On Saturday, England leveled the series on the back of a stroke-filled 64 from the team’s captain Moeen Ali, which bankrolled the team’s first innings score of 193 for 6.
Things had looked far more controlled at the start of the 18th over, with England on 134 for 3. Holder, who had put together a tidy spell to that point, was the target of a savage attack from Ali who launched four consecutive sixes and eventually milk 28 off it. The following over for Romario Shepherd also proved costly as it ended up adding another 18 to England’s tally. Pollard admitted the expensive final overs were likely where the game turned.
“That’s the nature of T20 cricket all it takes is six balls or a couple hits to get you away from where you want to be,” Pollard said following the match.
“We were looking at around at around 160, 170, a total that would have been chasable but them getting to 190 put that extra 20 runs out of our reach,” he added.
“I thought right until then, and even when we started to bat, we had a very good chance. We slowed up in the middle not losing wickets but we were a little slow.”
Jadeja scored a career-best unbeaten 175 and took match figures of 9-87 as India hammered the tourists by an innings and 222 runs in the first Test at the PCA Stadium.
The 33-year-old's exploits moved him above team-mate Ravichandran Ashwin and West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder to top the rankings.
Holder, currently in action in the first Test against England in Antigua, slips to second and Ashwin is third.
Jadeja was named man of the match for a third time in Mohali after tormenting Sri Lanka.
Virat Kohli is up two places to fifth in the batting rankings after making 45 in his 100th Test - and his first since stepping down as India captain.
Australia run machine Marnus Labuschagne remains the top-ranked batsman in the world, with his captain Pat Cummins still the number one bowler.
Jaiswal and Sharma began day two 80-0 and the pair went on to put on a partnership of 229, the highest for India against the West Indies.
In the process, Jaiswal, 21, became the 17th Indian batsman to score a century on Test debut while Sharma hit his 10th Test hundred and third against the West Indies.
Sharma was the first of two wickets to fall on another tough day for the West Indian bowlers. He became Alick Athanaze’s first Test wicket, going caught by wicketkeeper, Joshua Da Silva, for a well-compiled 103 off 221 balls including 10 fours and two sixes.
Shubman Gill was the other to go, caught by Athanaze off the bowling of Jomel Warrican for just six.
Jaiswal stood firm, ending the day on 143* off 350 balls. His knock has, so far, produced 14 fours.
Former Captain, Virat Kohli, was Jaiswal’s partner at stumps as India ended the day 312-2 off 113 overs, holding a commanding 162-run lead. Kohli was not out on 36 off 96 balls at the close.
In an 18-page ruling, Campbell who was charged with evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection, a three-member independent panel, found that the player was intentional in his actions.
"The panel is persuaded to a comfortable degree of satisfaction that the athlete committed an anti-doping rule violation, namely a breach of JADCO rule 2.3. The panel does not find, on the evidence presented, that the athlete's anti-doping violation was not intentional.
"In the circumstances of this case, the athlete is ineligible for a period of four years."
The ban takes effect retroactively in May 2022.
The 29-year-old left-hand batsman has played 20 Tests for the West Indies since he debuted in January 2019 against England.
In those Tests, he scored 888 runs at an average of 26.11 and included three half-centuries. His last Test was against Bangladesh in June 2022.
The Jamaicans will be looking to claim their first title since 2012 and should enter the match with some confidence after a strong batting performance against Guyana on Thursday, in the semi-finals, and four straight wins.
Miller knows, however, that the challenge will be different against an in-form Trinidad and Tobago who have lost just once this season.
“We will have to plan for Trinidad’s game differently. We have gone to a couple of their games and looked at some footage and we'll plan our approach,” Miller said ahead of the game.
Trinidad and Tobago were the zone A winners after finishing ahead of Guyana, while Jamaica won zone B ahead of the Leeward Islands.
“We’re looking forward to it we are not going into that game overconfident. We know that they are playing good cricket and they know that we are playing good cricket as well,” Miller added.
