By Prior Beharry
AN Over 50 cricket tournament is currently taking place in Barbados with seven international sides – Canada, England, India, UAE, USA, Wales and West Indies. There is also a West Indies A team.
A release from the Cricket West Indies Masters Association (CWIMA) stated that the tournament started on November 2 and will end on November 11.
It takes place in several venues including Pickwick, Wanderers, Windward, BNOC, Police and 3 Ws Oval.
The release stated that England are favourites having won all ten of their matches since the 2020 World Cup, but they are missing a few key players who did not make the trip to Barbados. These include Stephen Foster, Mark Alleyne, and Mo Shahnawaz. But in the squad are Giles Ecclestone, Sean Cooper, David Snellgrove, and Jonathan Wileman. Wileman is currently No. 4 in the world O50s rankings with a batting average of 73 and a bowling economy rate of 3.75.
According to the release, hosts West Indies have 12 Barbadians in their team with only William Lashley having represented West Indies before in Houston, Texas, earlier this year.
It stated that to date, West Indies Over-50s teams have been almost all Trinidadian and Guyanese players.
The squad includes attacking batsmen Brian Johnson and Ken Mayers and off-spinners Tony Morris and William Lashley.
West Indies have also added the Man of the Match leg spinner Chanderpaul Singh in the final of the Big Man Cricket-Gy last weekend between Essequibo Eagles and West Bank Warriors.
Two West Indies players Sudesh Dhaniram and opener Ishwar Maraj registered centuries in the 2022 Marlborough Cup. Of note too is captain Zamin Amin with his flat left-arm spin.
