Fast bowler Kemar Roach represents the most experienced figure in a West Indies Championship XI squad that includes a number of young prospects set to engage South Africa in a warm-up match from July 31 to August 3.
Roach, 36, who missed the just-concluded three-match Test series against England due to a knee injury, now has the opportunity to prove his fitness to possibly break back into the Kraigg Brathwaite-led team for the upcoming two-match Test series against the Proteas scheduled to begin on August 7.
The same is true for the others, namely Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Justin Greaves, who fell out of favour for Test team selection following sub-par performances in Australia earlier this year, as the warm-up match will be their shot at redemption.
Following the Test series, West Indies and South Africa will cross swords in a three-match T20 series starting on August 23.
Cricket West Indies (CWI), in making the announcement, said the warm-up match is a crucial opportunity to also engage several talented players that have either demonstrated consistent performances over multiple seasons or have shown impressive emerging talent.
The selection of these players also forms part of CWI’s strategy to evaluate the readiness of potential squad members for the upcoming West Indies home Test Series against South Africa.
According to CWI’s Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, the focus is on assessing their battle readiness and potential contributions to the men's Test team.
“We are excited to see these players in action against a formidable South African side. This fixture is a valuable opportunity to assess their readiness and gauge their potential for the upcoming Test series. Each player selected has shown significant promise, and we are eager to see how they perform on this stage,” Bascombe said.
He added that this match will serve as a significant test for these players, providing a platform to showcase their skills and further their case for inclusion in the senior team.
West Indies Championship XI: Justin Greaves (Captain), Keacy Carty (Vice Captain), Jediah Blades, Joshua Bishop, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Bryan Charles, Amir Jangoo, Anderson Phillip, Nial Smith, Jeremy Solozano, Shamar Springer, Isai Thorne, Kevin Wickham, Kemar Roach
Management: Floyd Reifer (Head coach), Ramesh Subasinge (Assistant coach), Jelani Baptise (Physiotherapist), Shayne Cooper (Strength & Conditioning coach), Keshavar Ramphal (Analyst)