FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER WEST INDIES MAY NOT QUALIFY FOR WORLD CUP

 Zimbabwe inflicted a significant blow to the West Indies' chances of World Cup qualification today (June 24), beating them in the Cricket World Qualifier by 35 runs'

Tendai Chatara took the final wicket in Harare to complete Zimbabwe’s 11th ODI victory over the West Indies, and second in three matches. Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl had shared an 87-run partnership in Zimbabwe’s innings to help them post a target of 268. Despite a fifty from Kyle Mayers early in the West Indies’ chase, they slipped to 180-6 and lost their final three wickets for 16 runs as they fell short.

The result puts the West Indies down to third in Group A, behind Zimbabwe and the Netherlands after three games each. Nepal and USA sit in the bottom two positions in the table. However, West Indies have already played both sides, meaning their final match will be a tougher fixture against the Netherlands.

While West Indies have already qualified for the next stage of the tournament (the Super Six), they now risk entering as the third-placed side from Group A. Teams will carry forward their points, win count and net run rate from the group stage against other teams that qualify for the Super Sixes into the Super Six league. As Zimbabwe have also already qualified for the Super Six, the West Indies will carry forward their loss today.

They will also have to play Sri Lanka as the top qualifying side from Group B, as well as, most likely, Scotland and Oman. While Zimbabwe and the Netherlands will also have to play those three sides, Zimbabwe will not carry forward any losses from the group stage, having also beaten the Netherlands. Even if they lose to Sri Lanka, two wins against the other two Group B teams will put them in a strong position to qualify at West Indies’ expense.

West Indies have never failed to qualify for a World Cup before and won the first two editions of the tournament. They beat Australia in the final of the first-ever men’s tournament in 1975 before overcoming England in the final four years later.

At the previous World Cup in 2019, West Indies finished in ninth place – second from bottom of the main points table. They won only two matches in the competition, their first against Pakistan and last against Afghanistan.

Zimbabwe failed to reach the final ten for the 2019 competition after they lost to the UAE by three runs on DLS in the Qualifier in 2018. If they qualify for this edition of the tournament, it will be their ninth appearance in the competition. Their best result came in 1999 when they finished in fifth place.

Editor's note: Source:-    Click here .  

DISTRICT 7 DOMINATES JUNIOR CALYPSO COMPETITION.

TL- Reunion, TR - Piaye, BL - Mongouge, BR - Saltibus

As a past organizer of the Roblot Combined School calypso program in the late 1990s I was more than happy while scrolling FaceBook on Friday past to come across a link shared by the Principal of the Roblot Combined School, Vern Charles -  Carnival Saint Lucia.  What I was greeted with grabbed my attention; I laid back and took it all in. 

The talk was already brewing on social media - "all places coming down south," while the competition was still in its early stages. True to form, the schools in District 7 - Reunion Primary, Piaye Combined, and Mongouge Combined gave a superb account of themselves and secured first, third, and fourth places respectively. 

Reacting to District 7's success, the Parliamentary Representative for Choiseul/Saltibus, Bradly Felix remarked, "Congratulations to the four primary schools Mongouge Combined School, Piaye Combined School, Reunion Combined, and Saltibus R.C Combined School which participated in the Junior Calypso Finals! Your outstanding performances and exceptional talent have left us in awe. The Primary schools from District 7 have truly demonstrated their dedication and commitment to the art of Calypso, and their achievements reflect the vibrant music culture within our district............ This momentous win and the success of all the participating schools serve as a testament to the hard work, creativity, and talent of the young performers.

The King 

 Reunion Primary's contestant was exceptional - his moves, use of the stage, gestures, and clarity of his voice were outstanding - the lyrics were relevant to today's society and bore a strong bond to the title....as for the introduction the skit was exhilarating plus being prerecorded added a touch of novelty to it all......BRAVO REUNION PRIMARY TEAM!!

I was really taken aback by the Piaye performer as he reminded me of one of Roblot Combined calysonians called Kent, who was very popular with the controversial song "All they do is for Their Family."Comments on social media during Piaye's contestant performance equated him with Pep. 

