Injury
Published Sunday February 3rd, 2008
Dogged from the very start of the tour by a succession of injuries and ailments, West Indian hopes of mounting a defiant last stand in the final One-Day International against South Africa today have been significantly compromised by more fitness worries. Facing the very real prospect of a second consecutive 5-0 limited-over series whitewash at the hands of the Proteas, and with every local expectation that they will again be nothing more than cannon fodder in Shaun Pollock's final match, the tourists are struggling to field 11 completely fit players for a match that is almost guaranteed to draw a capacity crowd to The Wanderers. Joining the list of players who have been on the treatment table at one time or the other during this two-month journey through southern Africa are Marlon Samuels and Sewnarine Chattergoon. Samuels' chronic knee problem flared up again during Friday's fourth ODI in Durban while Chattergoon, selected specifically for the shorter versions of the game, is hampered by a left thigh injury that required treatment during the course of his innings at Kingsmead.
Neither player took the field in defence of a total of 263-9 and it remains to be seen if they will be fit enough to play in the last match of a tour that has once again raised questions about the visitors' level of preparedness for top-level competition. While head coach, John Dyson, has conceded that the South Africans have been the better all-round team, the Caribbean squad's failure to build on a shock victory in the first Test in Port Elizabeth must also be attributed to the fitness worries of the likes of stand-in captain Dwayne Bravo, Fidel Edwards, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Jerome Taylor, all of whom are vital components of a West Indian side that was finally beginning to show signs of cohesion and consistency. Taylor, whose blistering unbeaten 43 in Durban two days earlier confirmed his all-round potential, may also be in doubt for today showdown at "The Bullring" as it is reported that he was complaining of painful soreness following his exertions with bat and ball on Friday night. Given his history of serious injuries and the promise that he clearly shows, it is questionable whether the tour selectors will want to risk the 23-year-old in a match that holds interest only as Pollock's last hurrah in national colors.
Asafa
Asafa Powell, who consolidated his position as the world's fastest man, with a world record clocking of 9.74 seconds in Rieti Italy last September, was named 2007 Sportsman of the Year. World 100 meters champion, Veronica Campbell-Brown, copped the female equivalent of Sportswoman of the Year, at the 47th National Awards 2007 ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday January 29. Powell, the world 100 meters championship bronze medalist, who became the fourth back to back three time winner, took the title ahead Maurice Smith. Smith is the first Jamaican decathlete to win a medal at the IAAF World Championships. Campbell-Brown, the world 100 meters champion, became the eight double winner of the sportswoman award, taking the crown ahead of Deloreen Ennis-London. Chris Dehring, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of West Indies World Cup 2007, was presented with the Chairman Award.
Published Saturday, January 12th, 2008
In Jamaica, the nephew of former World Heavy Weight Boxing
Champion Trevor Berbick has been sentenced to life imprisonment
for his murder. Harold Berbick, who was convicted of
murder in December, was sentenced on the morning of Friday,
January 11th in the Home Circuit Court. He will have to
serve 20 years behind bars before becoming eligible for parole.
His co-accused Kenton Gordon was sentenced to 14 years for his
part in the killing. Gordon was found guilty of the lesser
charge of manslaughter. Both men were convicted on
December 20 by a 12 member jury in the Portland Circuit Court
for killing the former world boxing champion. Trevor
Berbick was found dead on October 28, 2006 in Norwich, Portland.
He was chopped several times in the head by his attackers.
The
fall for the woman, who was once the most celebrated female
athlete in the world Marion Jones was completed Friday, January
11th as she was sentenced to six months in prison for lying
about using steroids and a check-fraud scam. Jones, who
had pleaded that she not be separated from her two young
children, must report to prison no later than March 11.