The Jamaicans managed to defeat Trinidad and Tobago in the final the last time they won the trophy.
In its most recent campaign, the team crashed out of the Regional Super50 competition after being comprehensively beaten in the semi-finals by eventual champions Trinidad and Tobago. The result ended yet another poor run of form in the competition, which the team has not won since the 2011-2012 season. In fact, since that time Jamaica has only managed just one final appearance.
Jamaica’s poor form isn’t limited to just the Super50 competition. In the regional four-day competition, despite having 12 titles, the team also not won since the 2011-2012 season. Jamaica’s franchise has fared better in the shortest format, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 but even then has not won that competition since 2016 when Gayle himself played a crucial role in lifting the trophy. For his part, the batsman does not believe the country has been making full use of its talent pool.
“Jamaica cricket needs help. We need help and there is a lot of talent there and we don’t really want to lose them. We have lost a lot of talent in Jamaica already,” Gayle said.
“We need to try and keep the players happy and then we can try and rebuild Jamaica cricket as well,” he added.
“I will offer whatever (help) I can offer in terms of Jamaica cricket, but a lot of structure needs to be put in place.”
The 2024 ICC T20 World Cup is set to be hosted by the United States and seven Caribbean countries, including St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana, with the final slated to take place at the iconic Kensington Oval in Barbados. This prestigious cricketing event set to bowl off on June 4 and conclude on June 30, has generated significant interest and excitement among cricket enthusiasts across the region and the globe.
In a statement, Minister Grange explained the rationale behind the decision: "We had been considering the cost and source of funding of nearly half a billion dollars to host a few games in Jamaica. In our cost/benefit analysis with stakeholders, we also considered the economic, social, and development impact, including the potential tourism-related impact and attendant industry benefits using year-over-year economic modeling, reconciled against current tourism performance."
The decision to forego hosting rights was not taken lightly, as the prospect of hosting international cricket matches at renowned venues like Sabina Park in Kingston held immense allure. However, Minister Grange emphasized the need for responsible governance and sustainable development in the sporting arena. She stated, "I could not just follow my heart. As a responsible Minister, I am obliged to look beyond immediate gratification to sustainable sport development that will yield immeasurable rewards at all levels in Jamaica. I had to pay attention to the cost/benefit analysis, especially in a circumstance of limited resources."
Jamaica's commitment to cricket development remains unwavering. Minister Grange announced a significant investment of JMD$100 million in youth cricket and cricket in schools over the next five years. This initiative is in addition to the government's ambitious plan for the rehabilitation and development of Jamaica's sports infrastructure.
While the decision has garnered support for its long-term vision, it has also sparked consternation among stakeholders who view it as a missed opportunity for the country. Opposition leader Mark Golding lamented to the Jamaica Observer, "It is hard to accept that an international tournament of this stature is being played in the Caribbean, and not a single match is being held here at our iconic Sabina Park."
Dr. Donovan Bennett, a Cricket West Indies board director, expressed skepticism about the government's intentions, stating, "It's quite obvious that the Government had no intention of bidding because this thing has been going on for about 10 or 12 weeks."
Dr. Akshai Mansingh, the dean of the Faculty of Sport at The University of the West Indies, echoed the sentiment that Jamaica missed a unique opportunity, saying, "By not bidding, the Jamaican Government spurned the chance to not only boost the economy and the tourism sector but also to upgrade infrastructure."
West Indies XI ended day two of their three-day tour match with a commanding 134-run lead over Pakistan Shaheens in Islamabad, setting the stage for a strong finish on Sunday.
Holder, who was among the West Indies best-performing players during the recently concluded series against Sri Lanka, was named alongside Zak Crawley, Mohammed Rizwan, Dominic Sibley and Darren Stevens. Meantime, Holder’s West Indies teammate and white-ball captain Kieron Pollard was named The Leading T20 Cricketer in the World.
Holder said the recognition is the reward for his hard work.