Mongouge Combined's "Society that doing this" was a rocker. the performer's diction was proper and overall he gave a good account of himself, I was surprised at the use of the walk-out clip in Parliament as part of the introduction,  Hmmm! In this polarised society, that may have cost Mongouge a few points. (Stand corrected)

The full Primary School Calypso Results:

1st: Reunion Primary (393)

2nd: Ave Maria (365)

3rd: Piaye Combined (357)

4th: Mongouge Combined (354)

The ten Primary Schools competing in this year's competition include Augier Combined, Ave Maria Primary, Canon Laurie Anglican Infant, Canon Laurie Anglican Primary, Carmen Rene Memorial, Gros Islet Primary, Mongouge Combined, Piaye Combined, Reunion Combined, and Saltibus Combined.

Bradly applauds the teachers, mentors, and parents for their support in nurturing the children's talent. Their achievements he believes, highlight the importance of cultural preservation and the power of the arts in fostering creativity and self-expression.

 At the time of writing this piece, the DEO  for District 7 was not available for comments,

You can watch the Junior Calypso 2023  show here

HAPPY 44th INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY

 Being free means being able to change the world. We are proud to say that our independence gives us an opportunity to make positive changes every single day. Cheers to that! 

It's a special day to celebrate independence and to wish your friends and relatives with some heartwarming wishes, messages and greetings.

CRICKET'S DARK ART OF SWING BOWLING, EXPLAINED!

A piece by Catherine Tucker

Cricket is supposed to be the epitome of sporting integrity. But in recent days, the actions of the Australian cricket team have brought the “dark arts” of the game to the forefront of many people’s minds and their actions have drawn condemnation from around the world.

To understand why the players tried to tamper with the ball – and how they did it – it’s worth exploring the technique of what is called “swing bowling”. Swing bowling essentially involves being able to change the direction of the ball in mid-air. There are two types of swing to explore here: “conventional” and “reverse” swing.

To begin with, a cricket ball’s design means that it can be optimised by the bowler to make it swing. A cricket ball has a core of cork and is covered by a leather casing with a slightly raised seam sewn in. The equator of the cricket ball is stitched with string to form the seam. On either side of the seam, the surface of the ball will degrade with use. The fielding side will usually allow one side to roughen up, while trying to keep the other side shiny.

As NASA scientist and cricket enthusiast Ravindra Mehta explained in a detailed paper in 2000, for a cricket ball to “swing” – or move sideways through the air as it moves forward towards the batsman – there needs to be a different speed of airflow on either side of the ball to help produce a lateral force on one side. This can be done by using the seam or surface of the ball. Once the cricket ball is bowled a thin layer of air forms around its surface – this is the “boundary layer”. This boundary layer does not stay attached to the surface all the way around and so it has to separate at a certain point on the ball. This separation point will affect how the ball moves further through the air. A late separation will lead to lower pressure on that side and a net lateral force will be generated if there is a pressure difference between the two sides, making the ball move sideways.

The boundary layer can have two states: one of these is a relatively stable “laminar” state, or a more variable and disordered “turbulent” state. Going from a laminar to turbulent state will occur at a critical speed – and this is determined by the roughness of the cricket ball surface. More roughness means that the critical speed can be lower.

Conventional swing

The typical way to create swing is to use the seam and the asymmetry of the ball. Bowlers will angle the seam away from the intended direction of travel so the shiny side of the ball faces the batsman. The ball will swing towards the direction that the seam is pointed – if the seam is angled toward the slip fielders it will swing away the batsman (outswinger) and if the seam is angled towards the leg side it will swing into the batsman (inswinger).

When the ball is bowled with the seam at an angle, the boundary layer on top of the ball is affected by the seam and goes into a turbulent state earlier than the bottom – this leads to later separation from the ball which creates a pressure difference and thereby a lateral force allowing the ball to swing in the direction of the seam. Using this type of approach of angling the seam typically works best (creates the most lateral force) around 70 mph – which is about slow to medium pace in international cricket.

