Four Guyanese Stars Selected for West Indies ODI Squad to Face Sri Lanka at Sabina Park
By Delwin Neblett | HGP Nightly News |
ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA — In a major development for regional cricket, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has officially named its 15-member senior men’s squad for the crucial three-match One Day International (ODI) home series against Sri Lanka. Highlighting the selection are four of Guyana’s premier international cricketers: breakout fast bowler Shamar Joseph, middle-order power hitter Sherfane Rutherford, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, and explosive left-hander Shimron Hetmyer.
The three-match home campaign will serve as a definitive baseline for the “Men in Maroon” as they chase automatic qualification points for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Led by Captain Shai Hope, the home squad features the return of elite fast bowler Alzarri Joseph—back in the fold after a long back injury layoff—alongside Jayden Seales and Shamar Springer.
Strategic notes from CWI confirm that Hetmyer, who earned his recall following a brilliant ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign, will officially link up with the squad in Jamaica ahead of the third and final match. All three encounters are locked in for June 3, June 6, and June 8, 2026, at the historic Sabina Park Oval in Kingston, Jamaica.
CRICKET: West Ruimveldt Primary Crowned ExxonMobil Future Warriors Demerara Champions
Local youth cricket reached an exciting conclusion on Sunday afternoon as West Ruimveldt Primary School overcame previous final-round heartbreaks to claim the Demerara Zone title of the 2026 ExxonMobil Future Warriors Tapeball Tournament at the National Stadium in Providence.
Entering the grand final against the tournament’s reputed “chase masters,” Chateau Margot Primary, West Ruimveldt took first strike and posted a commanding 66 for 4—the highest team total of the entire zone leg—anchored by Bryan Hunter’s brisk 23.
In reply, Chateau Margot’s chase crumpled against a clinical bowling attack, stalling at 40 for 7 when the overs expired to hand West Ruimveldt a comfortable 26-run victory.
West Ruimveldt’s Vincent Farley took home the individual award for the most wickets in the tournament. Meanwhile, his captain, Steven Orie, dominated the individual category, walking away with the award for most runs (49 runs) as well as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy. The regional grassroots caravan takes a brief hiatus before moving to the Berbice Zone at the Albion Sports Complex on June 13–14.
BASKETBALL: Ravens Clinch Independence 3×3 Title; Nikoloi Smith Named MVP
The local hardcourts saw high-intensity action as the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) wrapped up its 2026 Independence 3×3 Club Championship at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Sunday evening.
An all-Georgetown grand final saw the Ravens Basketball Club deliver a physical masterclass against the Eagles, outmuscling their city rivals to log a dominant 21–14 victory and lift the championship hardware.
The Ravens’ championship run was powered by national player Nikoloi Smith, who put on an absolute shooting clinic throughout the tournament. Amassing a staggering 47 points across six games, Smith was named the undisputed Tournament MVP. Linden-based clubs Victory Valley Royals and Flames fought hard to round out the third and fourth positions, respectively.
BASKETBALL: Pickering and Yang Headline Regional Youth Tournament Victories
Sticking with the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, the GBF’s 2026 Regional Youth Basketball Tournament advanced on Friday night with a highly competitive triple-header that kept school fans on their feet.
The opening clash saw The Bishops’ High School A-Team secure a comfortable 33–22 victory over Chase Academic Foundation, driven by an absolute powerhouse performance from Kemol Pickering, who dominated the paint with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 steals.
Game two brought dramatic overtime limits as School of the Nations squeaked past The Bishops’ High B-Team 30–29, thanks to a winning 13-point, 4-rebound effort from Hong Yang. The final fixture of the night saw Tutorial High School secure a razor-thin 28–27 victory over Brickdam Secondary, riding on a game-high 16 points and 6 steals from guard Julian Charles.
FOOTBALL: Timehri United Routs Swan United 6-1 in Elite Qualifiers
On the football pitch, explosive offense defined the latest round of the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) 2026 Elite League Qualifiers, staged at the National Training Centre in Providence on Saturday.
Timehri United FC put on a dominant display, cruising to a commanding 6–1 victory over a struggling Swan United FC defensive line. The clinical attack was led by Joseph DeFreitas, who netted a brilliant double, while teammates Nyron Barrow, Tyrone Burnette, and Michael Correia each hammered home a goal apiece to secure the comfortable win.