“This award means so much to me. I’m delighted that my efforts to play well and make a contribution have been bearing fruit and I just want to continue and reach higher heights,” he said.
“To be named one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year is something truly special as over the years I have seen a list of great players who have etched their names in history. The last recipient from West Indies was Shai Hope in 2017 and after seeing his performances it inspired me to be one of the Wisden Cricketers of the future.”
Meanwhile, CWI President Ricky Skerritt praised the talented all-rounder.
“Congratulations to Jason whose all-round cricket excellence is making all West Indians proud. For such a relatively young and intelligent athlete, he should get even better,” he said.
Jimmy Adams, CWI’s Director of Cricket said Holder was deserving of the recognition.
“On behalf of all of us at Cricket West Indies, I want to congratulate Jason on his being selected as one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year,” Adams said.
“In a period that has thrown up many challenges, he has performed consistently with distinction and dignity both on and off the field and we wish him all the success possible going forward.”
Holder joins a list of distinguished West Indies players who have been named among Wisden's Cricketers of the Year.
See the list below.
West Indies Wisden Cricketers of the Year
Names in brackets indicate the player was chosen for his feats for a county team. All others were picked mainly for their feats at the international level.
2021 – Jason Holder
2018 – Shai Hope
2013 – Marlon Samuels
2008 – Shiv Chanderpaul (Ottis Gibson)
1997 – (Phil Simmons)
1995 – (Brian Lara)
1992 – Curtly Ambrose, Richie Richardson
1991 – (Desmond Haynes)
1989 – Jeff Dujon (Franklyn Stephenson)
1987 – (Courtney Walsh)
1985 – Larry Gomes
1983 – (Alvin Kallicharran, Malcolm Marshall)
1980 – Joel Garner
1979 – (John Shepherd)
1977 – Gordon Greenidge, Michael Holding, Viv Richards
1975 – (Andy Roberts)
1974 – Keith Boyce, Roy Fredericks
1972 – (Lance Gibbs)
1971 – (Clive Lloyd)
1970 – Basil Butcher
1967 – Seymour Nurse
1964 – Charlie Griffith, Conrad Hunte, Rohan Kanhai, Garfield Sobers
1959 – (Roy Marshall)
1958 – OG “Collie” Smith, Clyde Walcott
1951 – Sonny Ramadhin, Alf Valentine, Everton Weekes, Frank Worrell
1940 – Learie Constantine
1934 – George Headley
1915 – (Sydney Gordon Smith)
McCoy was ruled out of the ICC tournament due to a right shin injury. He played the opening match against England last Saturday but missed the second match against South Africa on Tuesday.
Holder’s inclusion as McCoy’s replacement squad has been approved by the ICC tournament’s technical committee. Holder is already in the UAE as a travelling reserve and is therefore quickly available for selection for the third Super 12 match against Bangladesh at the Sharjah Stadium on Friday.
“Jason Holder has been in the UAE for a while now and will fit quite well into the team unit. He is an experienced and knowledgeable cricketer who we know will be eager and excited to grab the opportunity,” said Chief Selector Roger Harper.
“McCoy did really well in the T20Is earlier this year and adapted well in the opening match against England. He was a key member of the bowling unit and it’s unfortunate he won’t be able to take any further part in the tournament. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on the field ready to go again in the near future.”
West Indies third match against Bangladesh starts at 6 am Eastern Caribbean/5 am Jamaica time, 2 pm local UAE time, and will be shown live on ESPN Caribbean.
Holder is the second member of the travelling reserves to be drafted into the West Indies squad. Akeal Hosein joined the 15-member squad as a replacement for Fabian Allen, who was suffering from an ankle injury.
The West Indies have two losses from their first two matches and will have to win their next three to have a chance of advancing to the semi-finals.
The Windies, having won the first Test at the Rose Bowl, slumped to a 113-run defeat in the second at Old Trafford.
Holder's men will attempt to retain the Wisden Trophy and secure a series win in England for the first time since 1988 with victory in the third encounter, which starts on Friday at the same venue.
