Red Force to face Barbados for spot in 4-Day final

The Trinidad and Tobago Red Force team will play Barbados Pride for a place in the 2026 West Indies Championship final, after being unable to grind out an outright win in their third-round match against Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Antigua Recreation Ground. 

With the pitch still playing beautifully for batting on today's final day, the Red Force bowlers toiled as they tried to dismiss the Leewards for a second time. Facing a 177-run deficit after the first innings, the Leewards batsmen applied themselves much better in the second innings and eventually got to 467 for seven before the teams shook on a draw at approximately 4 pm. 

Starting the day on 160 for four, the Leewards still trailed by 17 runs, but the overnight pair of Keacy Carty and captain Justin Greaves solidified the innings with their fifth-wicket stand of 174. Carty got to a First-Class best of 147 before offering a simple return catch to Khary Pierre (one for 102), while Greaves struck 122 before being cleaned up by the tireless Anderson Phillip (four for 89) with the second new ball. In the post-lunch session, with the Leewards score on 327 for six, Greaves was dropped on 96 by TT captain Joshua Da Silva. It's difficult to say if that missed chance would have had a significant impact on the outcome, but the Leewards batsmen rarely missed a step thereafter. 

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force skipper Joshua Da Silva is congratulated by Leeward Islands Hurricanes allrounder Kofi James on his double-century knock in their West Indies Championship match at the Antigua Recreation Ground. Photo courtesy Windies Regional 

After Greaves' eventual dismissal, wicket-keeper/batsman Jahmar Hamilton (50 not out) and Rahkeem Cornwall (66 not out) effectively killed the game off with an unbeaten 112-run partnership for the eighth wicket. 

When Da Silva introduced wicket-keeper/batsman Amir Jangoo for his first bowl in First-Class cricket, it's safe to say the Red Force threw up their white flag as the game was called off as a draw at the end of the subsequent over. 

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force captain Joshua Da Silva was presented with a trophy after his team beat the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in their three-match West Indies Championship series. 

The Red Force won the three-match bilateral series against the Leewards 1-0. Still, their overall points tally fell short of the haul of reigning champs Guyana Harpy Eagles, who completed a third straight victory against the Windward Islands Volcanoes. 

Guyana will now sit down for the final, which bowls off at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua, on May 17, with the Red Force returning home for a short rest before facing Barbados in their semifinal playoff from May 10 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua. 

Summarised Scores: 

TT RED FORCE: 522/9 declared (Joshua Da Silva 220, Amir Jangoo 83, Jason Mohammed 47; Karima Gore 4/86, Oshane Thomas 2/70) vs LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES: 345 (Jahmar Hamilton 121, K Gore 90, Rahkeem Cornwall 38; Anderson Phillip 4/92, Terrabce Hinds 3/49) & 467/7 (Keacy Carty 147, Justin Greaves 122, R Cornwall 66 not out; A Phillip 4/89). Match drawn. 

GUYANA HARPY EAGLES: 242 (Tagenarine Chanderpaul 69, Keemo Paul 64; Ryan John 4/28, Darel Cyrus 3/79) & 299 (T Chanderpaul 117 not out, Gudakesh Motie 53; Kenneth Dember 3/52, R John 3/58) vs WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES 223 (Kavem Hodge 74, Alick Athanaze 50 not out; G Motie 4/52, Nial Smith 2/27) & 225 (A Athanaze 64, Johann Jeremiah 25; G Motie 4/82, Veerasammy Permaul 3/41). Guyana won by 93 runs. 

TKR start CPL title defence vs Patriots on August 8

Reigning Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champs Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) will start their 2026 title defence with a clash against 2021 champions St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at the Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent and the Grenadines on August 8. 

The fixtures for the 2026 season were released earlier today, with the five-time winners TKR set to play three away games before beginning their five-match home leg against St Lucia Kings on August 26. TKR's other home matches will be played against Barbados Royals (August 28), Guyana Amazon Warriors (August 29), new franchise Jamaica Kingsmen (August 31) and the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons (September 2). 

For the first time in the tournament's 14-year history, seven teams will feature in a single edition, with the Kingsmen franchise expected to add to the spectacle. The Kingsmen will be thrown straight into the fire for CPL 2026, as they will play the tournament's opening match against the Falcons in SVG on August 7. 

TKR coach Dwayne Bravo speaks to the media during his team's welcome reception at the Piarco International Airport in September 2025. 

