According to a release issued by Cricket West Indies (CWI), which roiled the cricketing world on Monday, the body opted to replace Hetmyer with Shamarh Brooks after the player missed a rescheduled flight, having been advised of the consequences of doing so.
The release stated that the player's original flight was changed from Saturday to Monday due to family reasons but did not mention if Hetmyer had given a reason for being unable to catch the second flight.
“I must say I am a bit surprised because who wouldn’t want to play in the World Cup tournament and who wouldn’t want to represent their country,” Ambrose told the Mason and Guest radio program.
“What I heard in the media is that he had some family issues. So, I take it that if you are going to miss playing for your country, or playing at the World Cup then he has some serious issues to deal with. I reckon that if that’s the case, you want to ensure that whatever issues he has with his family are being sorted, so he has to miss the World Cup. I wish him well.”
Russell was invited to join the team for the upcoming tour of New Zealand but, according to Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief of selectors Roger Harper, declined after claiming he needed space to ‘clear his head’ after having to deal with playing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The player last represented the West Indies on tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year, where his scintillating 40 from 14 deliveries saw him named man-of-the-match.
Even with such brilliant performances under his thumb, Harper insisted he was keeping an eye on things and that emerging talent could make it difficult for the 32-year-old to continually be selected ‘if they take their opportunities.’
“I think as we move forward we will look at all situations, all players and determine whether we need to continue to look at those players, continue to consider those players, or we need to move on,” Harper told members of the media, from the team’s training camp in New Zealand, in reference to the situation.
“A lot of things are determined by how well the team performs. How well the players in the team at the time perform, and the success of the team. I think if players in the team perform exceedingly well, then it will make it difficult for those that are not on the tour to get back into the team. So a lot of things will be taken into consideration as we move forward.”
The regional team is coming off a difficult run of matches in the ODI format where it lost its last nine in a row. Recent history suggests the Windies will, however, be far more competitive in the T20 format. The team is in fact coming off a 3-0 sweep of Bangladesh in 20 overs, before experiencing a reversal of fortunes in the ODIs.
The team has also typically competed well against India in the format, but it is the Indians who have ended up with the lion's share of the victories in recent years. Pooran is hoping that particular statistic will be changed.
“The guys are always up for the challenge against India, they want to show the world what they are made of as well,” Pooran told members of the media on Thursday.
“For some reason, we just turn up and perform well, unfortunately, we haven’t been getting the series wins and that is something that we need to happen. We don’t want to perform as players and the team is still losing. So, the only thing on our mind is to find a way to be successful.”
The West Indies and India will square off for five matches beginning on Friday.
A shocking first-round exit from the tournament last month cast a long shadow over cricket in the Caribbean region, which remains in the process of searching for answers.
Despite the change in formats, some have suggested that the team could be negatively impacted heading into the series. Holder, however, does not believe it will be the case.
“I think for me the World Cup is behind me, we just have to look forward to this series,” Holder told members of the media on Tuesday.
The Test unit, led by Kraigg Brathwaite has been in before form and has won the last two series.
“It’s a fresh group with different players a whole different dynamic. The prospects of this team have been really good, they’ve played some really good cricket this year and they have good leadership. Kraigg has done an outstanding job and he’s led the boys really well, so we are looking forward to the prospects here.”
As the Windies celebrated the 5th anniversary of their historic victory over India at the 2016 Showpiece in Eden Gardens, Sammy reiterated that he would never apologise to Cameron for his statements, which eventually put an end to his international career.
“You seek forgiveness when you have done something wrong. I wouldn’t change anything I said because I spoke the truth as to what went on and yes, I paid the price for it, but that’s the way life goes. My Mom always said if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything,” he said while a guest on Line & Length on SportsMax
“I thought I was a true representative to my team. To Dave Cameron, he has moved on. I recently saw on your show he said he is still available for advice…but I don’t know how the current administration would think about that,” he explained.
After Carlos Brathwaite hit four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes to upset England in the final over, Sammy chose the presentation ceremony to vilify the administration for a number of matters prior to the tournament and during the competition when players clashed with CWI over fees, equipment, and communication differences.
“There is a vibe and player-harmony now. The players are playing for their captain...added to that, it’s been great watching Jason Holder and the respect he has gained even though no longer captain. West Indies cricket seems to be moving in the right direction,” said Sammy.
