St.John's (Antigua), May 19 (IANS/CMC) England and the West Indies will play three Twenty20 matches and three One-Day Internationals in the Caribbean early next year, the West Indies Cricket Board announced. The three One-Day Internationals will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds in Antigua while Kensington Oval in Barbados will host the T20 games, the WICB said Saturday, reports CMC. The Twenty20 matches will be the last before the West Indies defend their World Twenty20 title in Bangladesh.

St.John's (Antigua), April 5 (IANS/CMC) Congratulations continue to come in for Jamaican businessman Dave Cameron who was elected new president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) last week. Both the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) and the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Thursday joined other regional boards in applauding Cameron who defeated incumbent Julian Hunte in a close election in Barbados, reports CMC. "The Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) is excited about your recent election to the positions of president and vice president respectively of the West Indies Cricket Board as despite your success coming at a time when challenges are varied and many," said JCA secretary Fritz Harris in a letter to Cameron and vice president Emmanuel Nanthan.

North Sound (Antigua), March 5 (IANS/CMC) West Indies captain Darren Sammy says he wants to see more West Indies victories similar to the 41 run win over Zimbabwe in the final T20 International Sunday. The world champions brushed aside Zimbabwe to sweep the two match series at the Vivian Richards cricket ground

North Sound (Antigua), March 4 (IANS/CMC) World champions West Indies made the most of Zimbabwe's lacklustre performance to win the final Twenty20 International by 41 runs and sweep the two-match series. In a low-keyed encounter at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, West Indies posted 158 for seven from their 20 overs, with Kieron Pollard blasting an unbeaten 45 and opener Lendl Simmons hitting 41 here Sunday. Leg-spinners Tinotenda Mutombodzi (2-28) and Natsai Mushangwe (2-33), both 22-year-olds, picked up two wickets apiece

North Sound (Antigua), March 3 (IANS/CMC) Audacious West Indies hardly broke a sweat as they nonchalantly brushed aside Zimbabwe by eight wickets in their opening Twenty20 International here Saturday. Chasing an inadequate 131 for victory, the T20 World champions were propelled by opener Lendl Simmons who struck a six-laden, unbeaten 63 to see them home off the first ball of the 17th over at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground. He faced 49 balls and struck one four and six sixes, putting on 85 in an unbroken third wicket stand with all-rounder Dwayne Bravo whose 38 came from 30 balls and included three fours and a six

St.John's (Antigua), Nov 3 (IANS/CMC) Dubai based Taj TV has acquired television broadcast rights for West Indies cricket for a period of seven years from January 2013. Part of the deal will be providing the television production for free-to-air stations throughout the Caribbean for the benefit of the West Indies cricket fans, reports CMC. "We are extremely delighted to continue our long standing association with Taj TV Limited (TTL) who has been our media rights partner previously and with whom we have had a solid and mutually beneficial relationship," said President of the West Indies Cricket Board Julian Hunte

North Sound (Antigua), July 31 (IANS/CMC) Explosive West Indies batsman Chris Gayle says he is impressed with the tactics employed by fellow opener Kieran Powell to achieve his maiden Test century. Powell made 134 in the first innings of the just concluded Test between the West Indies and New Zealand in Antigua. Gayle, who also scored a century and shared an opening stand of 254 with Powell, described his innings as patient and responsible. "You have to give him a lot of credit. He was patient and he selected the right balls to hit," said Gayle, who returned to Test cricket after an 18-month break which came as a result of a dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board. "There were times when he had a bit of difficulty scoring, but he was able to hang in there and helped to rotate the strike. I am very happy for him." Powell's century as well as a knock of 30 in the second innings earned him a jump of 27 places on the ICC test rankings. The Leeward Island cricketer now sits in 65th position, according to the new figures released Monday. "I didn't have to give him (Powell) a lot of advice. I just told him to play his natural game and stick to the basics. He knows what he's about and he was able to handle the situations quite well," said Gayle. "He's got a good head on his shoulders and I was happy to see him get his first Test hundred." Gayle, playing his first Test since April 2011, re-entered the ICC Test rankings in 21st position following his knocks of 150 and 64 not out. "I was motivated to do something special and as a team we were motivated to get the better of New Zealand," said Gayle who scored his 14th Test hundred. "After coming off the good performances in the One-Day Series and the T20s, we wanted to make sure that we did not surrender the initiative." The 32-year-old left-hander has become the first West Indies batsman to score 1,000 Test runs against the Black Caps. "I am happy to be here playing Test cricket for the West Indies," said Gayle. --IANS/CMC bs/vt

North Sound (Antigua), July 30 (IANS/CMC) Kemar Roach put the chains in motion before Chris Gayle coolly navigated the West Indies to a nine-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first Test here Sunday. Roach snared 5-60 from 23.2 overs, as New Zealand were bowled out for 272 in their second innings about 45 minutes before tea on the final day, CMC reports. It was the fifth time in 20 Tests that Roach has claimed five scalps and emphasised his role as the current strike bowler in the Windies attack. Gayle, a century-maker in the first innings, then gathered a typically authoritative, unbeaten 64, becoming the first West Indies batsman to score 1,000 runs against the Black Caps in Tests, as the home team confidently chased down 102 for victory. He reached his 50 from just 42 balls with a lofted straight drive off Neil Wagner for four before the modest, but enthusiastic crowd at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground saw fellow left-hander Assad Fudadin formalise victory when he turned a delivery from Daniel Vettori into square leg for a single about 45 minutes after tea. Opener Kieran Powell made 30 and was the only West Indies casualty in the run chase, when he was caught at backward point from a flawed cut at a short, rising ball from Doug Bracewell with 25 still needed. The result gave the West Indies a 1-0 lead in the series, which concludes with the final Test, starting Thursday at Sabina Park in Jamaica. It was the first victory for the West Indies in 11 Tests against New Zealand. The previous victory - 16 years ago at Kensington Oval in Barbados - came when Courtney Walsh's side conquered Lee Germon's by 10 wickets, a match that featured Sherwin Campbell's highest Test score of 208. Rain swept across the ground and stopped play for about 40 minutes after the start. --IANS/CMC bs/vt