It was another disappointing performance from Hope, who scored 25 in the first innings and was dismissed for just seven in the second.
Since scoring a hundred in each innings in a Windies win over England at Headingley in 2017, Hope has scored 899 runs at an average of just 24.29.
However, Holder is backing Hope to rediscover his best form in the longest format and impress as he does in ODI cricket, in which he is ranked as the 13th-best batsman in the world.
Holder told a media conference: "All our players have got my full backing, they know how I personally feel.
"Yes some of them haven't got the runs they would like but more or less it's just giving them our full support.
"I'm 100 per cent behind Shai, we all know what Shai can produce, he's done it before at this level of Test cricket, he's arguably one of the best one-day batsmen in the world and we know the calibre of player he can be.
"I've got full confidence in Shai to get some runs, he's gotten starts so far in this series so he's not far from converting a start into something really special for us. He's got my full support."
Spinner Rahkeem Cornwall could come into the side on a pitch that offered plenty of help to spin-bowling all-rounder Roston Chase in the second Test to aid an attack dealing with a second successive four-day turnaround.
"In terms of the workload and the management of our players everybody's held up really well," Holder added.
"We've been doing this for a number of years now, the nucleus hasn't really changed significantly, these guys have backed up Test matches before, yes the turnaround in this one has been a lot shorter than normal, but these guys have done it before. I'm not too worried about the workload when it comes to these players.
"If he [Cornwall] does come in he's a wicket-taker, and he's proven to be a match-winner, not only at regional level but in his last [two] Test matches he played he got 13 wickets so I think he's a quality spinner, no doubt to me he would be the best spinner on show in this series.
"He's always a wicket-taking option for us but not only a wicket-taking option, brings a bit more slip catching, he can bat and he brings a lot of control."
Currently in India at the Rajasthan Royals High Performance Centre, Holder couldn't help but draw a stark comparison between the training grounds in the Caribbean and the state-of-the-art facilities provided by the Royals.
Holder joined the Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the IPL 2023 season and provided a much-needed balance to the side.
The Rajasthan Royals have set a benchmark in cricketing infrastructure, offering their players a diverse range of eight different pitch variations along with cutting-edge facilities. This stark contrast hasn't gone unnoticed by Holder, who believes that such facilities are essential for honing skills to a higher standard.
"It's brilliant. Unfortunately, in the Caribbean, we don't have facilities that are equivalent to this. We just have normal grounds. There's no training ground," Holder remarked, highlighting the dearth of specialized training facilities in the Caribbean.
Holder emphasized the significance of having a variety of pitches and additional support staff, indicating that the Rajasthan Royals High Performance Centre provides a more comprehensive and tailored training experience compared to the grounds in the Caribbean. The West Indies cricketer is eager to make the most of this opportunity and extract maximum benefits from the top-notch facilities at his disposal.
"I just found it necessary to get away from the Caribbean, do something away from the Caribbean and do a lot more specific into what I need to work on," Holder explained, underscoring his decision to seek a more advanced and structured training environment.
Holder also praised the familial atmosphere fostered by the Rajasthan Royals, stating, "It is a really good family that the Royals have here, and they portray that family image." This sense of belonging and the conducive training environment have contributed to Holder's positive experience at the High Performance Centre.
The West Indies cricketer is utilizing his time in India to not only focus on physical fitness but also to refine his tactical skills. The opportunity to train in different conditions, coupled with the structured approach adopted by the Rajasthan Royals, has reignited Holder's passion for the game and provided him with a valuable platform for improvement.
As the West Indies all-rounder strives to enhance his cricketing prowess, his insights shed light on the challenges faced by players in the Caribbean and underscore the importance of investing in advanced training facilities for the development of cricket talent worldwide.
That is the sentiment of Chief Selector Roger Harper, who was commenting on the decision to replace Jason Holder, who captained the Caribbean side for five years. In that time, Holder led the West Indies to 11 Test victories, five draws and 21 losses.