The 40-year-old Windies superstar is renowned for being an equal opportunity destroyer of all types of bowling attacks and has racked up some big scores in all three formats of the game. Singh, however, insists that he always had a strategy that was effective in keeping the big left-hander under wraps.
“Warner is very good on the back foot - he will cut you. He can switch-hit, he can sweep pretty nicely, he can hit you over cover. He can step out too. Compared to Gayle, Warner is more difficult for me to bowl to,” Singh told Espncricnfo’s Cricket Monthly.
“Gayle, if someone bowls quick to him, he will keep hitting sixes. If someone bowls slow to him, he’ll have to come out of the crease, which he is not comfortable with. I have never ever felt it difficult to bowl against Gayle,” he added.
“I have bowled a lot at him in powerplays. He did not have the sweep. He did not have the shot over mid-on.”
The Indian spinner can point to some tangible success against Gayle, having dismissed the West Indian 5 times in One Day internationals, which makes him statistically the third most successful bowler to have faced the batsman in the format.
The 85-year-old Gibbs, undisputedly one of the region’s finest ever craftsmen in the disciple of spin bowling, was critical of the performance of the current crop of regional spinners on a whole. His issue with Cornwall stemmed from what he described as the spinner’s short run-up and ‘lack of rhythm’.
Cornwall, who has insisted he only just heard of the remarks has insisted he is not fazed by the criticism as it was impossible to make everyone happy.
“I am not really on social media that much to see some of those things [comments] and if one or two people don’t say something to me I may not see it but I just don’t really dig too deep into it,” Cornwall told the Good Morning Jojo Radio Show.
“I really can’t stress on that, everybody has their own opinion and if you dwell on every opinion you will find yourself get mixed up in all sorts of things so you just have to control what you can control and when the opportunity arises to go and perform you just make sure you stick to what you know and perform,” he said.
The burly spinner, who made his debut for the West Indies against India last year, was recently named as part of a CWI 29-member preparatory squad for a possible tour of England.
When Blackwood arrived at the crease, for the time in the match, the Caribbean men were in danger of losing the Test, struggling at 27 for 3 in chase of 200. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite (4), Shamarh Brooks (0) and Shai Hope (9) were all back in the pavilion. John Campbell was there too, retired hurt after a Jofra Archer yorker struck his big toe.
Blackwood, having failed with the bat in the West Indies first innings set about redeeming himself mounting partnerships of 73 with Roston Chase (37) and 68 with Shane Dowrich (20) to put the West Indies in sight of victory.
He got out for 95 with the West Indies needing just 11 runs for victory. It was the highest individual score of the match.
Holder was effusive in his praise for the diminutive Jamaican for his big-game mentality that helped massively in securing the win for his side.
“Jermaine Blackwood, man. If I had 12 Jermaine Blackwoods, those are the kind of guys you want to step on to a cricket field with. These are team guys, through thick and thin. I've played lots of cricket with and lots of cricket against [him], we played all our youth cricket together and played a youth World Cup together, so I know the player,” Holder said.
"That's why when things happen like how they did in the first innings, yeah, you're disappointed, but you can't put a player like that into his shell. So it's more about trying to manage him and help him try to understand the different passages of play, where he can be a little bit more collective, where he needs to settle and hang in for a bit before going on the attack again. He is an attacking player, but it's giving him that confidence and support.
"He's a humble team man, I know when he crosses the line he'll give it his all. Sometimes he feels as though he can carry everybody on his shoulders. He's that confident of a player."
With the World Cup just a few months away, the debate has raged on regarding the most effective composition of the squad. Experienced players like Gayle, Narine, and Dwayne Bravo, who all have world titles under their belts, remain eligible for selection. Some have called for the selection panel to look past the players.
Recently, the selection of veteran players Fidel Edwards and Gayle, for the West Indies series against Sri Lanka, set off vigorous debate around the region. While some endorsed the decision the Cricket West Indies (CWI) selection panel’s decision to add experience to the World Cup squad. Some argued that Gayle being 41 and Edwards 39, the CWI should be invested in selecting promising youth players.
In the meantime, top spinner Narine is only 32 but has not appeared for the West Indies since 2019 and prior to that had not played consistently.
“I don’t think that Sunil Narine is interested in going to World Cup, to be honest, given the challenges he had,” Ragoonath told the Mason and Guest radio program.