Of their ten league matches this season, TKR will play the following teams twice: the Amazon Warriors; the Falcons; the Kingsmen, and the Royals. TKR will only play the Patriots and the Kings once. The CPL playoffs will be held from September 16-20, with the final to be staged at the iconic Kensington Oval venue for the first time. 

Last year, for the first time in the tournament's history, none of the matches in Trinidad were played at the Queen's Park Oval, with TKR instead playing all their home matches at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba. When asked if any matches will be played at the Queen's Park Oval this year, CPL's head of PR and Communications, Peter Miller, said the Trinidad venues are still to be confirmed. 

A look at TKR's matches for the 2026 CPL season. Photo courtesy TKR

In Last year's CPL final in Guyana, TKR defeated their rivals the Amazon Warriors by three wickets in a low-scoring affair to cop an unprecedented fifth title. 

Jereem clocks 10.25 at Pure Athletics Invitational

Largely known for his exploits over the 200-metre and 400m disciplines. Trinidad and Tobago track and field star Jereem Richards switched things up over the weekend when he clocked 10.25 seconds in the 100m final at the Pure Athletics Spring Invitational in Florida on April 25. 

Competing at the National Training Centre in Clermont, the 32-year-old Richards placed fourth in the final behind Jamaica's Ryiem Forde (10.12s), Ivory Coast's Cheickna Traore (10.16s) and American Brendon Stewart (10.22s). Earlier in the day, Richards won heat five in 10.28s, getting clear daylight between himself and the heat's runner-up Ian Kerr (10.58s). 

TT's Jereem Richards (R) competes in the men's 100m event at the Pure Athletics Spring Invitational in Clermont, Florida. Photo courtesy SD School Photography 

At this very meet last year, Richards ran a personal best time across the 100m distance when he clocked 10.16s. The highlight of Richards' 2025 season was, of course, his stunning silver-medal finish in the 400m final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan. 

At the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, last month, Richards grabbed bronze in the men's 400m final in 45.39s. 

Phillip grabs six, but Red Force falter with bat

The Trinidad and Tobago Red Force bowlers picked up where they left off on the opening day of their West Indies Championship Four-Day clash with the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, as they bowled out the opposition for just 131 in the first innings at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua, earlier today. 

However, unlike the first meeting between the two teams, the Red Force batsmen hardly had things their own way, as the visitors were left in a precarious position at 85 for six by the end of the day's play. 

Coming off an emphatic innings and 271-run victory over the Leewards, Red Force captain Joshua Da Silva didn't hesitate when he won the toss this morning, sending the hosts to bat first. The Red Force didn't have to wait long to see positive returns, and fast bowler Anderson Phillip bossed the first half of the day's proceedings with figures of six for 38. Phillip bowled with good pace and hit a consistent length on off stump, dislodging the top four of Mikyle Louis (13), Kadeem Henry (13), Keacy Carty (four) and the struggling Jewel Andrew (golden duck). 

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force fast bowler Anderson Phillip. Photo courtesy Red Force

Drafted into the playing XI for this game, number three batsman Karima Gore was the only player who offered resistance as he cracked 57 off 90 balls, and was ultimately the last man out as he drove Terrance Hinds (one for 46) out to Jason Mohammed at deep cover. 

Jayden Seales also had a good day with ball in hand and returned figures of three for 33 as he took the wickets of Justin Greaves (six), Jahmar Hamilton (duck), and Rahkeem Cornwall (two). 

With the first day's pattern seemingly following the script from the first encounter, the Leewards fast bowlers quickly had their say to make several inroads of their own. Perhaps inspired after receiving his Leewards cap from legendary Windies pacer Curlty Ambrose before the start of play, Kelvin Pitman rocked the Red Force top order with figures of four for 20. Not to be outdone, burly Jamaican pacer Oshane Thomas (two for 32) once again bowled with pace and hostility to clean up Evin Lewis (18) and dismiss first-match double centurion Amir Jangoo for 13. Thomas wasn't done there, as he also struck Jyd Goolie (six) on the hand with a rapid bouncer, forcing the left-hander to retire his innings. 

Leeward Islands Hurricanes fast bowler Kelvin Pitman receives his playing cap from the legendary Curtly Ambrose

Though Phillip may have thought his exploits with the ball warranted a well-deserved rest, he has joined a watchful Da Silva (16 not out) in the middle. Together, the pair will hope they grind out enough runs to give Red Force a lead going into the second innings. The hosts currently have a 46-run lead, but with three days left, this contest is far from over. 

