West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder does not expect a hangover from a poor T20 World Cup campaign to impact the team for the upcoming Test series against Australia.
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.”
West Indies batting great Brian Lara is among a three-member group of independent professionals named by Cricket West Indies (CWI) to conduct a comprehensive review of the early exit by the West Indies Men’s team from the recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
CWI on Wednesday announced that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Review Group will undertake a holistic assessment of all aspects of the team’s preparation and performance at the global tournament.
Along with Lara, who is also a current IPL T20 head coach, the panel also includes international cricket coach, South African Mickey Arthur and Justice Patrick Thompson Jr., a High Court Judge at the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, who will serve as Chair of the group that has already begun their work.
“CWI is fortunate to have such a knowledgeable and totally independent panel agree to serve West Indies Cricket under challenging circumstances. I am especially grateful for their commitment to lend some of their valuable time to this important review project," said CWI President Ricky Skerritt.
"t is vital that players, coaches, administrators, and all of us who love West Indies cricket, recognize that creating a sustainable learning culture, throughout the organization, is a prerequisite for player growth and team improvement. Emotion-based and knee-jerk type decisions have failed CWI repeatedly in the past. I am confident that this independent World Cup review process will produce findings and learnings that should be of great benefit to our cricket system going forward.”
The West Indies team failed to qualify for the Super12s phase (second round) after losing unexpectedly to lower ranked teams, Scotland and Ireland. The losses caused great disappointment and frustration among all West Indies cricket stakeholders. The Group B qualifier round was played at Bellerive Oval in Tasmania where the team achieved their only victory over Zimbabwe, a team that qualified ahead of West Indies by defeating both Scotland and Ireland.
West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite admits he is looking forward to a potential partnership with new comer Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who could make his debut in the upcoming series against Australia.
Chanderpaul, the 26-year-old son of legendary Windies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, was called into the team earlier this month and widely expected to get his first cap when the series gets under way in one week’s time.
The younger Chanderpaul is expected to become the 7th batsman to join Brathwaite in an opening partnership for the West Indies in the last five years, joining the likes of Kieran Powell, Shai Hope, Devon Smith, Jermaine Blackwood and John Campbell.
Campbell, Brathwaite’s most recent partner at the crease received a four-year ban for a whereabouts doping violation earlier this year. Despite the fact that the duo are yet to face a ball, Brathwaite believes there is potential for the partnership to do well.
"I think the partnership will work extremely well, to be honest," Brathwaite told members of the media on Monday.
"Tage is obviously a guy that could spend a lot of time. For me, my game, there's nothing that's going to change, just focusing on being in the right positions for each ball and… I look forward to the partnership. I've seen him play first-class for a little while, and he's always impressed with the time he has spent (batting). And I really look forward to seeing us do good things together."
Chanderpaul has scored 2669 runs in first class cricket so far and has 5 100s and 10 50s.
West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards has insisted the cricket-loving fans of the region deserved more from the team in light of a disappointing World Cup campaign.
On Sunday, at the end of the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup final, either Pakistan or England will join the West Indies as two-time winners of the tournament.
The Caribbean team, however, once the standard bearers in the world’s shortest format, were nowhere close to hitting those heights in this edition as they crashed out of the tournament in the first round following losses to Scotland and Ireland.
Richards, who once thrilled as part of an all-conquering squad, insists such results are difficult for fans in the region to take, particularly given the team’s once proud legacy.
“There is a legacy where this whole thing is concerned and maybe that’s why some of these players are currently on show,” Richards told the Good Morning Jojo Radio program.
“So, there are a lot of things to represent and I just think that’s lacking. The West Indian fans deserve much more because we have had so many issues like the pandemic and we needed something to uplift us and there are times when we look to our sportsmen and women to do that and presently, the West Indies team is basically lacking where that is concerned.”
The former captain, however, also believes the issue of player availability must be addressed.
India head coach Rahul Dravid has insisted the country does not want to end up in the same position as West Indies cricket following an unceremonious exit from the T20 World Cup, at the hands of England, on Wednesday.
The 2019 champions managed to muster very little resistance in the semi-final, where England cruised to a 10-wicket win after the East Asian team made 168 for 6. The West Indies were themselves meekly dumped out of the tournament but after losing to two associate teams sotland and Ireland in the first round.
Performances at the tournament were not, however, what the former batting star was referring to, but instead the issue of India players potentially facing a disadvantage from not being allowed to play in other T20 league’s around the world.
