BRIDGETOWN, Barbados–Former West Indies batsman, Ryan Hinds, is one of six Barbadians included in a 14-man Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners squad for the Regional Super50 later this month.
The 35-year-old, who played 15 Tests and 14 One-Day Internationals, will serve as a player-coach in the unit which will be led by fellow Barbadian Jamal Smith.
Experienced opener Kyle Corbin, who has played 56 first class games, has been included along with Aaron Jones, Keon Harding Raymond Bynoe as the other Barbadians in the squad.
Space has been found for the Trinidadian trio of Amir Jangoo, Mark Deyal and Vikash Mohan along with Jamaicans Cassius Burton, Christopher Powell and Jermaine Levy.
The squad is completed by St Lucian left-arm spinner Larry Edward, who has played three first class games for Windward Islands Volcanoes and Antiguan Nino Henry, who played two games for CCC in last year's Super50.
CCC will play in Group B alongside last year's losing finalists Barbados Pride, Jamaica Scorpions, Guyana Jaguars and ICC Americas.
Group A, meanwhile, comprises reigning champions Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Volcanoes, West Indies Under-19s and English county side, Kent Spitfires.
The Super50 runs from January 24 to February 18 in Antigua and Barbados.
SQUAD � Jamal Smith (captain), Kyle Corbin, Aaron Jones, Ryan Hinds, Keon Harding, Raymond Bynoe, Amir Jangoo, Mark Deyal, Vikash Mohan, Cassius Burton, Christopher Powell, Jermaine Levy, Larry Edward, Nino Henry.
Brathwaite shines with ball as Thunder wins again
SYDNEY, Australia–West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite was brilliant with the ball as Sydney Thunder won their third straight with an eight-wicket triumph over crosstown rivals, Sydney Sixers, to keep alive their hopes of a playoff spot in the Big Bash League yesterday.
Playing in only his second game since arriving to replace injured Windies teammate, Andre Russell, the Barbadian snatched three for 21 from four overs of clever medium pace to help restrict Sixers to a paltry 99 for nine, in front of nearly 40 000 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
In reply, the reigning champions cruised to their target with ten overs remaining, to continue their resurgence following a four-game losing streak to open the tournament.
Opting to bat first, Sixers were quickly in trouble when they lost openers Michael Lumb (11) and top-scorer Daniel Hughes (20) cheaply to be 36 for two in the sixth over.
Brathwaite and leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed, who was outstanding with four for 14 from his four overs, then combined to wreck the innings.
Right-armer Brathwaite claimed wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (4), caught at mid-wicket in the 10th over; Johan Botha bowled for three, playing across the line in the 14th over before having Nathan Lyon caught in the deep for nine in the 18th over.
Opener Kurtis Patterson then stroked an unbeaten 38 from 26 balls in a 54-run opening stand with James Vince who hit 28, to put Thunder in charge.
When Vince and Shane Watson (4) fell in the sixth over to pacer Sean Abbott, Patterson and Ben Rohrer, unbeaten on 26, put on 41 in an unbroken third wicket stand to see their side home.
Sammy signs for Jaguars in Hong Kong Blitz
HONG KONG–Two-time Twenty20 World Cup-winning captain, Darren Sammy, will turn out for Hung Hom JD Jaguars in the second edition of the Hong Kong T20 Blitz in March.
Jaguars team coach Afzaal Haider confirmed Sammy's participation, pointing out that he was expected to be a major drawing card for the Twenty20 showpiece.
"Darren Sammy is a stalwart of the game. His celebrations with the pacifier and champion dances have won him countless fans across the globe," Haider said.
"More than that, he is a very astute cricketer, who can contribute with the bat, ball and strategies."
The 33-year-old Sammy led West Indies to the capture of the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in 2012 and then again last April when the Caribbean side beat England in a dramatic final in Mumbai. He is a former Test and one-day captain who was last August sacked as Windies T20 captain and dropped from the squad.
Sammy recently turned out in the Bangladesh Premier League for Rajshahi Kings where his captaincy proved pivotal in taking them to the final.
He will be one of several stars set to play in the March 8-12 tournament with Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara signing for Galaxy Gladiators Lantau and Pakistan's Shahid Afridi lining up for Kowloon Cantons.
Tournament director Max Abbott said Sammy's arrival would be a tremendous lift for the showpiece.
"It's been a huge week for the tournament with Afridi, Sangakkara and now Darren Sammy signing on for the Blitz," Abbott said.
"Credit to the Jaguars for bringing such a popular player that is one of the most entertaining characters in world cricket. It's going to be a huge boost for cricket in Hong Kong."
Hong Kong Island United and City Kaitak are the other two teams in the tournament. (CMC)