Holder opted out of the recent tour of Bangladesh, where under the leadership of Kraigg Brathwaite, Holder’s replacement, the West Indies swept the home side 2-0.
Still, Harper believes Holder can be an asset to the team now that he has been freed of the captaincy.
"I really think that Jason is a very integral part of the Test team and West Indies cricket going forwards. He plays all three formats and I think it's an opportunity for him to really focus on taking his game to higher levels. I think that with him at his best and with Kraigg given the captaincy, it's an opportunity for the team to move forwards,” said Harper.
"I look forward to him performing exceptionally well in his role as a player and still as a leader as one of the senior players in this team. It was great to hear him say that he's committed to giving Kraigg all the support needed and hearing the new captain saying that they have a very close relationship. I think that augurs very well for West Indies cricket going forward."
In recent times, Holder had come in for a lot of stick from past players like former fast bowler Andy Roberts, who has been among the all-rounder’s harshest critics.
“I think Jason Holder as a captain on the field is lost. I don’t think he’s aware what is going on the field because if I win a toss as a captain and before lunch on a green top pitch I am having a man on the point boundary then I am lost,” Roberts said in January while criticizing the Barbadian’s defensive on-field mindset and tactics.
“That’s the first thing. His field placing [leaves] a lot to be desired and I believe the time should come where he takes instructions from the coaches who can see the game better than he can.”
However, it was not all doom and gloom for Holder during his tenure as captain. It was while he was captain that he climbed to being ranked as the best Test all-rounder in the world.
West Indies and India will compete for the CG United trophy with the matches to be played on Friday, July 22, Sunday, July 24, and Wednesday, July 27, at the historic Queen’s Park Oval. All matches start at 9:30 am (8:30 am Jamaica Time/7 pm India time).
Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes said he is glad to have Holder back playing again.
“As we all know, Jason is one of the leading all-round cricketers in the world and we’re happy to have him back in the team. He will be refreshed, re-energized and ready to go and we can expect to see his brilliance on the field and meaningful contributions off the field as well,” Dr Haynes said.
“We had a very challenging three matches against Bangladesh in Guyana so we will be looking to rebound when we face India in the conditions in Trinidad. We have seen some growth among some players, but overall we need to regroup and play better against the Indians.”
The full squad: Nicholas Pooran (Captain), Shai Hope (Vice Captain), Shamarh Brooks, Keacy Carty, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Jayden Seales.
Reserves: Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr.
Rowe and Holder were both guests on the popular Mason and Guest sports talk show in Barbados on Tuesday night.
Rowe, 71, played 30 Tests for the West Indies between 1972 and 1980 scoring 2047 runs at an average of 43.55. In 1974, while playing against England in Barbados, Rowe scored a majestic 302 in a mammoth West Indies score 596 for 8.
However, injury, deteriorating eyesight and an allergy to grass ended what promised to be an even greater career.
On Tuesday, Rowe was among guests that included Prime Ministers Ralph Gonsalves, Keith Mitchell and Mia Mottley, who engaged Holder in conversation as they celebrated the West Indies’ hard-fought four-wicket victory over England in the first Test of the #Raisethebat series played at the Ageas Stadium in Southampton.
The former West Indies batsman had some words of advice for the West Indies captain.
“I think you are batting a bit too low. I think your spot in this team is number 6, and I honestly think that you are one of the better players on the team, technically sound, you look the part and you can play the part,” said Rowe, who during his playing days was an elegant and composed right-hand bat.
“Coming 6 in the middle of the batting, if we have any problems when you get to the wicket at least we would have one of the top-five batting with you and then, if so later on down, you have the rest at the bottom.”
In response, Holder revealed that he had aspirations of moving up the order.
“I do believe I have what it takes to come up the order and bat,” said Holder who is the number-one ranked Test-match all-rounder in the world.
“I think in the not too distant future you will see me come up the order and bat.”
