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commanding 143-run victory over Trinidad and Tobago Red Force on Saturday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Guyana Harpy Eagles have extended their lead at the top of the West Indies Four-Day Championship heading into the final two rounds of matches.

Crucially, the Harpy Eagles’ final two games are at the National Stadium, Providence, a home venue where they have virtually been unbeatable. That means Leon Johnson’s men in a prime position to retain a title they won five years in succession from the 2014-15 season.

With two wins and a draw from the three completed rounds, Harpy Eagles have moved to 49 points, 11.2 clear of Windward Islands Volcanoes, who have 37.8 points. Leeward Islands Hurricanes are third on 34.2 points.

Like Harpy Eagles, Volcanoes and Hurricanes also won their third round encounter, defeating Jamaica Scorpions by 181 runs and Barbados Pride by two wickets respectively.

Barbados Pride (31.2), Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (24.8) and Jamaica Scorpions (15.4) occupy positions fourth to sixth respectively on the points table.

The fourth round of matches will start on March 22 and the final round on March 29.

REMAINING MATCH SCHEDULE

GNS– Guyana National Stadium, Guyana

BLCA- Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad

QPO– Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad

CCG– Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua

ROUND 4: March 22 to 25

Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Jamaica Scorpions at GNS

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force vs Barbados Pride at QPO

Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Windward Islands Volcanoes at BLCA

ROUND 5: March 29 to April 1

Guyana Harpy Eagles vs Leeward Islands Hurricanes at GNS

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force vs Jamaica Scorpions at BLCA

Barbados Pride vs Windward Islands Volcanoes at QPO

Headley Weekes Tri-Series

All matches to be played at CCG, Antigua

Match 1: April 19 to 22: Team Headley vs West Indies Academy

Match 2: April 26 to 29: Team Weekes vs West Indies Academy

Match 3: May 3 to 6: Team Weekes vs Team Headley

Rudolph Baker on the attack during his belligerent innings

Initially, the organisers, as per the playing conditions of the tournament, opted to continue the match on Sunday morning, then a decision was made to play the match after the conclusion of Orlando Legends and Toronto Blizzards on the next field.

Regal took the field to resume the contest, but Lions opted not to and the match was awarded to Regal Legends.

Baker and Ramesh Deonarine (31*) added an unbroken stand of 134 after Regal was 85-3.

Uniss Yusuf found some form with a solid 31 as Wayne Jones (15) and Mohendra Arjune (14) were the other men dismissed by Kash Lutchman (1-27), Khemraj Budhai (1-28) and Anil Beharry (1-52).

Trophy Stall Lions celebrate the fall of a Regal Legends wicket

For Trophy Stall Lions, Latchman led the early charge with three fours and three sixes before he was run out for 41, while Anand Persaud (20*) and Ramkumar Seonarine (12*) were the men unbeaten.

Meanwhile, Orlando Softball Cricket League Masters and New York Softball Cricket League Masters will clash for the Masters (Over-40), while Titans All-Stars face Orlando Softball Cricket League All-Stars for the All-Stars (Open) title, all happening on Sunday.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali tours the hospital’s histopathology laboratory (Photo: Delano Williams/ March 18, 2023)

Speaking at the launching ceremony held at the hospital on Saturday, Dr. Singh said the hospital’s integration of newer technologies helps to bring modern services, akin to those offered in developed nations, to Guyana.

“It will revolutionise the way we approach diagnostics and testing,” she said.

For context, a histopathology laboratory offers numerous services including assessments of the heart, chest pains and other internal concerns. Dr. Singh said it can improve cancer diagnosis and care, too.

Meanwhile, a 128-slice CT scanner allows healthcare professionals to get better quality, three-dimensional (3D) images of a patient as compared to the average CT scanner.

And according to President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, such investments in much-needed, specialised medical services are helping to position Guyana “ahead of the game”.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali joined officials from the hospital to unveil the new complex housing the histopathology laboratory and the 128-slice CT scanner (Photo: Delano Williams/ March 18, 2023)

These investments, according to the Head of State, are a result of a carefully-crafted plan of his government to stimulate investments in private healthcare locally.

That plan includes tax-breaks and other incentives for investments in healthcare, the modernisation of laws governing the field and training large tranches of healthcare workers to satisfy local needs and demands.

And he highlighted that private companies, like the Dr. Balwant Singh’s Hospital, are responsive to the policy direction and emphasis placed on improving local healthcare. Such investments, Dr. Ali posited, will complement public sector investments and attract foreign attention.