She also was given two years of supervised probation and 400
hours of community service. Last October, Jones admitted
she lied to federal investigators in November 2003 when she
denied using performance-enhancing drugs. She said she
took a designer steroid "several times before the Sydney
Olympics and continued using it after." 32-year-old Jones,
who returned her five Olympic medals even before the IOC ordered
her to do so, has since had her name expunged from the record
books. Judge Karas set March 11 as the date for Jones to begin
her jail time, unless a designated jail is able to accept her
sooner. Jones also was given two years' probation and
supervised release, during which she will be required to perform
800 hours of community service. Prosecutors had not
pressed for jail time and Jones's lawyers said she already had
suffered public humiliation after admitting in October she lied
about her steroid use and her knowledge of the cheque fraud
involving her former partner Tim Montgomery. Her lawyers sought
probation, or time confined to her home. "I ask you to be
as merciful as a human being can be," a tearful Jones pleaded
with the judge. "My passion in life has always been my family. I
know the day is quickly approaching when my boys ask me about
these current events. I intend to be honest and forthright ...
and guide them into not making the same mistakes." One of
her sons is four years old, the other only seven months and
still nursing. Though emotional, Jones's request was to no
avail. After the sentence was passed, Jones cried on the
shoulder of her husband, former sprint star Obadele Thompson.
The
Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) is puzzled over who has
television rights for home World Cup qualifying games later this
year. JFF president, Captain Horace Burrell, told
journalists that his executive is uncertain on the issue
involving free-to-air television station TVJ and the cable
station SportsMax, which he says could easily end up in court.
Burrell revealed that SportMax was sold the television rights
for local friendly games by the previous Crenston Boxhill-led
administration. However, that contract had a rider allowing the
cable station to be given first right of refusal for the World
Cup qualifiers at home. At the same time, he said, TVJ
holds a contract with the JFF, also from the past
administration. "TVJ went a step further to make a
deposit, having secured the rights from the federation," Burrell
explained. "The situation currently is that TVJ has stated
clearly that they will not give up their right, because they are
the rights holders. "On the other hand, SportsMax is not
giving up either, because they are saying they have the first
right of refusal and that was never exercised," he continued.
Another daunting issue facing the administration according to
the JFF president is a debt of £135,000 to the English Football
Federation and US$12,000 to the Caribbean Football Union (CFU)
for Jamaica's withdrawal from the regional Under-15 tournament
last year. The JFF boss said that the administration's
auditors are assessing the books and are trying to see how best
to address the situation. "I don't have the answers right
now, this is a tremendous concern to us, as a new board... as we
discovered that we owed £135,000," he said. The former JFF
administration is said to have recieved over 9,000 tickets to be
sold to Jamaican fans for a Friendly International against
England prior to the 2006 World Cup. However, the proceeds
from the tickets which were to be remitted to the English FA,
never happened. "Our auditors and the finance committee,
headed by Leighton McKnight, are quite capable and in time they
will report their findings... but we will not accuse anyone of
impropriety," Burrell said. The JFF president announced
that the the board members unanimously approved the hiring of
Brazilian Rene Simeos as Jamaica's technical director of
football. The board also approved Theodore Whitmore,
Lenworth Hyde, Paul Young and Donovan Duckie as assistant
coaches to work alongside Simoes for the men's teams.
Jamaica will play their next senior national team game on
Febuary 6, and according to Burrell, a big football festival is
being planned for that day to commemorate Bob Marley's birthday.
South
Africa are in the drivers seat after the first day of their
third and deciding test against the West Indies in Durban, as
replying to the Windies paltry first innings score of 139, the
home side reached 213/1 at stumps. Captain Graeme Smith scored
his thirteenth test century to close the day on 122-not out with
Hashim Amla 55-not out. Earlier, the Windies playing
without regular captain Chris Gayle, suffered a top order
batting collapse losing openers Darren Ganga for three and
Brenton Parchment for 11 with the largest score, 30, coming from
Dinesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy 28 and Jerome Taylor 25.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul went for a duck, Marlon Samuels six and
stand in captain Dwayne Bravo, 13. Shaun Pollock took 4-35
and Andre Nel 3-45.