West Indies fast bowler, Shannon Gabriel bowls during the second innings on the fourth day of their second
cricket Test match against New Zealand in Port of Spain, Trinidad, Thursday, June 19, 2014. Associated Press / Arnulfo
Franco, File
Vincentian flag flies high at Penn Relays
Caribbean L 58 ife, May 17–23, 2019 BQ
Chris Gayle
Continued from Page 57
swansong from the One-Day format.
Earlier this year, he signaled his
intention to retire following the
World Cup.
West Indies most consistent One-
Day International batsman, Shai
Hope was named vice-captain for the
ongoing Tri-Nation Series in Ireland
,which started recently and would
end on May 17.
Gayle, the most experienced player
in the West Indies World Cup squad,
is a former West Indies captain who
led the Caribbean side in 65 One-Day
Internationals (ODI) and 20 Tests
between 2007 and 2010.
The left-handed hard hitting
Jamaican batsman who featured in
289 ODIs scored 10,151 runs and 25
centuries.
Gayle will be a pivotal player for
West Indies in the World Cup having
displayed tremendous form in
the recent One-Day Internationals
home series against England where
he plundered 424 runs to be named
Man-of-the- Match, CWI selectors
said.
Commenting on his selection
Gayle said: “As a senior player it is my
responsibility to support the captain
and everyone else in the team. This
would probably be the biggest World
Cup, so there will be great expectations
and I know we will do very well
for the people of the West Indies.”
Hope marked his 50th match
recently with a match-winning 170
runs against Ireland vs West Indies
with a handsome 196-run victory.
The right-hander has already
scored 1947 runs with five centuries
at an average 48.67.
In the second match against Bangladesh
in the Tri-Nation series, the
regional team was beaten by five
wickets despite Hope scoring a century.
Bangladesh made light work of
chasing 262 to win the match.
tie.T
he series result saw them draw
level on 76 points with the Sri
Lankans last March but remained
in ninth spot.
They can solidify their new rankings
while they face hosts Ireland
and Bangladesh in a Tri-Nation
Series, which ends on May 17.
West Indies has spent recent
years languishing at number nine
and it resulted in them missing
an automatic qualification for the
World Cup.
England, meanwhile, remains
the top-ranked side with India
second, after gaining one-rating
point, while South Africa is at
third.
target and just four runs short of their
ODI record total.
The in-form Balbimie put on a 146-
run partnership for the second wicket
with opener Paul Stirling (77).
Ambris put on a first-wicket stand
of 84 with Shai Hope (30), who along
with John Campbell made a record
opening stand against Ireland last
Sunday.
Paceman Boyd Rankin (3-65) was
the best of the Irish bowlers.
Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel took
2 for 62.
Continued from Page 57
Continued from Page 57
WINDIES SET RUN-CHASE RECORD
ODI rankings
By Nelson A. King
When the 125th running of the illustrious
Penn Relays Carnival at the University
of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia
got underway last week, there was a new
flag among the few at the Franklin Field
Stadium.
The Vincentian national flag flew high,
for the very first time, among that of the
United States and Jamaica, among others,
over the huge, newly-refurbished stadium
that seats 52,593.
The Franklin Field stadium is located,
at the eastern edge of Penn’s campus,
across the Schuylkill River from Center
City in Philadelphia.
The flying of the Vincentian flag during
the three-day games, which began
on Thursday, April 23 was made possible
through one man, James Cordice, the
pioneer and spearhead of St. Vincent and
the Grenadines’ participation in the oldest
and largest collegiate athletic meet in
the US.
“I feel great to see the flag hovers
over the stadium,” the Philadelphia-based
Cordice told Caribbean Life in an exclusive
interview after the two Vincentian
schools — The Thomas Saunders Secondary
School (TSSS) and the St. Vincent
and the Grenadines Grammar School –
competed in the Relays Carnival over the
weekend.
“It brings so much joy for me to look
up and see the Vincy flag at Penn,” he
added, disclosing that he had to convince
University of Pennsylvania officials of the
importance of flying the Vincentian flag
at the stadium.
“During the application process, the
flag had to be 6’x10’ and specificallymade,”
Cordice continued. “So, I looked
around and found a company in Ohio that
wanted to make the flag to the specifications.”
Cordice said he always wanted to see
the Vincentian flag flown during the Penn
Relays ever since he first attended the
games in 1991.
He said his desire intensified after
Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) – the Queensbased
organization that provides meals
and transportation services, among other
things, to Caribbean athletes at the Penn
Relays – was instrumental in having the
Jamaican flag hoisted at the games 25
years ago. Cordice is also an official with
TJB.
“I know we’re not garnering the respect
in track and field as Jamaica; but, every
time I saw the Jamaican flag at the Penn
Relays, it made me extremely proud to see
a Caribbean flag, and I always wanted it
for St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” he
said. “I just want to thank the University
of Pennsylvania. It’s just the most wonderful
thing (to have the Vincentian flag
hoisted at the prestigious event).
In 2010, Cordice was among officers
in the Philadelphia-based St. Vincent and
the Grenadines Organization of Pennsylvania
(SVGOP) to convince city officials to
fly the Vincentian on the Benjamin Franklin
Parkway for the first time. Cordice is
a former SVGOP president.
Besides being the home of the Penn
Relays, the Franklin Field Stadium is
the University of Pennsylvania’s stadium
for football, track and field, lacrosse and
formerly for soccer, field hockey and baseball.
Vincentian fl ag fl ying over Franklin Field Stadium
at the Penn Relays. Photo by Nelson A.
King