For his part, the coach conceded that it might be a disadvantageous but believes it is a necessity to protect the quality of India’s cricket.
“There is no doubt that England players have come and played in this tournament(Big Bash T20). It’s tough, it’s very difficult vor Indian cricket because a lot of these tournaments happen right at the peak of our season. I think it’s a huge challenge for us. A lot of our boys do miss out on the opportunity of playing in these leagues, but its up to the BCCI to make that decision,” Dravid said.
“And with the kind of demand there would be for Indian players… if you allowed them to play in these leagues, we won't have domestic cricket. Our domestic cricket, our Ranji Trophy would be finished, and that would mean Test cricket would be finished. We have to be very careful; we have to understand that Indian cricket faces or BCCI faces in a situation like this," he added.
“A lot of boys are asked to play leagues in the middle of our season, we have seen what it has done to West Indian cricket, and I definitely don't want Indian cricket to go that way. It would affect Ranji Trophy and Test cricket and Indian boys playing Test cricket is pretty important for the Test game as well, I would think,” Dravid said.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Jahmar Hamilton's run-a-ball half century lifted the Leewards Islands to a 4-wicket win over the West Indies Academy in the CG INSURANCE SUPER50 CUP at North Sound on Wednesday.
Batting first, resilient lower order batting from Joshua James, who scored an in innings high 73 from 77, led the Windies Academy to 211 all-out after a few problems at the top order. Middle order batsman Ackeem Auguste also made an important contribution. Auguste added 44 from 53 deliveries after coming to the crease with the team struggling at 78 for 5.
Importantly, together James and Auguste added 78 for the 8th wicket. Spinner Kofi James was the leading bowler for the Leewards, after claiming figures of 4 for 39.
In response, Kieran Powell and Keacey Carty put 44 on the board for the third wicket, as they looked to recover from the early loss of Ross Powell in the second over. Neither really carried on from good starts though, and the team also lost Terance Ward, for 12, when he was dismissed lbw by Nyeem Young. Hamilton’s appearance at the crease, however, settled things and Leewards coasted to 213 for 6 with 23 balls remaining. The batsman was just 9 runs short o a 7th irst lass hundred. Joshua Bishop led the way with the ball for the West Indies Academy after picking up 2 for 29.
West Indies cricket legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul was announced as one of the new members of International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Hall of Fame on Tuesday afternoon in Australia (Monday night Caribbean Time).
He has joined the list of fellow cricketing icons who have received this prestigious honour. The ICC announced Chanderpaul will be joined in the Hall of Fame by Pakistan legendary leg-spinner Abdul Qadir and England trailblazer Charlotte Edwards.
The left-handed Chanderpaul played at the international level for over to two decades and is among the leading run-scorers in the game’s history. He made his Test debut in 1994 at age 19 against England at Bourda in his native Guyana. He played 164 Test matches – the most by a West Indian – and scored 11,867 runs at an average of 51.37, which included 30 centuries.
He also played 268 One-Day Internationals and made 8,778 runs with 11 centuries at an average of 41.60; while in 22 T20 Internationals he made 343 runs. His first-class career was outstanding with 27,545 runs in 385 matches at an average of over 53. He had 77 centuries including a career-best of 303 not out for Guyana against Jamaica.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) President and ICC Director, Ricky Skerritt, paid tribute to Chanderpaul.
“On behalf of all West Indies cricket stakeholders, I congratulate Shivnarine ‘Shiv’ Chanderpaul for receiving the highest honor of his career to date. Shiv’s story exemplifies all that is good about him and the game of cricket – his hard work, commitment, adaptability and his resulting growth and achievements on and off the field. His love for the game is unmatched, and he demonstrated throughout his two decades on the field that he was the man for all seasons.”
“From the early days in the Under-19 set-up in Guyana shiv showcased his immense batting talent. He honed his skills and worked tirelessly to become the number 1 ranked batsman in the world. He embodied the statement ‘heights of great men reach and kept were not attained by sudden flight’. Shiv toiled hard to improve and at every stage was able to re-invent his game to meet the demands. We salute Shiv for his immense contribution to West Indies cricket and world cricket.”
Chanderpaul said: “It’s an amazing honour to follow the footsteps of many legends and so many other great cricketers of the past. I’m grateful for the recognition and would like to enjoy the moment with family, friends and most importantly the West Indies cricket fans and fans around the world who passionately supported me throughout my career.”