“We made it very clear that the public healthcare system must support the private sector… (and) the private healthcare must be able to deliver specialised care.

“When we get to this level of healthcare, we are no longer saying healthcare for Guyanese, it must attract international traffic,” the President emphasised.

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Shai Hope. And he wasn’t talking about himself.

“Temba Bavuma – an innings like that deserves to be a victorious innings but it just so happened that we came out on top at the end. I must give him credit for the way he controlled the innings. He played the situation well and he really deserved to win the game but there can only be one winner,” Hope said after West Indies successfully defended 335 runs – their highest score against South Africa – in East London.

Bavuma slammed a career-best 144, exactly a week after his Test best of 172 last and less than two months after he hit a series-winning 109 in South Africa’s World Cup Super League victory over England in Bloemfontein.

He is a player transformed from the one who struggled to score runs during South Africa’s season-opening white-ball tour of India, where he made 11 runs in four innings, and the leader who oversaw their T20I World Cup campaign, which ended in defeat to the Netherlands. Bavuma attributes the change to the simple truth of having more fun.

The hundred was Temba Bavuma’s third across formats in 2023 (Photo: Getty Images)

“I’m enjoying my cricket at this point in time,” Bavuma said. “My mind is just a lot clearer as to what we’re trying to do and how we’re trying to do that; feeding off the confidence that I am getting from the players as well as the new coaches.”

After his 172 in the Wanderers Test, Bavuma said he felt more backed by red-ball coach Shukri Conrad than he had since he was under the wing of his domestic coach at the Lions, Enoch Nkwe (who also served as South Africa’s interim coach for a trip to India in 2019) and that’s despite being captain in two formats in the interim.

In May 2021, Bavuma was put in charge of South Africa’s white-ball sides, albeit with only six ODI and eight T20I caps to his name. While 50-over cricket is clearly his forte, the shortest format proved to be tricky, particularly from a strike-rate perspective and since being relieved of that role, and put in charge of the Test team while keeping the 50-over gig, Bavuma has flourished.

His recent innings have shown us a batter who is strong on the sweep and the slog, who has opened up scoring areas both in front of and behind square and who is able to rotate strike well. While it may look like a revelation to those looking in from the outside, for Bavuma, it’s merely a demonstration of “what was always there,” that is now coming through.

“It’s just a confidence thing. Confidence is a big thing for any sportsman,” he said. “I am just trying to carry on the form and the momentum I got in the England series. I am hitting the ball quite nicely. I am managing to find gaps, which is a big thing for me as a stroke player. I can only hope that lasts.”

Despite his best efforts on Saturday evening, South Africa fell 48 runs short of beating West Indies, a side who are after a new start of their own. After losing 16 of the 20 ODIs they played last year, West Indies are all-but-certain to miss out on automatic qualification to the 2023 World Cup, and need to start winning.

Shai Hope (File photo)

Victory in South Africa – their first on the road against a team other than Netherlands and Ireland since they beat Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2018 – “means a lot,” as Hope put it.

“It’s something we speak about in the meetings. We are just trying to win more cricket games. We didn’t have a successful 2022 and we are trying everything to turn it around,” he said.

It also marks a successful start for new leadership. Hope is now in charge of the ODI team, with 105 matches under his belt, and a lot on his plate. Though he did not open the batting in this match – as he has done since 2019 – he batted from the 10th over, kept wicket and captained and described the fixture as a “tiring game for me.”

So how will he manage the many roles he has to play in what is a big ODI year for West Indies? “I am definitely going to take it on full speed. It’s about giving my all to the team,” Hope said. “I am getting support from all ends. I have got support from guys off the field and on the field. I’ve got to keep embracing the responsibility and when the time comes to shine, I’ll do so.”

And he intends to apply that in all formats. As the ODI series opener played out, shortly after West Indies’ batting let them down in the Test series, there was some talk about whether players like Hope and former captain Nicholas Pooran should be considered for the red-ball team as well.

On the evidence of the East London ODI, West Indies could do worse, but there’s also some interesting context to Hope’s exclusion.

Like his opposite number Bavuma, Hope only has two Test centuries to his name – and they came in the same match. Hope has not played Test cricket since December 2021. Asked if the longest format is something he’d like to get back to, Hope indicated that hope will win out.

“Something that I always preach in the camp: control what you can control. I can’t control what the selectors do, I can’t control things behind the scenes, all I can control is the way I prep, the way I play and the performance I put in on the field,” he said. “If the chance and the opportunity arises, I will take it with both hands.” (ESPNcricinfo)