North Sound (Antigua), July 28 (IANS/CMC) Openers Chris Gayle and Kieran Powell plundered career-defining hundreds with dominant batting, putting the West Indies in a superior position against New Zealand in the first Test here. Gayle celebrated his long-awaited return to Test whites with an even 150 - his 14th hundred in Tests - and Kieran Powell fulfilled his immense promise with 134 - his maiden hundred - to build the foundation on which the West Indies reached 442 for six Friday, replying to New Zealand's first innings total of 351, at the close on the third day, CMC reports. Assad Fudadin, another left-hander, enhanced his reputation with a resolute 55, Narsingh Deonarine was not out on 54, and Marlon Samuels made 28 to underline the West Indies' dominance on a true Vivian Richards Cricket Ground pitch. Before lunch, Gayle, playing a Test for the first time in more than 19 months, reached his milestone from 149 balls, when he greeted Chris Martin's first ball of the day, a short, rising delivery, with a pull high over mid-wicket for his second six. He removed his helmet and held his arms aloft in triumph for several seconds before waving his bat to the four corners of the ground in celebration. After lunch, Powell, playing in only his 10th Test, gave the modest crowd reason to celebrate for the second time in the day, when he reached his hundred in the second over after lunch. A graduate from the first class of the Sagicor West Indies High Performance Centre, he authoritatively pulled an innocuous short, rising delivery from Neil Wagner through backward square leg for his 16th four, before running down the pitch, leaping and punching in the air in joy. The two tall, easy-going left-handers put on 254 for the first wicket - the highest West Indies opening stand since Gayle and Daren Ganga put on 214 against Zimbabwe 11 years ago in Bulawayo. After the West Indies resumed from their overnight total of 145 without loss, Gayle lofted New Zealand's bespectacled, champion left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori for a six over long-off to move to 95 before dispatching Martin to reach his hundred. Powell showed his class with a few well-executed boundaries after a 20-minute stoppage, when rain offered New Zealand temporary respite about 40 minutes after the start. He struck two boundaries in Martin's 13th over before he moved into the 90s, when he scorched the turf with a firm sweep off Vettori through mid-wicket for his 15th four. But it was not all one-way traffic for West Indies, as the Black Caps' bowlers, Wagner and Vettori in particular, bowled purposeful spells, and came close to making the breakthrough just prior to lunch. Gayle, on 142, again had a huge slice of fortune, when wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk and Ross Taylor both failed to grab a chance, after he edged playing defensively forward to Kane Williamson's part-time off-spin. Next delivery, Powell too, almost gifted his wicket on 95, when he popped a delivery from the same bowler just over the head of the mid-wicket fielder off the leading edge, as the West Indies reached 245 without loss at the interval. After lunch, Powell followed up Gayle with his hundred before New Zealand claimed them, as West Indies reached 352 for two at tea. --IANS/CMC bs/vt

North Sound (Antigua), July 27 (IANS/CMC) Chris Gayle plundered his 14th Test hundred, celebrating his long-awaited return to Test whites in grand fashion as West Indies continued their dominance over New Zealand before lunch in the first Test here Friday. The talismanic Gayle was undefeated on 146 and his understudy Kieran Powell was unbeaten on 96, four short of his maiden ton, as the Windies reached 245 without loss, replying to the New Zealanders' first innings total of 351, at lunch on the third day, reports CMC. Gayle, playing a Test for the first time in more than 19 months, reached the milestone, much to the delight of the modest crowd at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground. He greeted Chris Martin's first ball of the day, a short, rising delivery, with a pull high over mid-wicket for his second six to reach his hundred from 149 balls. Gayle removed his helmet and held his arms aloft in triumph for several seconds before waving his bat to the four corners of the ground in celebration. He further celebrated, when he drove the same bowler on the up to long-off for another boundary two deliveries later. Gayle had lofted left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori, the former Black Caps captain, for a six over long-off to move to 95 before dispatching Martin to reach his hundred. He and Powell have now featured in the highest West Indies opening stand since Gayle and Daren Ganga put on 214 against Zimbabwe 11 years ago in Bulawayo. Powell, a graduate of the Sagicor West Indies High Performance Centre, remained unflappable, inching closer and closer to the landmark. He showed his class with a few well-executed boundaries after a 20-minute stoppage, when rain offered New Zealand temporary respite about 40 minutes after the start. Powell struck two boundaries in Martin's 13th over, a sweetly-timed drive past mid-on and a fierce upper cut to third man. He moved into the 90s, when he scorched the turf with a firm sweep off Vettori through mid-wicket for his 15th four. But it was not all one-way traffic for West Indies, as the Black Caps' bowlers, Nick Wagner and Vettori in particular, bowled purposeful spells, and just prior to lunch, came close to making the breakthrough. Gayle, on 142, again had a huge slice of fortune, when wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk and Ross Taylor both failed to grab a chance, after he edged playing defensively forward to Kane Williamson's part-time off-spin. Next delivery, Powell too, almost gifted his wicket on 95, when he popped a delivery from the same bowler just over the head of the mid-wicket fielder off the leading edge. --IANS/CMC abr/vd