Golf is nothing like an extreme sport – except in one corner of South Africa. The Extreme 19th at Legend Golf Safari Resort is the longest – and possibly most intimidating – par-three in the world.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY. By Keith Holder It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. There is currently one being circulated on WhatsApp of a very big crowd at Bank Hall during a Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) First division match over three decades ago. At a glance,
Recalling YMPC's first BCA top division title barbadostoday.bb - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from barbadostoday.bb Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) is not concerned that some of Barbados’ best youth cricketers have been opting to play for England rather than for Barbados’ senior national team as a possible route to future West Indies selection.In fact, BCA president Conde Riley believes that because these players “could walk straight into any English team”, it speaks volumes about the quality of the BCA’s development programmes at the youth level.Riley’s comments come in the wake of Barbados-born all-rounder Jacob Bethell’s outstanding performance during the recently concluded Under-19 ICC World Cup where he played for his adopted homeland England. The 18-year-old vice-captain, who represented Barbados in youth cricket, shone as he assisted England into the final for the first time in 24 years. England were eventual runners-up to champions India.Bethell is among a handful of young West Indian-born cricketers including fast bowler Jofra Archer, with family ties to the United Kingdom, that have seized on opportunities to represent England instead of donning the regional maroon.During an interview with BBC Sport, Bethell reasoned that the opportunities to play cricket professionally in the Caribbean get less and less around the ages of 13 to 15, hence the spur to migrate and seek chances elsewhere. He said the lack of opportunities was a “bit of a shame”.
Former Barbados all-rounder Franklyn Stephenson says the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) is to blame for the limited opportunities available to young local cricketers, and the reason why many are migrating to further their cricketing careers.Stephenson told Barbados TODAY that he currently has about sixty young enthusiastic children at his academy who love cricket and want to be successful at it. But he added there were so many “dead ends” to progressing in the island, that many of the youngsters saw their future as being outside of Barbados. “We have about three players from the academy that are naturalising (in England) and I’m looking to get another five or six out as soon as possible because the things that are happening here are not conducive to their cricket at all,” he said.His comments come after England Under-19 opener Jacob Bethell, who was one of the stars of the recently concluded ICC Under-19 World Cup hosted in the Caribbean, stated in an interview with the British media, that he took the tough decision to represent England instead of the region of his birth, because of the comparative abundance of opportunities in the United Kingdom. Bethell, who is a product of Stephenson’s cricket academy, and who played Under-13 cricket for Barbados, told the BBC that there were few opportunities in his homeland at the 13 to 15 age group. “I was born in Barbados, I lived there until I was 13, my parents still live there now. It’s not a bad place to grow up, the weather’s always nice and the people are lovely. It’s just a shame that the opportunities get less and less after around the ages of 13 to 15. . .There were definitely players out there that had a bit about them, but they no longer play much as there wasn’t really much cricket to play,” he told the British press.
On Saturday, England will play in the final of the U19s Men’s World Cup for the first time since they won it in 1998. And in all-rounder Jacob Bethell, they possess one of the players of the tournament.Bethell’s majestic innings of 88 off just 42 deliveries in England’s quarter-final win against South Africa had plaudits pouring in from around the cricketing world.It was a statement knock from the 18-year-old, who announced himself on the global stage with a stunning array of shots.His half-century off 20 balls got England off to a flyer in what could otherwise have been a tricky run-chase at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.A strike-rate of 209.52 was the highest for any Englishman in an innings of at least 50 runs in U19 World Cup history.“I always look to try and start positively and give the team a good start. After I got a few out of the middle of the bat, I realised that I was seeing the ball pretty well. It was just one of those days where nothing was premeditated,” said Bethell.
Batting legend Desmond Haynes was today appointed the new men’s chairman of selectors on a two-and-a-half year contract, as Cricket West Indies’ overhaul of its selection system continued in the wake of last October’s Twenty20 World Cup fiasco.The 65-year-old, who featured in 116 Tests and 238 One-Day Internationals between 1978 and 1994 and who in the past served as a batting consultant to the men’s squad, replaces Roger Harper who was sacked last month.Only last November, Haynes was awarded the Order of Freedom – Barbados’ highest national honour – during the country’s Republic Day celebrations.While CWI did not name the other members of the panel, president Ricky Skerritt hailed the appointment of Haynes as the “right man for the right job”.“I am delighted to confirm that the Most Honourable Dr. Desmond Haynes has agreed to re-join the CWI cricket system as the Lead Selector,” Skerritt said.
Retired champion cricketers Wayne Daniel and Franklyn Stephenson say they are at a loss at the omission of dazzling allrounder Carlos Brathwaite from the West Indies squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup. Daniel, one of the leading fast bowlers in the West Indies in the late 1970s and early 1980s, thinks that Brathwaite should have been an automatic choice while Stephenson, who played first-class cricket in South Africa, Australia …
With question marks continuously surrounding the techniques of several of the West Indies top-order batsmen, one former outstanding first class cricketer has offered himself and his academy to assist the struggling batting unit.In fact, former Barbados allrounder Franklyn Stephenson is now the second highly qualified cricketer over the past months to have signalled a desire to assist West Indies batsmen with their faulty techniques. Former Barbados and West Indies opening great Desmond Haynes who formed arguably the best opening pair in Test cricket history with Sir Gordon Greenidge, has previously been snubbed by Cricket West Indies (CWI) as the team’s batting coach.Nonetheless, Stephenson, who has been a coach for many years, put forth himself and at the same time criticised CWI’s decision last December to hire Indian Monty Desai as the batting coach for the team. Desai, who has never played international cricket, is currently with the West Indies squad in Jamaica and together with coach Phil Simmons has been trying to sort out the regional side’s batting issues.