“Dwayne Bravo is showing that he is still capable and Chris Gayle for me is a big question mark. For the first time, I’ve seen Chris Gayle actually dive around in a match. The last game they played (Punjab King’s XI). He looks a little fitter, but at the same time, I am not inclined to taking Chris Gayle to a World Cup at this stage,” he added.
Gayle struggled to make an impact against Sri Lanka in March, scoring just 29 runs in three matches. Since the start of this season’s IPL, the batsman has been solid, if not spectacular for Punjab Kings XI after scoring 165 runs from seven matches.
“Of the three, I would love to have Sunil Narine on my side, but psychologically Sunil is not half the player he used to be and so Bravo is the only one I would give serious consideration to.”
The 40-year-old West Indies talisman is already at the top of the list with 14923 runs inclusive of 24 centuries. Gayle had expressed thoughts about the possibility of retiring after the last World Cup, before picking a series in the West Indies against India as a final swansong.
The player has, however, apparently now had a complete change of heart even pushing back at some of those who have suggested it could be time to step aside. Gayle has since insisted, in various interviews, that he is feeling good and hopes to play another five years. In responding to a celebration of his achievements by cricket statistic website Crictracker, who pointed out the achievement of the most T20 centuries, Gayle insisted that there was more to come.
“10 more to come!” the player said in response to the celebratory tweet. With the World Cup fast approaching, Gayle has been out of action for his international team since last year but has continued to participate in various T20 leagues around the world. He is expected to take part in the upcoming IPL campaign.
Due to the threat posed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the entire 2020 edition of the tournament was held in Trinidad and Tobago, under strict COVID-19 protocols.
In several respects, the tournament was a success with the event successfully being delivered to a record audience of over 500 million. The Trinbago Knightriders were eventually crowned champions on their own patch.
St Kitts and Nevis’ Warner Park has been the scene of some of the most iconic matches in Hero CPL history. Fans were treated to Chris Gayle’s brilliant hundred against the Jamaica Tallawahs in 2019 and Andre Russell’s even more explosive century against the Trinbago Knight Riders in 2016. There have also been some amazing matches, not least the game that went to a Super Over finish between St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and the Knight Riders in 2019.
This year’s tournament takes on extra significance with it taking place in the lead up to the ICC T20 World Cup and both West Indies and overseas players will be using the opportunity to push for selection for their international teams.
“We are delighted to be able to announce that we will be having the Hero CPL in St Kitts & Nevis in 2021 and we would like to thank those involved in welcoming the tournament to this wonderful country,” Pete Russell, Hero CPL’s COO, said.
“As was demonstrated during the 2020 tournament the CPL is a massive boost for the host country with US$51.5million delivered in sponsorship value for Trinidad & Tobago. We are really looking forward to giving St Kitts & Nevis the exposure they deserve.”
The left-handed batting talisman turned 40 earlier this year and had initially speculated about retiring after the ICC World Cup. Gayle, however, had a complete change of heart regarding that possibility and now insists that he believes he still has a lot to offer to the sport.
The West Indian already has a long list of accomplishments which includes being the highest ODI runs scorer for the West Indies, and having the most centuries with 25. Gayle is also the first batsman to score a triple century in Test cricket, a double century in ODI cricket and a century in T20 internationals.
Despite his long list of accomplishments, however, Gayle believes he still has plenty to give to fans of the sport and league's around the world.
“A lot of people still want (to) see Chris Gayle out there in the middle. I still have that love for the game and that passion for the game as well. And I would love to carry on as long as possible,” Gayle said in a recent interview.
“Forty-five is a good number. Yeah, we can target 45. Let’s target 45, that’s a good number,” he added.
“Even in franchise cricket, I am still playing a few games here and there around the globe because I still feel I have a lot to offer. The body is feeling good. And I am sure I am getting younger as days go on.”
The 26-year-old batsman has been the regional team’s top runs getter in the ODI format for 2019 and third overall in the world, behind the Indian duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. At year-end, the right hander plundered 1345 runs at an average of 61 with four hundreds.
Often finding himself nestled between power hitters, Hope’s unflappable nature and timely stroke play often proved crucial in whatever success the Windies team had.
“The key is knowing your role in the team and knowing how it affects your batting partners, so the key is about standing your role. I think everyone in the team is starting to understand their role and it’s making our batting performances a lot more successful and consistent,” Hope said in a recent interview.
“It’s about being adaptable. I believe that adaptability is the biggest thing in cricket, especially when you’re playing [different] formats,” he added.
