) for the fifth wicket.

The pitch in Bridgetown offered grip and turn throughout the game, with the spinners’ economy rate across two innings being 3.89 as against the pace bowlers’ 5.20.

However, before Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja tested West Indies’ middle order – Jadeja was fast and flat; Kuldeep was slow while getting more turn – it was Thakur who removed the top three batters in the space of 25 balls to open the game up.

Once they got together, Hope and Carty were content to do it in singles after Kuldeep had cleaned Shimron Hetmyer up with one that was quicker, skidding through to hit off stump.

Carty got to a patient 48 off 65 balls, opening up only after the job was almost done and smashing consecutive boundaries off Hardik Pandya to finish the game off. But the fact that West Indies had only 182 to chase was down to a collective bowling effort, along with a combination of a helpful pitch and refreshing athleticism from the fielders.

India, asked to bat at the toss, suffered two collapses of their own. First, from a solid 90-0 to a dicey 113-5, and then, from 146-5 to 181 all out.

These came either side of a lengthy rain break. West Indies sensed an opportunity in the absence of Rohit and Kohli, and they pounced. It all started in the 17th over of India’s innings, when a full, tossed-up delivery from Motie had Shubman Gill lofting to long-off for 34, his highest score in seven international innings across formats since June.

Gudakesh Motie (left) and Romario Shepherd (right) picked up three wickets each (Photo: Getty Images)

That got West Indies going, and in the 18th over, Alick Athanaze dived to his right at point to send Ishan Kishan back for 55. It was Kishan’s second successive half-century in the series.

Two overs later, Shepherd got one to rise sharply at Axar Patel, promoted to No. 4, and he was cramped for room with the ball angling in from around the wicket. Axar tried to drop his gloves, but still ended up tickling to the wicketkeeper.

Jayden Seales then got his only wicket of the day when a shoulder-height bouncer to Hardik had him pulling straight to midwicket, before Yannic Cariah foxed the comeback man Sanju Samson with turn and bounce.

Landing one on a good length around off stump, Cariah got the legbreak to jump as well as move considerably away from the right-hander. Samson jabbed at it with a flat bat, only belatedly thinking of letting it go. But, by then, it was a little too late, as the outside edge went to slip.

India were sliding, and then came heavy rain. When Suryakumar Yadav and Jadeja added 33 to signal a brief recovery after the stoppage, it seemed like the break had come as a blessing for them. But West Indies seized control again, picking up the last five wickets for just 35 runs.

Shepherd pitched short at Jadeja, having him top edge a pull to fine leg in the 32nd over. Motie, getting turn and bounce, had Suryakumar slashing to point after an entertaining 24.

Soon after came another moment of spectacular fielding from West Indies, when Carty rushed in and dived forward from deep square-leg to send back Umran Malik in the 38th over.

Motie wrapped the innings up when he got last man Mukesh Kumar in the 41st, finishing with 3 for 36. As a result, India were bowled out with 9.1 overs remaining, and West Indies now have a shot at a first ODI series win against them since May 2006. (ESPNcricinfo)

 

stabbed by a female at the Linden bus park in Georgetown is hoping that his alleged attacker will be apprehended and made to face the full force of the law.

Nieuenkirk of West Ruimveldt, Housing Scheme, Georgetown was stabbed around 21:00hrs on Thursday last by a female, who he was allegedly taunting.

The suspect who is known as ‘Vanessa’ fled the scene on foot and is yet to be arrested.

At the time of the stabbing, the News Room was told that Nieuenkirk was on his way to purchase a bread for his wife.

“I was at home. I called him minutes after 9 (Thursday night) and I was telling him to bring home a bread and he said he going and get the bread and come back,” the dead man’s wife, who wished not to be named, told the News Room during a telephone interview.

Shortly after speaking to him, she received a phone call informing her that Nieuenkirk was rushed to the hospital.

“By time I get there (hospital), they said he’s in the theater. I went up there and they said he didn’t make it,” she recalled.

The woman told the News Room that she does not know the suspect but learnt that she would frequent the Linden bus park, where Nieuenkirk worked as a bus driver.

“Eyewitness say that…they did meking they own jokes and he (Nieuenkirk) telling she (suspect) ‘man she could live a better life and so’ and he go fah give she a pound….She lash away he hand and he hold she from behind and hug she and she seh ‘man you must rest yuh self’. By time he fah tell she dah, she pull put wahever and stab he,” the grieving woman explained to News Room.

She said her husband lost his life prematurely and is demanding justice.

“We need her (suspect) to be found and let’s see what’s going to happen because come on if you and somebody is friends and yall making jokes, even if you not in the mood why you couldn’t curse him or push him away? You had to kill he?” the woman questioned.

The News Room had previously reported that an eyewitness related to the Police that he was sitting on the avenue outside the Parliament Building when Nieuenkirk, who came from the Linden bus park stopped and talked to him.

At this time, he said the suspect arrived and stood next to Nieuenkirk, who allegedly pinched her causing her to knock his hand away.

As a result, the eyewitness related that the suspect allegedly whipped out a knife from her waist.