The West Indies will attempt to win the series when the second Test gets underway at Old Trafford on Thursday.
Seales, who finished with nine wickets in a 40-run loss that helped South Africa win the ICC World Test Championship series 1-0, achieved the milestone move, which now makes him the top-ranked Test bowler from the West Indies.
The 22-year-old Trinidadian, who has enjoyed fairly good form since his return from injury, surpassed Barbadian seamer Kemar Roach, who slipped one place down to 18th, as his journey to fitness continues.
Spinners Jomel Warrican (52nd) and Gudakesh Motie (64th), both moved two spots up, while fast bowler Shamar Joseph also progressed 11 spots to 54th in other significant movements for the West Indies players in the bowling rankings.
South Africa’s Player of the Match Wiaan Mulder advanced 27 places to 65th position after finishing with six wickets, while off-spinner Dane Piedt is up nine places to 66th after claiming two West Indies wickets in the second innings of the match.
In the Test batting rankings, former West Indies captain Jason Holder is up seven places to 60th position following his unbeaten knock of 54 in the first innings. He is also up two places to fifth in the list of all-rounders.
South Africa opener Aiden Markram and wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne have gained after notching half-centuries in the second innings. Markram inched up two places to 21st, while Verreynne has progressed from 62nd to 46th.
In the ICC World Test Championship, West Indies are last in the nine-team championship with 18.52 after nine matches, while South Africa are in fifth place with 38.89 percentage points after six matches.
India lead the table with 68.52 percentage points after nine matches, with Australia in second on 62.50 after 12 outings. New Zealand and Sri Lanka are the other teams ahead of South Africa.
Meanwhile, in the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, Scott Edwards of the Netherlands has moved up six places to 26th position after scores of 72 and 65 against Canada and the United States, respectively, in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2.
Aaron Jones of the United States (up 11 places to 56th) and Vikramjit Singh of the Netherlands (up nine places to 79th) are others to move up the batting rankings, while Aryan Dutt of the Netherlands is up five places to 33rd.
Jayden Seales will return to West Indies training following his rehabilitation. The fast bowler last played for West Indies in the first Test at the Perth Stadium, last December. He had knee surgery in December and has subsequently been working on a rehabilitation programme overseen by the CWI Medical Team.
The training squad includes several players who are uncapped at the Test level – including batsmen Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, and Kirk McKenzie; as well as fast bowlers Akeem Jordan, and Jair McAllister.
The camp will be held at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua with training starting on Friday 30 June. The squad for the opening Test will be named at a later date and will travel to Dominica on Sunday 9 July.A
The Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test series will be the first fixtures for both West Indies & India in the new 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship. The first Test will be at Windsor Park, Dominica from 12-16 July which will be followed by the historic second Test on 20-24 July at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad – marking the 100th Test match between West Indies and India.
SQUAD: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Alick Athanaze, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Akeem Jordan, Jair McAllister, Kirk McKenzie, Marquino Mindley, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican
TEST MATCH SCHEDULE:
Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Matches (start at 10am local time, (9am Jamaica time))
12-16 July: 1st Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Match, Windsor Park, Dominica
20-24 July: 2nd Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Match, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad
The election would have pitted incumbent president Ricky Skerritt and his vice-president Kishore Shallow, against challengers Anand Sanasie of Guyana and Calvin Hope of Barbados. The event was, however, called off after a quorum could not be reached, following the absence of representatives from Barbados and Guyana.
The reason presented by both the Guyana Cricket Board and Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) is that Cricket West Indies (CWI) had failed to observe protocol by submitting an audited financial statement 14 days before the AGM.
The JCA, through a release issued on Monday, claims the decision to postpone the election, once again spoke to the need for government reform.
“This occurrence which is potentially damaging to the reputation of the people in the Caribbean as well as those in the diaspora highlights the urgent need for change to the structure of CWI,” the release read.