Hope recently produced a strong showing against the world’s top-ranked ODI team India. It was his unbeaten hundred in the series opener in Chennai which helped the Caribbean side take a 1-0 lead but knocks of 78 and 42 in the remaining matches failed to prevent defeats. The young batsman insists he remains focused on improving.
“[It’s] about improvement. Obviously you want to score more runs as a batsman but the key is about gaining things, adding things to your game and improving as a cricketer.”
On Monday, the West Indian captain became the first player in history to take 300 wickets and 10,000 runs in T20s, after taking two wickets and making 15 runs for Indian Premier League team Mumbai Indians.
Over an outstanding career, the all-rounder is now second behind Chris Gayle on the all-time list with 11,217 runs and 8th on the all-time bowling list in terms of wickets taken. Perhaps fitting Gayle was among one of the wickets he claimed on the way to the special milestone. While proud of what he has accomplished in the sport, the dynamic player is keenly aware of a new generation of cricketers eager to make their own mark on the sport.
“Age is catching up with me because (there are) young guys in the dressing room, so I have to continue to show them that, ‘listen, I still got it,” Pollard said after the game.
“So, most of the time, it’s just to show these young guys what I can do,” he added.
“For me, you are just supposed to do what the team requires. As an individual, I know what I can do in all the facets of the game, and whenever I get the opportunity just try to do my best.”
The 28-year-old Barbadian, who is also the number-one-ranked Test all-rounder in the world, took match figures of seven wickets for 91 runs in the first Test against England in the #RaisetheBat series that concluded on Sunday with the Caribbean men winning the closely fought match by four wickets.
Holder’s 6 for 42 in the first innings against England at the Ageas Stadium in Southampton, helped restrict the home side to 204 on Thursday’s second day and helped set up a famous victory for the West Indies.
The performance that included 1 for 49 in England’s second innings, earned the lanky medium pacer 32 points in the Test rankings taking him to 862 points.
Those points also moved him ahead of New Zealand's Neil Wagner who has 843 ranking points.
Australia’s Pat Cummings leads the rankings with 904 points.
Kemar Roach, who went wicketless in the match is ranked 16th with 731 points while Man-of-the-Match Shannon Gabriel is ranked 18th with 726 points. Gabriel took 9 wickets in the match and was a key player in the West Indies victory on Sunday.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Holder explained the rationale behind his decision: "By no means is this me turning my back on Test cricket. It's not curtains for me in Test cricket by any means. It's my first time going through something like this, and I felt that it was necessary to be as honest and as open with CWI as I possibly can. It was a very difficult decision: I just feel as though this is the right cricketing decision for me at this time."
The West Indies team, already grappling with the absence of Shai Hope, now faces the challenge of incorporating seven untested players into the 15-member squad set to confront one of the world's best Test teams in Australia.
Holder highlighted the opportunity presented by participating in the IPL T20 league in the UAE in January, emphasizing the need to give himself the best chance of playing in the T20 World Cup. "I will probably sleep a little bit better knowing that I've given myself the best opportunity to do that," Holder added.
The decision also comes as a consequence of Cricket West Indies' directive, requiring players to make themselves available for both the ongoing series against England and February's T20Is in Australia to be considered for World Cup selection. This compromised Holder's availability for the Big Bash League, and he will miss the end of the ILT20.
Expressing his desire to feature in the T20 World Cup, Holder said, "I've never played a World Cup at home: I really, really want to be a part of it because I love playing in front of the fans in the Caribbean."
As Holder navigates the evolving landscape of international cricket, he acknowledges the increasing prevalence of players prioritizing franchise cricket, stating, "It all depends on what a player wants in terms of his career. It's a profession, and there's a massive window in terms of franchise cricket early in the year."
Holder's decision reflects a calculated move to align with the changing dynamics of the cricketing world, balancing professional considerations and personal aspirations as he sets his sights on the T20 World Cup and maximizes his earnings in the upcoming IPL T20 league.
The much-travelled 36-year-old T20 specialist made history earlier this week after capturing his 500th wicket in the format while competing in the Caribbean Premier League for Trinbago Knight Riders. As far as the CPL goes, the historic achievement marked his 100th in the competition.
In 12-years, Bravo has played for numerous T20 franchises around the world, including playing a major role in two T20 World Cup titles for the West Indies. Though not quite at the absolute top of his game these days, he remains an impact player for any team he represents. With pressure often placed on players to retire, once they approach 40, Bravo has insisted he feels in great shape.
