The panel named 24 players for two three-day fixtures, which will be played at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on October 27-29 and November 1-3. The two teams will be led by Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood.
The players will use these matches as preparations ahead of West Indies’ forthcoming tour to Sri Lanka for two Test matches following the ICC T20 World Cup. The team will depart from Antigua on November 6 and the tour will run until December 4. The full tour squad and schedule will be announced at a later date. 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 after drawing the first Betway Test Series against Pakistan in August.
“These Best v Best matches are a critical part of the Test team’s preparation for the series in Sri Lanka. For a number of players, it will be the only serious red ball cricket they will have since the Betway Test series against Pakistan and prior to going on this tour. So, it helps to get them back into the groove of the red-ball format and gives the Selection Panel an indication of the players’ readiness for the tour,” said Lead Selector Roger Harper.
SQUAD A: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Shamarh Brooks, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Jayden Seales, Preston McSween, Nial Smith and Jeremy Solozano.
SQUAD B: Jermaine Blackwood (Captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Jahmar Hamilton, Chemar Holder, Kavem Hodge, Alzarri Joseph, Imran Khan, Shayne Moseley, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach and Jomel Warrican.
Bonner, resuming on his overnight score of 90 went onto score 166 not out as Team Blackwood, resuming from 234-4, declared at 384-6. The 32-year-old Jamaican, who had faced 200 balls on Wednesday, faced an additional 166 balls during which struck an additional 10 fours.
During his marathon stay at the crease, Bonner found a useful partner in Raymon Reifer as the pair put on 134 for the fifth wicket before the latter was run out for 72. Jahmar Hamilton was dismissed by Jayden Seales next over but Bonner and Alzarri Joseph (5 not out) added another 31 runs before the declaration came.
“It was difficult at the start but as I batted it got easier. Obviously, it is similar conditions to what I am going to get in Sri Lanka,” said Bonner after his eight-and-a-half hour stay at the crease.
“Over the last few weeks it has been all nets and obviously I wanted to put all your skills into practice. To play a game was brilliant for me. The score was irrelevant for me. Time at the crease was one of my main goals and I got that so I am proud right now.”
Seales, who had bowled 11 overs for 11 runs on Wednesday finished with 1-23 from overs. Rahkeem Cornwall went wicket-less on the day to return figures of 2-79 while Preston McSween took 1-51.
In reply, Team Braithwaite were 73-2 at stumps with Captain Kraigg Brathwaite unbeaten on 34. He and Shamarh Brooks stitched together a partnership of 69 for the second wicket after Kemar Roach had dismissed Jeremy Solozano for 2 in the first over of the innings.
Imran Khan eventually broke the partnership when he had Brooks caught by Jermaine Blackwood for 34 shortly before stumps. Shai Hope is not out on 0 at the other end.
Bonner arrived at the wicket in the 18th over following the dismissal of Kieran Powell for 31 by Rahkeem Cornwall after he (Powell) and Shayne Moseley shared in an opening stand of 47.
Moseley was the second wicket to fall in the 32nd over, also to the bowling of Cornwall, for 39 after adding 35 with Bonner for the second wicket. Captain Jermaine Blackwood and Bonner then put on 55 for the third wicket when the former was trapped lbw by Preston McSween for 27.
Blackwood’s dismissal paved the way for an 88-run stand between Bonner and Kavem Hodge, who was eventually trapped lbw by Veerasammy Permaul for 39.
Bonner has so far faced 200 balls and hit seven fours and two sixes will resume his 12-run partnership with Raymon Reifer who is at the other end on two.
Cornwall has so far taken 2-52 from 16 overs while Permaul has 1-52 and McSween 1-25.
The BestvBest matches are to prepare players for the upcoming West Indies tour of Sri Lanka following the conclusion of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who opened the batting with Solozano, also scored a half-century before he retired hurt after he and Solozano had taken Team Brathwaite to 98-0 at lunch. Brathwaite faced 118 balls and struck six fours and a six but did not return to the crease after lunch.
