The players of the national cricket teams of Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago have been highly commended by their respective captains for their positive and humanitarian response to the call to contribute to the fund-raising match for the earthquake-stricken victims in Haiti.  Sewnarine Chattergoon and Daren Ganga were unable to conceal both their emotion and satisfaction at the players who have agreed to interrupt their regional cricket schedule to participate in Twenty/20 match at the Queen’s Park Oval on Wednesday January 20, 2010 at 6.30 p.m. The match will be preceded by live-entertainment at 5.00 p.m., featuring some of the top artistes in the land.

The Trinidad and Tobago captain, Ganga, in an emotionally-charged comment, said “my  team-mates and I were saddened and overwhelmed by the enormity of the disaster that has befallen the people of Haiti from the awesome earthquake. We needed no persuasion to play in the charity match for our suffering and unfortunate CARICOM brothers and sisters.” According to the captain, an opportunity has been provided for the Trinidad and Tobago team to play in front of their home crowd after their splendid performances in India in the international Club League 20/20 Championship. Ganga expects a bumper crowd to fill the Oval and Trinbagonians to show their usual generosity for such a cause like this one.

The sudden and untimely death of another cricketer from the region in the last few weeks has filled WIPA with much sadness. Hayden “Sharlo” Walsh died at the relatively young age of 48 in a hotel Antigua where he was with his family.

The former Antigua and Leeward Islands cricketer was a promising batsman and cricketer, having totaled 851 runs at an average of 28.36 in 18 first-class and 11 List-A matches. Walsh’s death was preceded by that of Grayson Shillingford of Dominica. Walsh was married with three children, one of whom has already represented the Leeward Islands in cricket at the Under-15 and Under-19 levels.

A qualified coach and for many years a WICB Kiddy Cricket Coordinator in Antigua, Hayden Walsh had a Cricket Academy in Antigua for under 15 boys and girls named after him. He will be greatly missed at this institution. As an administrator, he represented his club, Bethesda, as a Director of the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association until his death. He played with his three brothers for Antigua, a record perhaps unrivalled by any family in international cricket. Hayden was also an active Radio Show host in one of the local stations in Antigua.

The Leeward Islands secured first-innings points and held a 27-run lead at close of play against Barbados on day two in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) regional four-day match at Kensington Park yesterday.

Openers Kieran Powell (10) and Montcin Hodge (four) will resume today for the Leewards who are on 20 without loss.

Both teams battled tooth and nail yesterday, but it took a determined effort from the Leewards to restrict their opponents to 229 -- seven runs short of their first-innings score of 236.