Cricket West Indies Masters Association (CWIMA) continues to blaze the trail
with administering masters’ cricket for West Indies. Hot on the heels of hosting a
highly successful BIG MAN CRICKET O50s CARIBBEAN CUP tournament featuring 8 teams
from 7 countries in early November, 2022, CWIMA has now turned its sights on hosting a
6 team BIG MAN CRICKET O60S CARIBBEAN CUP tournament in January/February 2023.
The O50s BMC tournament was somewhat curtailed by the weather with 6 of the 20 matches
being completely washed out and a few others played with reduced overs. Be that as it may, the players,
officials and spectators who travelled from Canada, England, India, UAE, USA, Wales and the West Indies all
had a magnificent time in Barbados. Preliminary matches were played at the BNOC, Pickwick, Windward, St
Catherine and Police grounds.
USA defeated West Indies in the final which was played at the historic Kensington
Oval on Friday, November 11th 2022. Following the final, CWIMA hosted a gala Closing/Presentation
Dinner Awards Ceremony at the Golden Sands Hotel.
USA carted off the beautiful BMC O50s Caribbean Cup whilst West Indies had to settle for the Runners up
trophy. However, as a consolation, West Indies players copped three of the four individual awards presented
that evening:
PLAYER OF THE SERIES- ZAMIN AMIN (WI)
BEST FIELDER- ANTHONY SAHADEO (WI)
BEST BOWLER- ZAMIN AMIN (WI)
BEST BATSMAN- JONATHAN WILEMAN (England)
The BMC O60s Caribbean Cup is scheduled to bowl off in Barbados again on Monday, January 30th 2023 on
a round robin basis between the 6 teams. International O60s teams are expected from AUSTRALIA,
ENGLAND, USA, WEST INDIES, REST OF THE WORLD and REST OF THE AMERICAS. The finals are
slated to be held on Friday, February 10th 2023 and the organizers are optimistic that it can be held once again at
the Kensington Oval.
West Indies has somewhat rebranded its O60s team and just retained 8 of the players that participated in the
inaugural O60s World Cup in Queensland, Australia just a few months ago, namely: Captain Balwant Roy Singh,
Hafiz Mohamed, Richard Sieuchan, Pramesh Seheult, Keith Lawrence, Tejnarine Ramroop, Sunderdat
Sookram and Howard Jodhan. It was widely expected that former West Indies player Alvin
Kallicharran to turn out for the World Cup but broke his finger a few days prior to the historic event. Alvin
Kallicharran who played test cricket for the West Indies between 1972 and 1981 as a left-handed batsman and right-arm off spinner. He played in 66 test matches and scored 4399 runs at an average of 44.43 with a highest score of 187. He also chalked up 12 test centuries and 21 fifties. Kalli is ranked 6th in the world for having been dismissed 7 times in the 90s and even remaining not out once in the 90s.
Alvin is best remembered for his 10 balls onslaught against possibly the best fast bowler of his time,
Dennis Lillee cracking him for 35 runs with 7 fours and a six, the sequence running 4,4,4,4,4,1,4,6,0,4.
At age 73, Kalli is the elder statesman of the team but is still very fit and active as he coaches youth in
North Carolina, USA.
West Indies team has now been boosted by the inclusion of its O50s captain, Zamin Amin, left arm
orthodox spinner, who just copped the Player of the Series and Best Bowler awards at the recently
concluded O50s BMC tournament and will be turning out for the O60s for the very first time. Former
Trinidad & Tobago batsman Deonarine Deyal, who played 2 regional matches for TT in 1986/87 scoring
96 runs with a highest score of 63 runs also makes his debut for the WI O60s and will add some more
much needed impetus to the batting. Five bajans now join the West Indies squad for these games, namely:
Abdulsamad Motara (Left arm leg spinner), Pacer Emmerson Jordan who played 4 First Class matches
for Barbados in 1988/89, George Harris (Left-handed opener), Wicketkeeper/batsman Jefferson Gibbons
and Wilbur Bruce (Father of Dwayne Smith). In Jordan’s 4 matches for Barbados, he grabbed 8
wickets with a best of 4/53.
THE FULL SQUAD DECLARED BY THE
WEST INDIES IS:
Balwant ‘Roy’ SINGH- Captain
Zamin AMIN- Vice-captain
Imtiaz ‘Rick’ ALI
Wilbur BRUCE
Deonarine DEYAL
Jefferson GIBBONS
George HARRIS
Howard JODHAN- Player/Trainer
Emmerson JORDAN
Alvin KALLICHARRAN- Player/Coach
Keith LAWRENCE
Samad MOTARA
Tejnarine RAMROOP
Hafiz MOHAMED
Pramesh SEHEULT
Richard SIEUCHAN
Sunderdat SOOKRAM
Raj SINGH- Manager