THE MONTHLY GLEANER | DECEMBER 11, 2023 - JANUARY 10, 2024 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | SPORTS 23 EAST LONDON, SOUTH AFRICA (CMC): WEST INDIES ‘A’ lost their last five wickets for 75 runs as they slumped to a humbling 232-run defeat to South Africa ‘A’ in the second fourday ‘Test’ at the weekend. Resuming the final day at Buffalo Park on 134 for five, requiring a further 308 for victory in pursuit of an improbable 442, West Indies ‘A’ never challenged and were dismissed for 209 in their second innings before lunch. There was little resistance from the visitors in yet another anaemic batting effort, Tevin Imlach getting 34 and Akeem Jordan and Kevin Sinclair scoring 21 apiece. West Indies ‘A’ were undermined by off-spinner Dane Piedt, who picked up three of the wickets to fall to end with six for 79 and match figures of 11 for 107, following his first-innings five-wicket haul. Sinclair, unbeaten on 15 at the start, was the first casualty in the morning’s third over, and Abhijai Mansingh followed three overs later for five. And when Imlach, resuming from his overnight 16, was tragically run out after facing 84 balls and striking four fours, West Indies ‘A’ were in strife at 164 for eight. Jordan, who whacked two sixes in a 27-ball knock, led a brief resistance in a 37-run, ninth-wicket stand with fellow fast bowler Shamar Joseph who made 18 not out. However, Jordan finally succumbed when he was adjudged caught at first slip off Piedt, a decision which angered the right-hander who remonstrated angrily before trudging off. The dismissal handed Piedt his fifth wicket. Last man Jair McAllister (1) lasted only eight balls before playing down the wrong line to Piedt and having his stumps shattered. The victory saw the hosts level the three-match series 1-1 with the final ‘Test’ bowling off on Tuesday in Bloemfontein. Windies ‘A’ suffer heavy defeat West Indies ‘A’ batsman Kevin Sinclair COURTESY OF @WIPLAYERS Orane BuchananStaff Reporter FRENETIC, EXHILERATING, breathtaking, whichever word you chose to describe last week’s Champions Cup final inside the National Stadium, you would be right. Glenmuir and Clarendon College put on a show with the Andrew Peartconditioned unit, running away with a 3-2 victory thanks to goals from Ja-Son Whyte, Kyle Gordon and Orane Watson. The fixture started at frenetic pace, with Clarendon College’s Christopher Hull sending an opening-minute warning shot, his powerful right-footed strike, saved by Glenmuir’s custodian Antwone Gooden. Then it was Glenmuir’s Orane Watson, who tried his luck with a left-footed strike, in the fifth minute, which also had to be watched by CC goalie Roshae Burrell. However, the deadlock was broken in the 18th minute as Kaheim Dixon slotted home from close range on the back of a classic Clarendon College buildup. Clarendon College came close to doubling the lead in the 26th minute, Hull’s strike denied by Gordon. Glenmuir would then level the score line in the 27th minute through Whyte’s well-placed effort. In the second half, perhaps the turning point in the match, Clarendon College central defender Nahson BoltBarrett was shown a red card, giving Glenmuir a free-kick atop the box, which captain Gordon stepped up, spotted, and hammered home in the 53rd minute. As the chances grew for both teams, Glenmuir’s Watson saw his header go inches off target. Then it was Clarendon College’s Dixon in the 71st minute, who smashed his effort against the post, with the only reward, despair. In the 82nd minute, Watson pounced on a goalkeeping error from Burrell to calmly slot home. It should have been game, set, and match but in time added, Clarendon College’s Malachi Douglas converted from the penalty spot to create a few nervy moments. According to Peart, his team could have done better in the first half and wants improvement, despite the trophy and despite being set to face the same opponents in just under a week. “We’re happy to be in this moment as I thought the boys played a fantastic game, especially coming from behind. I thought in the first half we weren’t playing as we were supposed to be playing as we could have controlled the game,” said Peart. Lenworth Hyde, head coach of Clarendon College, explained that he always felt his team, even with 10 players could have won the game and that he just needed to get them motivated for the daCosta final. “Even when we went down we got numerous chances and could have won the game but we played well throughout the 90 minutes. We tried our best but it wasn’t meant to be,” Hyde explained. orane.buchanan@gleanerjm.com Glenmuir take Champions Cup title Glenmuir High School players celebrate their first lien on the Champions Cup after a 3-2 victory over Clarendon College inside the National Stadium last Saturday. IAN ALLEN/PHOTOGRAPHER MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (CMC): SHAMERA STERLING led a trio of Jamaican netballers that earned recognition recently Saturday during the Netball Australia (NA) awards. Sterling was voted the Super Netball League (SNL) playerof-the-year after a stellar campaign with first-time champions Adelaide Thunderbirds in which she led the way with 118 deflections and made 46 interceptions. At the same time, NA announced that fellow Jamaican defenders Latanya Wilson, Sterling’s T-birds teammate, and Jodi-Ann Ward earned selection to the Super Netball team-of-the-year. Sterling, a member of the Jamaica Sunshine Girls team for the past seven years, was part of the T-birds defensive unit that enabled the side to finish second in the preliminary competition and enjoy their best year in the league with the title. The 28-year-old was dominant in defence and created opportunities from which her teammates were able to capitalise, and was outstanding for the T-birds in the Grand Final when she was a handful inside the offensive arc for Sunshine Girls teammate and icon Romelda Aiken George. Sterling also grabbed a crucial intercept with the clock winding down that earned the T-birds a 60-59 win against the New South Wales Swifts in the Grand Final and had the pink army erupting in cheers at the John Cain Arena. For Wilson, the awards were a double delight after it was announced that she earned selection in the wing defence and goal defence positions, while Ward earned her place at the goalkeeper position. Wilson finished the season with the fourth-highest deflections of 70 and interceptions of 40, and she was credited with also playing a crucial role in shutting down offensive lanes, while Ward was runner-up to Sterling for interceptions with 40. The awards for the Jamaican trio will be bittersweet because their immediate professional playing future still looks uncertain with no clear end in sight for the bitter pay dispute between NA and the Australia Netball Players’ Association (ANPA). Super Netball players collectively boycotted the awards ceremony, one of the marquee events on the calendar of the national governing body, but members of the Australia Diamonds national team were forced to attend because they were contractually obligated to do so. The ANPA said in a statement that players were steering clear of the event following close to eight weeks without income because of the absence of a new collective player agreement, which means all players are out of contract with sparse job security and no wages. “With no agreement on our collective player agreement, players have been unpaid for nearly eight weeks,” the statement indicated. “We will continue to #FightForFair. “What we have requested is affordable and sustainable to the game and promotes a genuine partnership to grow the game.” NA have agreed to mediation with the ANPA on a new pay deal after negotiations broke down last month with the players favouring a revenue-sharing agreement different to the profit-sharing proposal advanced by the national governing body. The players have subsequently handed over their intellectual property rights to the ANPA, meaning the league requires permission to use the players for promotional material ahead of the next Super Netball season. It also complicates matters for Wilson, 22, who is still trying to pick up the pieces after she lost most of her worldly possessions in a house fire, including her 2023 Netball World Cup bronze medal, 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medal, and SNL winners’ medal. Prestigious award for Sunshine Girl Sterling Sunshine Girls goal keeper Shamera Sterling @ NETBALLWORLDCUP
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