Haiti forward Sherly Jeudy, left, advances and Panama midfi elder Aldrith Quintero (10) defend as they both kick
the ball at the same time during the second half of a CONCACAF women’s Olympic qualifying soccer match Monday,
Feb. 3, 2020, in Houston. Associated Press / Michael Wyke
By Azad Ali
Veteran West Indies opener
Chris Gayle has signed to play
for the upcoming Everest Premier
League (EPL) starting next
month in Nepal.
This has raised questions
about his availability for the West
Indies’ tour of Sri Lanka.
The fourth edition of the EPL
runs from Feb. 29 to March 14 in
Nepal while West Indies face Sri
Lanka from Feb. 17 to March 6.
Gayle, 40, has not represented
West Indies in about six
months and has not turned out
in a Twenty20 International in
almost a year.
West Indies are set to defend
their Twenty20 World Cup title
in Australia from Oct. 19 to Nov.
15.
Gayle has confirmed his participation
Caribbean Life, F 38 ebruary 14-20, 2020
in the EPL indicated
that he will be representing
Pokhara Rhinos.
“I will be visiting Nepal for the
biggest sporting event, the Everest
Premier League,” the Jamaican
said in a video message. West Indies’ Chris Gayle. Associated Press / Rui Vieira, File
Two axed
Continued from Page 37
Lewis was the team’s best batsman
in the recent ODI series Colonial
Medical Insurance ODI series against
Ireland where he proved the bedrock
for the team’s Series win.
Hetmyer appeared to be getting
his act together and was an integral
part of the team’s batting group.
Lewis, 28, averages nearly 36 from
51 ODIs and has been one of the
Windies’ most dependable batsmen
in recent time. During the last eight
months he has averaged nearly 43
from 16 matches.
He smashed 208 runs at an average
of 104 in three matches against
Ireland last month to earn Man-ofthe
Series honors.
Hetmyer, meanwhile endured poor
form in the series against Ireland
with scores of six and eight in the
doubleheader in Barbados before
being dropped for the final game.
Meanwhile, Darren Bravo has been
recalled to the side four months after
being dropped for the tour of Afghanistan
over his poor form.
Since then, he has returned to
form with nearly 500 runs at an
average of 96 during last November’s
Super50 Cup and has averaged 50
from four innings in the first-class
championship so far this year.
All-rounder Rovman Powell has
been recalled to the team following
14 months on the sidelines, while
left-arm spinning all-rounder Fabien
Allen, returns following an injury.
West Indies left last week for the
series which opens in Colombo on
February 22 and continues with
matches four days later, with the final
match set for Kandy on March 2.
Following the series, the regional
team faces Sri Lanka in two Twenty20
Internationals.
and the Bangladesh Premier League
(BPL).
Overall, he has played a record 499
Twenty20s and is just 34 runs shy of
becoming only the second batsman
to reach 10,000 runs in the format.
which ran from Jan. 28 to Feb. 09,
was meant to select the top two teams
that will go to the Tokyo Olympics.
These Caribbean teams took on
Central American and North American
sides in their quest for a place at
the summer games.
The USA beat Canada 3-0 Sunday
to CONCACAF champions while both
teams qualified for the Olympics.
The dismal Caribbean showing
has perhaps sent a message that the
region’s girls are far from ready for
that level of soccer.
Jamaica, the top dog among
regional minnows, beat St. Kitts 7-0,
and that was the only time the Girlz
scored. But it was Haiti who had the
most impressive victory by beating,
Panama, a non-Caribbean team, 6-0.
These two victories for the Caribbean
girls were in the third round
after they lost their first and second
round matches, which gave them no
chance of getting to the final.
The dismal reading of the Caribbean
score sheet showed Haiti losing
to the USA 0-4; to Costa Rica 0-2; and
beating Panama 6-0.
Jamaica lost 0-1 to Mexico; 0-9 to
Canada; and beat St. Kitts 7-0.
St. Kitts, a fast-rising football
nation in both the men’s and women’s
game, lost 0-11 to Canada; 0-6 to
Mexico; and 0-7 to Jamaica.
A post-tournament issue to lookout
for is what will be the fate of
the Reggae Girlz temporary coach,
Hubert Busby Jr.
The Jamaica Football Federation
had given him this temporary
appointment and made clear that the
Girlz’ performance will be a tester of
his ability to permanently lead them.
The redeeming factor for Busby Jr
may be consideration of the troubled
camp over which he had become temporary
coach.
Since the Girlz blazed their way
into this tournament, they were beset
by several issues, largest of all being a
stabbing incident that took the life of
star mid-fielder, Tarania ‘Plum Plum’
Clarke. Then there were pay disputes
that caused the Girlz to threaten not
to play; and another that saw departure
of head coach Hue Menzies, who
had led them to their first World Cup
in France last year.
Continued from Page 37
West Indies’ Kieron Pollard.
Associated Press / Lynne Sladky, File
Continued from Page 37
CARIBBEAN TEAMS GET THE BOOT
Pollard
Gayle to play in Nepal T20