Solozano, who was on 34 at the interval, and Shamarh Brooks took the score to 120 when the latter was dismissed by Nial Smith for 11. Solozano eventually got out to the bowling of Rahkeem Cornwall for 74.
Hope, who had joined Solozano and the crease after Brooks’ dismissal, eventually retired on 71. Kyle Mayers scored 45 before he was dismissed by Jayden Seales for 45.
Joshua Da Silva (10) and Alzarri Joseph (0) are the batsmen at the crease at stumps.
Seales was the best of the bowlers with 2-28.
Resuming from their overnight score of 213-8, Team Blackwood scored 268 with Reifer 40 not out overnight going on to score 62. Cornwall, 27 overnight, scored a valuable 52 that took Team Blackwood to within 58 runs of Team Brathwaite’s first innings score of 326-6 declared.
Alzarri Joseph was the best of the bowlers with 4-48. Jomel Warrican who did most of the damage on Tuesday ended with 3-38.
Batting a second time, Team Brathwaite stumbled to 46-4 when Captain Kraigg Brathwaite declared. Jeremy Solozano top-scored with 12 before retiring hurt. Joshua Da Silva, who seems to be struggling for form, scored 11 before he was dismissed lbw by Cornwall.
Shannon Gabriel, who is returning from injury, claimed the wickets of Kyle Mayers for seven and Brathwaite for two to finish with figures of 2-24 from his five overs. Cornwall was stingy taking 2-2 from 2.4 overs.
Chasing 105, Team Blackwood’s Shayne Moseley scored 29 and Kavem Hodge 26 in a first-wicket partnership of 57. Hodge then lost his wicket to Imran Khan before the match was called off and declared a draw.
Khan had figures of 1-27 from 7.2 overs.
Raymon Reifer scored 32 and Paul Palmer 23 in the triumphant effort.
WI Best B had resumed from their overnight score of 218 for four in pursuit of a victory target of 311. They were positioned for victory overnight thanks to a 175-ball 95 from Kieran Powell.
Rahkeem Cornwall was the best of the ‘A’ team bowlers with 3-99. Kyle Mayers took 2-36.
Scores in the match WIBest ‘A’ 264 (S.Hope 79, J.Blackwood 85) and 224 (S.Hope 106, K. Mayers 40) vs WI Best ‘B’ 178 (R.Reifer 60) and 313-7 (K. Powell 95, R. Chase 45 n.o.)
Cricket West Indies’ Selection Panel announced the changes on Sunday.
Fast bowlers Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph, Preston McSween and Chemar Holder, along with spinners Imran Khan and Jomel Warrican are now on the Team Brathwaite while fast bowlers Shannon Gabriel, Nial Smith and Jayden Seales, along with spinners Rahkeem Cornwall and Veerasammy Permaul are now on the Team Blackwood.
The Selection Panel said the changes were made to offer the batters preparation against different types of bowling and vice versa as the preparations for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour continues.
West Indies will have a four-day warm-up match in Colombo from November 14 to 17. The Test matches will follow on November 21 to 25 and November 29 to December 3.
“Sri Lanka in a strong team, especially at home. As a team, we are really looking forward to this challenge. We know it won’t be easy, but we have the confidence in the players that we can do the job,” said West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite.
“The ICC World Test championship is key to us in our planning. We want to keep earning points and look to move up the standings. It would be great to finish the year on a strong note and make the West Indies fans proud.”
Team Brathwaite: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Shamarh Brooks, Joshua Da Silva, Chemar Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Imran Khan, Kyle Mayers, Preston McSween, Kemar Roach, Jeremy Solozano and Jomel Warrican
Team Blackwood: Jermaine Blackwood (captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shannon Gabriel, Jahmar Hamilton, Kavem Hodge, Shayne Moseley, Veerasammy Permaul, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer, Jayden Seales and Nial Smith.
The first match between the teams ended in a draw. Team Blackwood made 384-6 with Nkrumah Bonner making an unbeaten 166 and Raymon Reifer 72. In reply, team Brathwaite made 281-1. Shai Hope scored an unbeaten 102 while Brathwaite made 78.