How conventional swing bowling works. Ravindra Mehta

To maximise this effect, teams polish the ball between deliveries and this is where we encounter the first area of potential ball tampering. Having a polished leading side (towards the batsman) is important so that side has a laminar separation once in flight – but there have been accusations in the past of teams using products such as Vaseline or mints to aid this polishing. Indeed, the current South African caption, Faf Du Plessis, was found guilty of ball tampering after appearing to suck a mint before applying his saliva to aid shining the ball during a test match against Australia in 2016. Typically, as a ball becomes older it becomes harder to produce this swing and that is where we encounter the next type of swing – reverse swing.

Reverse swing

If a player can bowl above 85mph – or if the ball has aged – this makes it possible for the bowler to “reverse swing” the ball. In simple terms this is exactly what happens – a delivery that is expected to swing away from the batter (an outswinger), instead swings in towards them (an inswinger) – and vice versa. This happens when the seam is angled for conventional swing but this time the rough side faces the batsman. If the ball is bowled fast enough (above 85 mph), the laminar layer goes into a turbulent state before it reaches the seam. The seam actually has a negative effect here and affects the turbulent layer so it separates earlier compared with the bottom surface.

How reverse swing works. Ravindra Mehta

Like in conventional swing, there is a lateral force created because of the pressure difference but this time the lateral force acts in the opposite (reversed) direction. As mentioned, there is a critical speed to help generate reverse swing but in cases where this speed can’t be reached, the roughness of the ball can help reduce this critical speed needed to create this reverse swing.

As the ball gets older (which means the surface is rougher) it becomes easier to deliver balls with reverse swing. The fact that more roughness makes it easier to create reverse swing introduces the temptation for players to increase this roughness illegally and thereby make it easier to generate reverse swing at lower speeds.

The Australian case

There are many instances of alleged and proven ball tampering in cricket down through the years from stamping on the ball, to picking at the seam of the ball to even biting the ball. The Australians have admitted that during the recent test against South Africa they used sticky tape in their pocket covered with debris collected from the pitch to make a sort of improvised sandpaper to further roughen up the ball. This means that they could potentially generate reverse swing at lower speeds.

What makes this case so controversial is how obvious and blatant it was, along with the admission apparently being premeditated in the lunch break. Obviously, tampering with the ball can unfairly advantage the bowling team and goes completely against the spirit of the game.

Catherine Tucker

Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Biomechanics, Leeds Beckett University

Catherine Tucker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

DR KENNY ANTHONY EXPRESSES "THANKS AND PRAISES AGAIN!"

Yesterday, was my birthday; I turned 72 years old.

 I have come to realize and accept that every succeeding birthday is more special and more precious than the previous one. Its not just me who feel that way. 

Dr Kenny Anthony

Its interesting to observe how  friends and loved ones  handle birthdays of those, who,  like me,  are in the final chapters of their lives.  Whether they realize it or not, they too add urgency to the occasion. They too understand that time is precious, even if they do not wish to admit it  or say so. We all celebrate with a knowing smile.

Inevitably, every birthday invites reflection. Mine was no different. 

We sometimes share our trials and tribulations, hurts and pains but hardly ever the many beautiful things or good things that have occurred or continue to occur in our lives. Despite my own pains, my regrets, my sorrows, there are so many wonderful things for which I give thanks and praise. Thanks to you, I have had an extraordinary and blessed life. 

And good things continue to happen!

Yesterday, and even the day before, many good things happened. I received some kind, generous,  soothing and even poetic birthday greetings, all in recognition and celebration of  my birthday. I don't know if I deserved all of it. What I can tell you is that your greetings, whether public or private,  made the occasion truly memorable,  special and beautiful. I could not ask for more.

Thank you one and all!!!!!

Source: https://www.facebook.com/100000425153803/posts/pfbid06zG1rSw7HxRBxBuWzDxbQaU7WFx42K1cjzgLzuDFGsimpRqwPnB7ACmgn7fSTCMKl/?mibextid=Nif5oz

What Should Emancipation Day Mean to the St Lucian Working Class?

