Roach likely out for Strikers clash

Updated December 13, 2012 11:35:16

Kemar Roach is unlikely to play for Brisbane in Thursday's Big Bash League clash with Adelaide as flight problems have delayed his arrival into Australia until late on Wednesday.

The pace bowler was delayed en route from Bangladesh where he played for the West Indies in the one-day international on Monday.

Kieron Pollard played in the same match and safely arrived in Adelaide in time to face the Heat.

Roach has not been as fortunate with his connections from Dhaka and, after initially being expected to arrive in Adelaide today, is now flying into Melbourne where he will likely stay the night before heading to South Australia hours before the match.

Speaking to ABC 612 Brisbane, Heat general manager Andrew Blucher suggested Roach was unlikely to take the field at the Adelaide Oval but said the decision would be left to coach Darren Lehmann.

Blucher conceded the Heat "did not bowl well enough" after being denied the services of Dale Steyn in defeat to the Hurricanes at the Gabba on Sunday, so the likely absence of another international quick came at a bad time.

With Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson away on international duty, it may be that Alister McDermott comes into the side.

Whatever the case, Brisbane will need a better contribution from Twenty20 international players James Hopes, Dan Christian and Thisara Perara who all went for 10 runs an over or more against the Hurricanes.

Tags: twenty20, cricket, sport, brisbane-4000, adelaide-5000

First posted December 12, 2012 19:25:59

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Roach and Gayle lead Windies to victory

Updated July 30, 2012 07:09:13

The pace of Kemar Roach and the confidence of Chris Gayle led West Indies to a nine-wicket victory in the first of its two-Test series against struggling New Zealand in Antigua.

Roach took 5 for 60 with a fine spell of pace bowling which ripped the heart out of New Zealand's middle order before Gayle, who struck 150 in the first innings, eased the Caribbean side to its target of 102 with a solid, unbeaten 64.

It was just the third win for West Indies in 34 Tests since its victory over England in Jamaica in February 2009.

New Zealand's hopes of batting out the day, or at least setting the hosts a challenging target came undone with West Indies seamers Roach and Ravi Rampaul doing the damage.

Resuming on 3 for 199, after losing Brendon McCullum for 84 late on Saturday, the Kiwis lost two crucial wickets for just 27 runs before lunch.

After a short rain break, paceman Roach trapped Ross Taylor (21) lbw and then clean bowled Kane Williamson with a superb delivery that straightened and removed the right-hander's off stump.

The impressive Roach struck again shortly after lunch with the third delivery of the new ball, luring Neil Wagner into an edge to keeper Denesh Ramdin.

Rampaul then removed Dean Brownlie and Daniel Vettori, before spinner Sunil Narine claimed his eighth wicket of the match by trapping Doug Bracewell leg-before.

Kruger van Wyk had provided the only real resistance but stuck with number eleven Chris Martin he had to go for his shots and was undone by a lovely slower ball from Roach.

The total of 272 all out left West Indies with a comfortable target of just 102 to win and plenty of time to get it.

Its first Test win since beating Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2011 was never in doubt as Gayle took charge with Kieran Powell, who made 30 before he was caught by Brownlie off Bracewell.

Assad Fudadin accompanied Gayle to the finish line as West Indies enjoyed the rare taste of victory and handed New Zealand another painful loss after its defeat in the one-day series.

"We didn't look like creating enough pressure at times," skipper Ross Taylor said.

"We have to be smarter in the way we play, bowl in better areas and our batsmen have to spend a lot of time at the crease," he said, looking ahead to the second Test in Jamaica, which starts on Thursday.

West Indies skipper Darren Sammy said Gayle had made the perfect return to Test cricket after 19 months out during a dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board.

"With Chris back, he brings his experience and you could see that in the way he nurtured Kieran Powell along to his first test century," Sammy said.

"We have to just keep our focus in this series and look to repeat what we did," he added.

Reuters

Tags: sport, cricket, antigua-and-barbuda

First posted July 30, 2012 07:09:13

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