Caribbean Sports Round-Up – Call Him Coach Bolt!

Usain Bolt (R) coaches Australian cricketers Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Agar, Peter Handscomb and Aaron Finch during the Gatorade Fastest Run at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on November 10, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images for Gatorade)

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. 22, 2017: From World’s Fastest Man, to Speed Officer to retired Triple Olympian – Jamaica’s Usain St. Leo Bolt is racking up the titles.

His latest, however, is the most unusual as the sprint king has now taken on training the Australian cricket squad. Bolt is training the team’s batsmen on how to run faster between wickets as the Aussies gear up for the 2017-2018 Ashes cricket series.

“They don’t really have a lot of explosiveness when they’re running. They seem to always take off at a slow rate. Getting that right will definitely help,” Bolt was quoted by The Sun as saying.

Australian batsman Peter Handscomb added it was “cool” to have the chance to work with the fastest man alive ahead of the Ashes series.

“He was trying to get us nice and low in the turn and in and out. The first couple of steps are key and if we can get them right, we’ll be fast,” Handscomb added.

The Ashes series opens with the first test in Brisbane from Nov 23rd-27th and will wrap up on Jan. 4-8, 2018 in Sydney.

West Indies Gear Up To Face Kiwis

The beleaguered West Indies cricket squad will be put to the test next month as the senior men’s side gear up to face the Kiwis in New Zealand.

The Windies will face the New Zealand side in two test matches that get underway at the Basin Reserve in Wellington from December 1st-5th.

The second test match is set to be played at Hamilton’s Seddon Park from December 9-13th.

Three ODIs will follow on Dec. 19th, 22nd and 25th while three T20s follow on Dec. 28th and 29th, 2017 and Jan. 1, 2018.

The Windies will be led by skipper Jason Holder. The full team includes: Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Shai Hope, Sunil Ambris, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Devendra Bishoo, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer and Kemar Roach.

Chris Gayle Opens Batting In Bangladesh

Jamaican-born, Windies star cricketer, Chris Gayle, fresh from winning a defamation lawsuit in Australia, opened the batting for the Rangpur Riders in the ongoing edition of the Bangladesh Premier League, (BPL).

Gayle opened for the Riders with Brendon McCullum for the first time in more than eight years.

The Rangpur Riders held its nerve to beat Sylhet Sixers in a match of the BPL at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Monday, Nov. 20th. The Riders’ scored 169 for seven with Gayle slamming a half-century and Mccullum, 33.

Count Down Begins To The Kingston City Run

For those who enjoy long-distance running and grow tired of the long North American winter, the count-down has begun to The Kingston City Run 2018.

The sixth annual running of the event, which features a 5k, 10k and a half marathon run (and walk), will be held from March 16 to 18, 2018.

Kingston City Run starts with a Friday Night Carnival Party, a Lifestyle and Fitness Expo on Saturday and Race Day on Sunday, followed by an Awards Ceremony and after party. For more see here.