A people without the knowledge of

their past history,origin and culture is

 like a tree without roots. ~ Marcus Garvey

The history of the New World since Columbus re-discovered it is one of conquest, pillage, exploitation and forced migration of a people. For more than three centuries millions of people were forcibly transported from their homes in Africa, across the perilous Atlantic Ocean to the New World, where they were forced to labour on sugar plantations for the rest of their lives.

This enslavement of a people continued until events in Europe changed the fortunes of the West Indian and North American colonies. Humanitarians started questioning the validity of slavery, there was competition from beet sugar producers in Europe, and the advent of the Industrial Revolution spawned the rise of a new group of influential men in the British Parliament who believed that slavery was no longer economically viable.

In 1833 Thomas Buxton presented The Emancipation Bill in Parliament. The Act was passed and came into effect on 1 August 1834. On that day, thousands of slaves in the British West Indies became free men and women. On 1 August 1838, enslaved Africans in the British Empire won their emancipation from slavery. Emancipation Day is now commemorated throughout the Anglophone Caribbean as a public holiday or national observance. 

One hundred and sixty four years later, on 1 August 1998 the government of St Lucia declared Emancipation Day a national holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery.

Emancipation was not a gift from Britain or White abolitionists. It came from the accumulated covert and overt acts of resistance by enslaved Africans.

Emancipation Day sends a clear message to the St Lucian labouring classes that capitalism exploited their ancestors’ labour under chattel slavery and is doing the same to theirs under wage slavery.

Emancipation Day is a continued reminder of the need for British imperialism to pay reparations for the enslavement of Africans and colonial exploitation. 

Emancipation Day is a mocking memo to the African labouring classes that they live in societies in which they do not exercise political power over economic and social policies that impact their lives.

Emancipation Day is an annual announcement to the labouring classes that anti-African racism is still a source of oppression and exploitation in their their lives.

Emancipation Day is a painful reminder that working-class African women are still being clobbered by the (un)holy trinity of patriarchy, capitalism and racism. Slavery was a brutal regime of exploitation for enslaved African women.

Emancipation Day is communicating to the masses that they must organize to give birth to the Second Emancipation. This phase of emancipation calls for the elimination of racism, patriarchy, capitalism and other systems of oppression that affect the people’s lives. It also demands the self-organization of the masses.

While it is great for the people to commemorate Emancipation Day, this day must also be used to reflect, critique, assess, deliberate and plan for the next year of struggle.

August 1, 1838 or Emancipation Day tells us that humanity’s quest for freedom cannot be smothered by oppression.

(First piblished in 2018)

THE ECONONIC AND FINANCIAL FALL-OUT OF COVID-19

Be Warned!     By Jimmy James Haynes:

A brilliant piece taken from his Facebook page:

The economic and financial fallout of Covid-19 has been catastrophic for national and household finances. Recently, Covid-19 cases have begun to increase rapidly as we continue to relax our vigilance. While most of us suffer from Pandemic Fatigue, we've got to be disciplined and focus on the medium to long-term future of our economy. There will be serious social and economic repercussions if we do not behave responsibly. This call for behavioral change goes to our leaders as well as every citizen of this country. This is not the time to relax.

Hyperinflation and the rising cost of food are already exacting a heavy toll on household finances. This week, I saw a large can of Exeter corned beef on a shelf for EC$18.00! I had no choice but to refuse it.

We are going through what is typically referred to as a Double Whammy. Covid-19 and its attendant financial woes plus, lifestyle crippling inflation. This isn't the time for you to spend lavishly on frivolous cravings such as fetes, luxuries, Carnival, etc. Very soon, your salary, that is, if you've got one, will be worth only 80% of what it was worth a couple of months ago.

Salaries and wages are stagnant as the cost of living spirals out of reach of the majority of the population. We cannot depend on a government that has already thrown in the towel, to help cushion the debilitating impact of the rising cost of living. Be smart.

You are on your own. Review your spending habits. Reconfigure your household budget. Get rid of the fluff. Start a backyard garden. Grow some vegetables and green seasonings. Use your vehicle sparingly. Walk more often. Eats less meat. Adopt a frugal approach to spending. Focus, as we have not gotten to the bottom of this crisis yet.

You are warned!