”Anyone who challenges or questions our age – I don’t think anyone of us, our performance has dipped or dropped because of our age,” Bravo recently told EspnCricinfo.
“As a matter of fact, most of us even perform just as good or even better. Age is just a number. Don’t judge a player by his age but judge him by his performance and his ability to continue to play.”
The likes of Chris Gayle, Shoaib Malik, Imran Tahir, and Bravo have all defied age, performing brilliantly for their franchises all over the world.
Richards represented the West Indies for close to two decades, following his debut in 1974. For the majority of his career, the Windies were known as the world’s best cricket team, securing two World Cups during that time.
The Master Blaster, as he is otherwise known, played alongside some of the game’s greatest players, the likes of Clive Lloyd, Desmond Haynes, Gordon Greenidge, and bowlers Malcolm Marshal, Joel Garner, Collin Croft, and Michael Holding, to name a few, listed among his teammates. Recently, the team has fallen far from that type of dominance.
For some, the quality comparison between the talent that was available then regionally, and the current crop, is an open and shut case with overwhelming favourability for the former. For Richards, however, it isn’t that simple.
“It’s always tough for you to make comparisons of what took place yesterday to what’s happening today because I think the game would have moved on big time as well,” Richards told the Antigua Observer.
“There are a lot of things you would have had yesterday that (are) missing today and a lot of things you have today were missing yesterday, so, it’s a tough task for any individual to make comparisons,” he added.
One thing he insists that players can do from any era is to get the job done, regardless of the challenges.
“The best way I would look at that is the period of time we were asked to work because remember we are not all the same age at this particular time. So, considering the times in which we all played and what was put in front of us at that particular time, we got the job done and you may ask that of the individuals today to do the very same. I don’t think I can give a definite answer to which period was better, and whoever was making whatever comparison; but all these individuals, at the time they came, they did good,” he said.
The incident, which took place during the fourth over of England's innings, sparked discussion among players and fans alike. Joseph appeared visibly frustrated with a field placement decision, leading to a disagreement with captain Shai Hope. After taking the wicket of Jordan Cox, caught behind on the fourth ball, Joseph chose not to celebrate with his teammates, instead walking back to his mark without any acknowledgment of the dismissal. His frustration escalated as he left the field unannounced at the end of the over, leaving West Indies to begin the fifth over with only ten players.
CWI’s Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, emphasized the importance of professionalism, stating, “Alzarri's behavior did not align with the core values that Cricket West Indies upholds. Such conduct cannot be overlooked, and we have taken decisive action to ensure the gravity of the situation is fully acknowledged."
Joseph’s actions also drew criticism from head coach Daren Sammy, who voiced his concerns in an interview with TalkSPORT. Sammy described the behavior as “unacceptable,” underscoring his commitment to fostering a positive team culture. "Behavior like that is unacceptable on my cricket field," Sammy said. "We will be friends… but in the culture I'm trying to build, that’s unacceptable. We will definitely have a chat about that.”
Reflecting on the incident, Joseph issued a public apology, expressing regret for his actions. "I recognize that my passion got the best of me. I have personally apologized to Captain Shai Hope and my teammates and management. I also extend my sincerest apologies to the West Indies fans—I understand that even a brief lapse in judgment can have a far-reaching impact, and I deeply regret any disappointment caused.”
CWI remains committed to promoting a culture of respect, integrity, and discipline within the West Indies cricket team, both on and off the field. Joseph’s suspension serves as a reminder of these core values and reinforces CWI's dedication to professionalism for all players representing West Indies cricket.
The 27-year-old Ambris was among several players unexpectedly named to the West Indies squad for the tour after 12 first-team players made themselves unavailable for the tour. Prior to that Ambris had last played for the team in February of last year, on the team’s tour of Sri Lanka. On that occasion, the player averaged 26 in three matches. He was not selected to the team for either of the team’s previous tours to England or New Zealand.
Ambris, in addition to providing support for less experienced players on the tour, hopes to push himself back in the conversation for regular selection.
“This is the first tour that I’m actually confident that I will be starting. So, I would like to use this tour to cement myself in the starting 11 for other tours,” Ambris told members of the media via an online press conference on Friday.
“I’d love to get at least one hundred out of these three games, I think that would do me a lot of good,” he added.