West Indians previously inducted into The ICC Hall of Fame: Sir Curtly Ambrose, Sir Learie Constantine, Joel Garner, Lance Gibbs, Sir Gordon Greenidge, Sir Wes Hall, the Most Hon. Desmond Haynes, George Headley, Michael Holding, Rohan Kanhai, Brian Lara, Sir Clive Lloyd, Malcolm Marshall, Sir Viv Richards, Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Garry Sobers, Courtney Walsh, Sir Clyde Walcott, Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Frank Worrell.
Sir Vivian Richards has questioned the commitment of the current crop of West Indies players and has expressed his disappointment at the team’s performance and early exit from the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
Young Windies fast bowler Jayden Seales is expected to join English cricket club Sussex for the start of the 2023 season.
The 21-year-old, who last played for the West Indies in July is expected to represent the English club for the first three months of the 2023 season, which is scheduled to get underway in April.
During the period the player will have the opportunity to take part in both the team’s Championship and T20 games. The young bowler, who became the youngest player to take five wickets for the West Indies in Tests, last year against Pakistan, was understandably excited for the opportunity.
“As a young fast bowler, I like to find myself facing as many different situations and challenges as possible,” Seales said.
“I can’t wait to test myself in England and hopefully contribute to a winning start for Sussex in both Championship and T20 cricket.”
West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards has been named as brand ambassador for the upcoming Lankan Premier League (LPL).
The tournament, which will take place from December 6-23 will be its third edition, having bowled off in 2020. As such it remains one of the newest and smaller leagues in world cricket and hopes the high profile of the former swashbuckling West Indies, one of the most respected in the sport, will help elevate its profile.
“We are pleased to announce one of the finest batters of all time, Vivian Richards as Brand Ambassadors for the 2022 LPL. Having someone like Sir Vivian Richards will boost the league and attract more followers from the whole world, and help in our quest to make this tournament a global cricketing attraction. I am really excited to see great Sri Lankan talents on display in the league,” Anil Mohan, Chairman of IPG Group and founder of LPL.
The LPL will also have West Indies presence on the pitch with big-hitter Evin Lewis and Carlos Brathwaite expected to feature.
Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy believes regional body Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the smaller boards can be stuck between a rock and hard place when it comes to holding on to their top players, as they lack the financial clout to do so.
Since the advent of lucrative global T20 leagues, the team has on many occasions struggled to have its top players available, as they opt to take part in the competitions over scheduled international fixtures.
At the moment, the problem is less of an issue for some of the sport’s bigger for team who hold a much tighter rein on when and where their players play. India for instance does not allow their player to take part in any other T20 league except the IPL, as Sammy points out, the issue comes down to money.
“India is strong because they can tell their players that you don’t play anywhere else. You have to understand that they have the money to back it up,” Sammy said in an interview with the Press Trust of India (PTI).
“An India A list contracted player could probably make a million dollars a year (match fees plus TV rights money) compared to a Windies A-lister, who would earn USD 150,000,” he added.
Successive West Indies administrations have tackled the issue with various approaches that have yielded little success, the former captain does not see things changing anytime soon.
“Gone are those days when you played for love. Love doesn’t buy you groceries from a supermarket,” he added.
The player believed the region could possibly think of adopting a similar model to the one used by New Zealand.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul, son of the great Shivnarine Chanderpaul, has been handed his first West Indies Test squad call-up for the upcoming tour of Australia.
The 26-year-old, who was a reserve batter for the series against Bangladesh earlier this year, could open the batting alongside captain Kraigg Brathwaite.
Chanderpaul scored the second-most runs in the 2021-22 West Indies four-day championship, hitting 439 across eight innings at an average of 73.16.
His father made 164 Test appearances for West Indies, scoring 11,867 runs at an average of 51.37, managing 30 centuries. Only Brian Lara has scored more in the team's history (11,912 runs).
"We have been playing good Test cricket and expect to do well against the Australians on their home turf," lead selector Desmond Haynes said.
"We have one newcomer to the team in Tagenarine Chanderpaul. He equipped himself very well in the West Indies Championship four-day matches and also did a very good job at the top of the order against Bangladesh A in Saint Lucia this summer.
"He has what it takes to do well at the highest level."
Meanwhile, Jason Holder, Roston Chase and Shamarh Brooks also return to the squad, with West Indies due to play two Test matches in Australia in November and December.
The tour will be the last for head coach Phil Simmons, who offered his resignation after West Indies suffered a humiliating first-round exit at the T20 World Cup.