Roundup of scores in the West Indies Four-Day Championship after today's action. Photo courtesy Cricket West Indies media 

Summarised Scores: 

LEEWARD ISLANDS HURRICANES - 131 (Karima Gore 57, Jeremiah Louis 19, Mikyle Louis 13; Anderson Phillip 6/38, Jayden Seales 3/33) vs TT RED FORCE - 85/6 (Evin Lewis 18, Joshua Da Silva 16 not out, Amir Jangoo 13; Kelvin Pitman 4/20, Oshane Thomas 2/32). Leewards lead by 46 runs. 

Ceren, El Salvador end Trinidad and Tobago's dream

Two clinical right-footed strikes from El Salvador captain Brenda Ceren were all it took to dash this country's 2027 Fifa Women's World Cup hopes, as the senior women's football team lost 2-0 in a must-win Concacaf W Qualifier at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, tonight. 

With the win, El Salvador deservedly move on to the Concacaf W Championship, while Trinidad and Tobago's qualifying journey ends here. Hopefully, for the sake of the women's programme, the team doesn't need to be weeks or months away from a qualifying competition before a staff and competent team can be put together. 

In December, coach Damian Briggs' TT team got a 5-0 win away to Barbados, before clawing back to get a 2-2 draw away to Honduras last month. The latter result, combined with El Salvador's comfortable 3-0 and 13-0 wins over Honduras and Barbados, respectively, meant TT needed a win tonight to top group F and move on to the next phase of qualifying. 

Members of the TT women's football team huddle during a session at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo. Photo courtesy TTFA

In what is quickly becoming a theme when supporting the varying national teams, fans would have left the stadium pointing to the team's fight, heart, and determination. However, overall, the team lacked the sustained quality and even fitness levels to trouble the visitors. And once Ceren opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a shot from a tight angle after being sprung on the counter, TT's task became an uphill one as they needed to score twice without conceding again. 

Unfortunately, despite cries and chants from fractions of the modest crowd, a comeback never looked likely. 

Teenage starlet Nikita Gosine was arguably TT's brightest outfield player, and she took on the mantle of the home team's attacking thrust once 37-year-old captain Kennya "Yaya" Cordner was substituted in the 61st minute. However, despite her best efforts and support from her family and cheering posse, the Pleasantville Secondary standout couldn't do it alone. She shouldn't need to. 

By that time, TT were already down 2-0, as Atlas FC's Ceren scored her second in the 51st minute when she toyed with the defenders before curling an exquisite shot past goalie Simone Eligon and into the bottom corner. Ceren comes from a football-mad family, as her three siblings have represented El Salvador at the international level. Tonight, she was in a class of her own. 

El Salvador women's football team captain Brenda Ceren. Photo courtesy Fifa 

Eligon could hardly be blamed for the goals conceded, as she made some key saves which kept her team in the contest and displayed composed handling for most of the match. 

The heart and grit in the TT team came from the 16-year-old Gosine and left back Kaitlyn Darwent, 17, who deputised in the place of injured AS Saint-Etienne defender Kedie Johnson, a big miss with her bombing runs down the flank. Liana Hinds also put in a shift in the middle of the park before making way in the final few moments. 

With 42 per cent possession to their name, the hosts did have fleeting moments of quality in the final third. Their best chance arguably fell to Gosine in the 27th minute, but she fired a left-footer over the bar from a tight angle after being found over the top by Asha James. In the 56th minute, Gosine had an instinctive swing at goal after a smart swivel outside the area, but Riley Melendez was equal to the task. 

In the end, it was another disappointing trip to the Hasely Crawford Stadium, but it was a fruitful one for El Salvador as they look to take their place in their maiden Concacaf W Championship. For the TT football faithful and those at the TT Football Association, the postmortem will now begin. 

TT women's football team flanker Nikita Gosine rides a tackle during the Concacaf W Qualifier away to Honduras in March 2026. Photo courtesy TTFA

Trinidad and Tobago Starting XI: 1.Simone Eligon (GK); 4.Emma Schneider, 12.Myla Schneider, 6.Victoria Swift, 22.Kaitlyn Darwent; 7.Liana Hinds, 8.Elise Franco; 11.Aaliyah Prince, 23.Asha James, 9.Nikita Gosine; 19.Kennya Cordner (captain).