JCA president Wilford Heaven, a part of the CWI finance committee, responsible for distributing the financial report called the inability to reach a quorum regrettable. He claimed that five regional boards had already agreed to waive the 14-day requirement for the consolidated report. The fault, Heaven explained, was that of the auditors and as such there was little the CWI could do.
“We have to ensure that this does not happen again in West Indies cricket. I believe it is an embarrassment to everyone concerned and its obvious that we need for better governance to ensure better leadership,” Heaven said.
“The Wehby report is an outstanding agenda item that we now need to pay serious attention to. It is now even more important given what happened to the AGM.”
The squad features one significant change: Kemar Roach has been replaced by St. Kitts & Nevis’ fast bowler, Jeremiah Louis due to Roach's ongoing rehabilitation from a knee injury sustained during the County Championship in England.
Lead Selector the Most Honorable Dr. Desmond Haynes remarked, “Kemar’s skill and experience in English conditions will be missed. However, this opportunity has been long in the making for Jeremiah Louis, he certainly has the skill and experience to make an impact in England.”
The Richards Botham series, named after West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards and England great Lord Ian Botham, is a historic rivalry dating back to 1928 when the West Indies first toured England.
West Indies Test Squad:
- Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain)
- Alick Athanaze
- Joshua Da Silva
- Jason Holder
- Kavem Hodge
- Tevin Imlach
- Alzarri Joseph (Vice-Captain)
- Shamar Joseph
- Mikyle Louis
- Zachary McCaskie
- Kirk McKenzie
- Gudakesh Motie
- Jeremiah Louis
- Jayden Seales
- Kevin Sinclair
19-year-old fast bowler Isai Thorne will join the squad as a development player.
Team Management Unit:
Head Coach: Andre Coley, Team Manager: Rawl Lewis, Assistant Coaches: Jimmy Adams, Rayon Griffith, Shaun Tait, Physiotherapist: Dr. Denis Byam, Strength & Conditioning Coach: Ronald Rogers, Team Masseuse: Fitzbert Alleyne, Team Analyst: Avenesh Seetram.
The squad have been in a training camp at Tonbridge School and will play a 3-day warm-up match against the England Lions at Beckenham starting on 4 July.
Fixtures for England series:
Wednesday 3 July 2024 3-Day Warm-Up Match Beckenham
Wednesday 10 July 2024 1st Test Match Lord’s
Thursday 18 July 2024 2nd Test Match Trent Bridge
Friday 26 July 2024 3rd Test Match Edgbaston
The Selection Panel named one uncapped player in the 15-member squad – Jeremy Solozano, the left-handed opening batsman – following the two recent three-day Best v Best matches and training sessions at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
Roger Harper, Lead Selector said: “The Best v Best matches provided the opportunity for the players to spend some time in the middle honing their skills for this tour. The aim was to simulate as much as possible, the conditions that the team will likely face in Sri Lanka, so it was good to see the batsmen spending time at the crease while putting some scores together and the bowlers looking to build pressure and create wicket-taking opportunities,” Harper said.
“Jeremy played for the West Indies ‘A’ Team in 2019 (against India ‘A’) with success and in the Best v Best matches he displayed a sense of application, patience, and composure while looking very comfortable against both pace and spin which encouraged the panel to invest in him at this point.”
Harper added: “The squad is well balanced, with good depth in all departments. The composition is very similar to the squad that brought us success in our last away tour to Bangladesh, with a few changes in personnel. There are a number of players who are familiar with Sri Lankan conditions and most of the others have good experience in the Indian sub-continent, so they know what to expect and are gearing themselves for it.”
Both Test matches will be played at the Galle International Stadium. West Indies will have a four-day warm-up match in Colombo from November 14 to 17. The Tests will follow on November 21 to 25 and November 29 to December 3.
The series is the second of six series, three at home and three away, that West Indies will play in the 2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship. Please see ICC World Test Championship table here: https://bit.ly/3EcJXpV
FULL SQUAD
Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Jermaine Blackwood (Vice-Captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Jeremy Solozano, and Jomel Warrican.
