RUSSELL...I think a lot of players are just not interested in playing Tests.
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West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell has made it clear that, contrary to popular belief, financial incentives are by no means the main reason why some Caribbean players don’t play Test cricket. To put it bluntly, they are just not interested.
The topic has been one floating around for some time, as it became clear that players, like Russell, are more drawn to Twenty20 cricket by the lucrative lure of popular leagues around the world and, as such, have shied away from the game’s longest format.
It again came to the fore late last year, when Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, and Kyle Mayers turned down West Indies central contracts but made themselves available for T20 internationals.
In fact, earlier this year, both Holder and Mayers declined to take up spots in the West Indies team for the Test series against Australia, opting to pursue T20 opportunities instead. However, Holder has since made a return to the Test squad.
With speculations rife that T20s monetary payout has affected their commitment to Test cricket, Russell sought to clear the air on the matter.
“I don't think it's the money; I don't think money is the issue. Based on the number of T20 leagues around the world, I think a lot of players are just not interested in playing Tests,” Russell said in a recent interview with the Press Association.
His remarks come as West Indies currently sit at the bottom of the nine-team World Test Championship table after being swept 3-0 by England in a recent series. They have since secured a stalemate in the first Test of their ongoing series against South Africa.
Russell, Shimron Hetmyer, Pooran, Rovman Powell, and Kieron Pollard were among the West Indians playing in The Hundred when the last Test against England was being played in late July. Among the highest-paid players in the league, they are still playing The Hundred as the series against South Africa heads into the second contest.
Though Pollard, Powell, and Pooran have never played Test cricket, Russell played one in 2010. Hetmyer has played 16 games, the last of which was in 2019.
“Red-ball cricket is not my cookie; I don't think my body will keep up with Test cricket,” Russell declared as he alluded to the rigorous schedule and the physical and mental toll Test cricket takes on a player.
“I'm always excited watching the other West Indian batters, especially when they're hitting boundary after boundary. As long as you can do well from contracts outside your nation, I think they are going to grab that opportunity, but everyone wants to play on the big stage. So, if the big stage comes in Test cricket, I know youngsters will be happy to play. I just don't think it's about money or anything like that,” he added.
Russell, known for his explosive performances in limited-overs formats and his significant contributions to the West Indies team, has long been a pivotal figure in international cricket.
Now 36, Russell has managed to stay at the top of his game in white-ball cricket, but it was not without hard work and sacrifice. He overcame a series of injuries over the years, the last of which was a knee injury that forced him out of the 2019 ODI World Cup after a few games.
“Red-ball cricket is not my cookie; I don't think my body will keep up with Test cricket,” Russell stressed.
“But those in the team at the moment are fit enough and taking on the challenge. They had a few moments in the Test series [against England] where they could have turned things around. Playing England at home is always going to be hard for the West Indies,” he noted.
Dottin among nominees for ICC Women’s Player of the Month for October
West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin has been named among the three nominees for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for the month of October.
Dottin made her comeback for the national side at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, and was a driving force as the islanders reached their first semi-final at the event since 2018.
She was instrumental in victories over Scotland and Bangladesh, but saved her most valuable contributions for the latter stages, where she shone with the bat, ball and in the field in their group stage win over England, before producing a memorable individual display with 33 runs and four wickets in the thrilling semi-final defeat to eventual champions New Zealand.
Dottin will be going up against New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt for the award.
The nominees for the Men’s award are New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, Pakistan’s Noman Ali and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada.
Kevin Sinclair replaced by Junior Sinclair in Harpy Eagles Super50 squad after internal report to GCB
All-rounder Kevin Sinclair will take no further part in the Guyana Harpy Eagles CG United Super50 Cup campaign in Trinidad and Tobago. The decision made by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) followed the submission of an internal report by the Harpy Eagles' management team that it was necessary to replace the player.
The GCB, in making the revelation, also announced that Kevin Sinclair will be replaced by Junior Sinclair in the squad at the tournament.
Though the GCB’s statement did not clarify if sub-standard performance is the reason behind Kevin Sinclair’s ejection from the squad, it pointed out that it was a “necessary squad adjustment.”
“Following an internal report from the Guyana Harpy Eagles management, it has been decided that Kevin Sinclair will no longer be participating in this year’s competition,” the statement read.
In the three matches played in the Super50 Cup, Kevin Sinclair tallied 14 runs and snared three wickets.
He made 14 from 16 balls against Windward Volcanoes and took 2-66 from 10 overs in the same match.
However, he did not bat in the rained-out contest against Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners and was dismissed without a score against Barbados Pride and only took 1-26 from 10 overs in that same match.
The Guyana Harpy Eagles are winless after three matches.
A similar situation arose last year during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament when organisers announced Kevin left the Guyana Amazon Warriors squad for “personal reasons.”
Kevin Sinclair’s departure opens the door for Junior Sinclair to take up a spot in the Harpy Eagles squad ahead of Tuesday’s contest against Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
Guyana Harpy Eagles Squad: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Matthew Nandu, Tevin Imlach (captain), Kevlon Anderson, Kemol Savory, Junior Sinclair, Keemo Paul (vice-captain), Ronaldo Aimohamed, Veerasammy Permaul, Isai Thorne, Ashmead Nedd, Nial Smith, Sylus Tyndall, Rampertab Ramnauth.
Salt confirmed as England wicketkeeper despite Buttler return for West Indies T20Is
Phil Salt will be wicketkeeper in England’s upcoming T20I series against West Indies as white-ball captain Jos Buttler looks to improve his captaincy.
Buttler has been ruled out with a calf strain but will return to England's squad for the five-match T20I series that begins on Saturday.
Until now, Salt has kept in just 13 of his 59 England appearances across all formats but has taken up the mantle for the ongoing ODI series against West Indies.
Buttler, on the other hand, has donned the gloves in 106 of his 108 T20Is.
Salt, though, is enjoying his new role.
"It's not something I've done a lot for England recently, but I enjoy keeping. I feel like that's where I offer most to the side," Salt said, as reported by ESPN.
"We've not had a chat about anything going forward. I'm just glad to be doing it at the moment."
While Salt is not guaranteed the gloves after this series, he will find comfort in Buttler's intent to optimise his captaincy by experimenting with a role in the field.
"I was going to give up the gloves and commit to being at mid-off and see how that felt. If it will help me with my captaincy it is something I am open to," Buttler told Sky Sports in September after being ruled out of the T20 series against Australia.
England are tied 1-1 in their ODI series against the West Indies with the decider to be played on Wednesday.
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