The Jamaica National soccer team. CONCACAF
Caribbean L 46 ife, MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2021
By Azad Ali
West Indies will have a hectic
international home itinerary for the
remainder of the year, with South
Africa, Australia and Pakistan schedule
to play a myriad of Tests, One-day
Internationals Twenty 20 Internationals
across five Caribbean countries in
the space of three months.
Trinidad and Tobago was being
tipped to host the South Africa series.
However, the recent surge in Covid-
19 infections have caused Cricket West
Indies (CWI) to adjust its plans.
South Africa will now play its two
Tests in St. Lucia in June before playing
five T20s in Grenada to kick off the
busiest domestic programs in recent
memory.
Russell returns
Continued from Page 45
Games cancelled
By Azad Ali
The off-again, on-again CARIFTA
Games, the region’s annual
junior athletics showpiece set to be
staged in Bermuda this year, are now
officially called off because of the
Covid-19 pandemic, organizers have
announced.
The governing body, the North
American, Central American and Caribbean
Athletics Association (NACAC)
confirmed this decision last week.
By Nelson A. King
Gamael Dorvil of Haitian club Cavaly
AS took home the top individual honors
from the 2021 Flow CONCACAF Football
Caribbean Club Championship (FCCCC)
after a 3-0 win over Inter Moengo Tapoe
of Suriname in the final on Tuesday night
at the Estadio Olimpico Felix Sanchez in
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
CONCACAF said Dorvil scored five
goals to lead Cavaly to the title, earning
the Young Player Award, Golden Boot and
Golden Ball as the tournament’s most
valuable player.
Cavaly goal keeper Emmanuel Saint-
Felix collected the Golden Glove award for
his top performances in goal, CONCACAF
said.
It said Saint-Felix registered “four clean
sheets during the tournament.”
Rounding out the award winners were
runners-up Inter Moengo, who took home
the Fair Play Award.
leading to sporadic appearances for the
regional side and has featured in only five
of their T20 Internationals over the last
three and a half years.
He last turned out for West Indies on
the two-match tour of Sri Lanka last year
when he excelled with the bat to emerge
Player-of -the Series.
The ageing Chris Gayle who has also
struggled with form was also recalled to
the team.
Head Coach Phil Simmons said the
squad will be led again by Kieron Pollard.
“It is going to be difficult to find
another Sir Vivian Richards or a
Desmond Haynes and Sir Gordon
Greenidge or a Brian Lara, Sir Richie
Richardson, Sir Clive Lloyd and the
list goes on and on,” he added.
Starting in 1980, West Indies produced
a staggering 15-year period of
unrivalled Test success, where the
team went unbeaten in 29 series,
winning 20 and drawing nine.
CACAF. “It shows that a little island like
Jamaica is starting to get more and more
respect as we go.
“We still have a ways to go, but we are
setting an example and showing the other
Caribbean teams that it’s possible,” he
added. “Hopefully, we can be the first to
win it.
“It’s a tournament that we always look
forward to, because, as a team, we don’t
really get to spend a lot of time together,”
Blake continued. “As a group, most times,
it’s FIFA dates. One game maybe you are
together for five days or three days, but
this team really thrives when we get to
spend time together, and I think that’s
why we always do well in this tournament.”
CONCACAF said Jamaica’s quest for
a first Gold Cup title in 2021 begins in
Group C, where they will face Suriname,
Costa Rica and one of the qualified teams
from the prelims.
“It’s an exciting time and, personally,
I’m looking forward to it,” Blake said. “It’s
a tournament that we’ve come so close to
winning and making that final step.
“Unfortunately, we came up short,” he
added. “So, there is still a bitter taste in
our mouths, especially for the guys who
played in those final. We are looking forward
to it and, hopefully, this is the year
we can go all the way.”
CONCACAF said Blake took home
Golden Glove honors for his performance
in the 2017 Gold Cup in helping the Reggae
Boyz reach the final.
But, CONCACAF said, unfortunately for
the Philadelphia Union netminder, he had
to leave the final, a 2-1 loss to the United
States, due to injury.
After reaching the semifinals of the
2019 Gold Cup, their third straight final
four finish in a Gold Cup, CONCACAF said
Jamaica has set the standard for other
Caribbean teams.
Blake welcomes the rise of other Caribbean
nations throughout the CONCACAF
region to try to follow in Jamaica’s footsteps.
“You always want to see your fellow
islanders doing well and stepping up,” he
said. “Kudos to those federations for trying
to secure the best players and doing what’s
right to attract players to come and play.
“Everyone is improving, and that is
better for the Caribbean and better competition
for Jamaica when we play these
games,” Blake added. “I think it’s very
good, and it’s only going to get better with
time.”
Continued from Page 45
Continued from Page 45
REGGAE BOYZ SHOWS THE WAY
WI glory days
Cavaly’s Dorvil takes home top FCCCC honors
CONCACAF General Secretary
Philippe Moggio (right) presents
award to Gamael Dorvil of Haitian
club Cavaly AS. CONCACAF/STRAFFON
IMAGES/NELSONPULIDO
Hectic season