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Selection Panel on Saturday named the Men’s Test squad for the upcoming series in Australia. West Indies will be under the leadership of Kraigg Brathwaite and will face the hosts in two Test matches at the Perth Stadium (30 November to 4 December) and the Adelaide Oval (8 to 12 December).
The Selection Panel named one newcomer in Tagenarine Chanderpaul, the left-handed opening batter and recalled two experienced players in allrounder Roston Chase and middle-order batter Shamarh Brooks.
Lead Selector The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes said: “We have a core group of players who have been part of the Test squad and have performed well. We have played two series this year – against England and Bangladesh – and won both. We have been playing good Test cricket and expect to do well against the Australians on their home turf.” “We have one newcomer to the team in Tagenarine Chanderpaul. He equipped himself very well in the West Indies Championship four-day matches and also did a very good job at the top of the order against Bangladesh A in Saint Lucia this summer. He has what it takes to do well at the highest level.” Haynes added: “Roston Chase has returned to the squad as an allrounder and we believe his experience and skill set will be beneficial and Shamarh Brooks has also returned to bolster the middle-order batting.”
The West Indies Test squad is expected to assemble in Australia on 10 November. As part of the preparations for the two-match series the visitors will have a three-day warm-up game against an ACT/NSW XI at the Philip Oval, Canberra on Thursday 17 to Saturday 19 November.
This will be followed by a four-day pink ball match against the Australia Prime Minister’s XI at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday 23 November to Saturday 26 November. The day/night match will be played under lights and will recognize the anniversary of the inaugural fixture in 1951, also against the West Indies.
The Test series will be contested for the prestigious Frank Worrell Trophy – named in honor of the legendary West Indies captain. It will also form part of the ICC World Test Championship.
FULL SQUAD
Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain)
Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain)
Nkrumah Bonner
Shamarh Brooks
Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Roston Chase
Joshua Da Silva
Jason Holder
Alzarri Joseph
Kyle Mayers
Anderson Phillip
Raymon Reifer
Kemar Roach
Jayden Seales
Devon Thomas
West Indies' white-ball captain Nicholas Pooran will use the hurt of his team's first-round exit at the T20 World Cup as "motivation" to bounce back strongly.
The Windies failed to make it to the ongoing T20 World Cup main tournament for the first time after suffering defeats against Scotland and Ireland last week.
"Obviously, we don't know what the future holds but we will take it day by day," Pooran said ahead of the Super50 Cup, West Indies' regional one-day tournament, where he is set to lead Trinidad & Tobago.
"Again, it was a learning experience for all of us and this is our journey and our story. Time will tell what will happen but for now it is just about focusing on ourselves and how we can get better as individuals.”
The reaction to West Indies' early exit was sharp and swift, with CWI president Ricky Skerritt blaming the batters and promising that a "thorough post mortem" would be carried out. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was also critical of West Indies' performances, calling their first-round exit a "disgrace". Phil Simmons, meanwhile, has resigned as head coach, with his last assignment set to be a two-Test series in Australia, which starts next month.
Pooran also suggested that he would not step down as captain, but look to learn from these setbacks.
"I have been thinking about the last couple of months...Playing cricket is my dream and obviously I have had my test in life as well and this is another test for me," he said.
"I am a person that embraces challenges and this was just another one for me. It is not going to stop me. I am going to continue to learn from my experiences and again I am happy I can wake up in the morning and see that I have an opportunity to play cricket again."
Pooran's immediate focus will be to help Trinidad & Tobago defend their Super50 title, with the tournament scheduled to begin on Saturday.
Antiguan all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall will reportedly make his return to the West Indies Test side for the two-test series against Australia from November 29-December 12 in the land Down Under.
The 29-year-old has played nine Tests for the Windies, with his last coming against Sri Lanka in November 2021. In those nine Tests, he has taken 34 wickets at an average of 37.76 and a strike rate of 78.3.
The squad is also expected to include Guyanese left hander Tagenarine Chanderpaul, son of West Indies legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who is in line to make his Test debut after incumbent West Indies opener John Campbell was banned for four years by an Independent Anti-Doping Panel after failing to provide a blood sample to doping control officers in April 2022.
Full Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Nkrumah Bonner, Kyle Mayers, Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain), Joshua Da Silva, Shamarh Brooks, Raymon Reifer, Jason Holder, Devon Thomas, Rahkeem Cornwall, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Anderson Phillip.
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