And as the woman turned and walked away, Nieuenkirk hugged and lifted her up from behind.

The News Room was further told that the eyewitness told the Police that he heard Nieuenkirk telling the woman, “that is what you done to me girl.”

And it was until Nieuenkirk showed him the wound to his abdomen, then he learnt that he was stabbed.

Nieuenkirk was placed in his minibus and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted. He succumbed around 23:30hrs while receiving medical attention.

Police obtained surveillance footage from the area which is being reviewed as the investigation continues.

From left: Narissa McPherson, Attoya Harvey, Javon Roberts, Malachi Austin, Tianna Springer, Elliott Gonsalves, Shareefah Lewis and Ariel Rodrigues (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/July 29, 2023)

Athletes and events

• Tianna Springer (Women’s 200m, 400m, 4x400m Mixed Relay)
• Javon Roberts (Men’s 800m, 1500m, 4x400m Mixed Relay)
• Malachi Austin (Men’s 200m, 400m, 4x400m Mixed Relay)
• Narissa McPherson (Women’s 400m, 800m, 4x400m Mixed Relay)
• Attoya Harvey (Women’s 800m, 1500m, 4x400m Mixed Relay)
• Ariel Rodrigues (Women’s 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, 50m Freestyle)
• Elliott Gonsalves (Men’s 200m Freestyle, 200m Individual Medley, 400m Freestyle, 400m Individual Medley)
• Shareefah Lewis (Women’s 100m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Freestyle)
• Flagbearers: Tianna Springer and Elliott Gonsalves

Flagbearers Tianna Springer (left) and Elliott Gonsalves (Photo: News Room/Avenash Ramzan/July 29, 2023)

What they said

Godfrey Munroe, President of the Guyana Olympic Association: “I know it’s a very competitive Games and it provides the opportunity for young athletes within the Commonwealth region to match skills. We believe that our athletes selected for these Games will be quite competitive.

Julian Edmonds, Track and Field coach: “The team consists of five athletes; they are all CARIFTA medallists. We expect the team will go good. Preparations have been going on, but not to the best because of the weather and the unavailability of our two tracks to train on. But the athletes have been training in the best possible way they can. I am satisfied with the preparation…as a matter of fact, all of the athletes would have competed yesterday (Friday) at the Police Championship, just sharpening up for their races.”

Syhka Gonsalves, Swimming coach: “They’ve (swimmers) been working hard, training and all round having fun with what they do. We expect them to try their best, do extremely well and have fun all at the same time.”

About the Commonwealth Youth Games

Commonwealth Games Associations have been busy finalising their team selections for the event, which will see 1,000 athletes and para-athletes aged 14-18 descend on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago from August 4-11.

The athletes will be competing in seven sports across 99 medal events over six days of competition.

Seventy-one (71) of the Commonwealth nations and territories will participate in Aquatics (Swimming), Athletics, Cycling (Road Race, Time Trial and Track) and Triathlon, as well as Rugby Sevens and Beach Volleyball.

Netball’s shorter, faster format, FAST5, makes its debut at the Youth Games with eight women’s teams competing for a medal.

A fully integrated Para-Athletics programme will also make its first appearance at the Games with athletes competing in six medal events (three women’s and three men’s events).

Venues include the Hasely Crawford Stadium (Athletics and Para-Athletics), National Aquatics Centre (Swimming) and National Cycling Velodrome (Track Cycling) in Trinidad, and Pigeon Point Beach (Beach Volleyball) and Shaw Park Cultural Complex (Fast5 Netball) in Tobago.

The Commonwealth Youth Games is an invaluable springboard for the stars and leaders of tomorrow, contributing to the further development of youth sport throughout the Commonwealth.

The first event took place in Edinburgh in 2000, and Trinbago 2023 will be the seventh edition of the Youth Games. The most recent took place in the Bahamas in 2007.

The grassroot programme is geared to increase the number of young boys and girls playing the sport (Photo: GFF/July 28, 2023)

The GFF’s Grassroots Summer Programme will kick off in August in Bartica, Linden, Berbice, Essequibo and Georgetown. President Forde will be visiting various regions over the four-week period.

GFF Technical Director Bryan Joseph added that the grassroots sessions will be fun, but young players will also learn about the fundamentals of the game.

“The grassroots programme represents the foundation of everything we do. We cannot produce senior national team players if we are not focused on having structured grassroots sessions.”

He also encouraged parents to register their children for sessions which will focus on agility, balance and coordination.

Bartica Football Association (BFA) President Alden Marslowe thanked the GFF for organising “another wonderful initiative.”

“This initiative is geared at strengthening…grassroots development. Without the root the tree will eventually die and so it’s important to cultivate the culture of football into our children so that we can have…continuous development.”

East Bank Football Association (EBFA) President Orein Angoy said: “When it comes to grassroots, I always tell all the coaches on the East Bank if we lose the grassroots we eventually lose footballers. We need the grassroots to replace the older ones.”

He added: “I think it is a great initiative and I would like to thank them for coming on board with us and supporting the East Bank when it comes to football and grassroots.” (GFF)