Wed, Nov 21, '18 by KRISSANIA YOUNG
Cricket West Indies named a fifteen-man Test squad for the full tour of Bangladesh spanning November 21 to December 22, 2018. With the squad announcement, however, came the news that captain Jason Holder, who is nursing a shoulder injury, will miss the entire tour to South Asia, leaving Kraigg Brathwaite with big shoes to fill when he skippers Windies for the third time in 2018. The squad list reads: Kraigg Brathwaite (Cpt), Sunil Ambris, Devendra Bishoo, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich (wk), Shannon Gabriel, Jahmar Hamilton, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Shermon Lewis, Keemo Paul, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach and Jomel Warrican.
The most obvious replacement for Holder in the XI would be all-rounder Raymon Reifer. Therefore, if West Indies employs similar strategies to those used in Hyderabad (hopefully not) and persists with the extra batsman; they could enter the first Test on Wednesday evening with a bowling attack of Gabriel, Warrican, Bishoo and Reifer. A boost for Windies, would be the availability of Kemar Roach, who was unavailable in Rajkot, but was an inexplicable absence in Hyderabad. This would mean the visitors will have, at their disposal again, the use of their formidable opening bowling partnership—Roach/Gabriel.
Windies might want to press pause on the thought that a bowling attack of two spinners and three seamers should be an either-or situation on the subcontinent. However, the plan of the extra batsman would then have to be thrown through the window. In keeping an eye on the future, would it be that far-fetched to ask Keemo Paul to embrace the ‘Jason-Holder-role’; add extra responsibility to his batting and demand of him to fulfill, at the international level, this all-rounder label that is continuously touted at him? Any takers for a Roach/Gabriel/Paul/Bishoo/Warrican attack?
Perhaps even outweighing the disappointing performances, were some of the off-field decisions (because of their appalling nature) from Stuart Law and his coaching staff throughout the month-long tour of India. With the team already hamstrung by the absence of their leader, one can only hope that whatever was in the water in India hasn’t seeped into Bangladesh’s supply.
The interval between series for both Bangladesh and Windies is no doubt a short one, which makes it all the more intriguing to see some of the Windies batsmen make the transition from the shorter formats of the game to the traditional, especially the likes of Shimron Hetmyer who has previously voiced confirmation of his struggles in finding the balance among formats. Perhaps the timing can be of benefit to the likes of Shai Hope. Hope finished the ODIs against India with an average of 62.5 and may be able to carry that form and confidence into Tests. However confused Caribbean fans are by Law’s sudden disappearance and Pothas’ appointment, hopefully the players are in the know and are not massively affected by the happenings around them.
Bangladesh’s Test Form: DLLLW
Windies’ Test Form: LWWLL
Wed, Nov 21, '18
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a partnership with Google to offer fans a great viewing experience of the semi-finals and final of the ICC Women’s World T20 2018 in the West Indies.
The collaboration includes enabling the casting of video content from the ICC mobile app on Cast enabled devices, like Chromecast and Google Home Hub, allowing fans around the world to get closer to the final stages of the event and stay up to date on the teams, matches and favourite players on a plethora of devices. This includes in-match clips and short form highlights.
ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “This is a hugely exciting collaboration for cricket and I’m delighted to welcome Google on board with the ICC Women’s World T20 in the West Indies. Connecting with fans and giving more of the world the chance to enjoy our sport is vital and our partnership with Google enables us to do that.
“Cricket may be a sport steeped in tradition, but it is one that has consistently embraced technology on and off the field to improve the game and the fan experience and we must continue to innovate. The fact that a fan can now enjoy the ICC App content on Cast enabled devices for the first time ever for a cricket event is great news.”
ICC Media Release
Tue, Nov 20, '18
FEARLESS West Indies women's all-rounder Deandra Dottin has sounded a warning to Australia that the defending champions of the ICC World Twenty20 are ready to beat them again. Dottin was quick to remind the Aussies of what happened at Eden Gardens in India in the last World T20 final two years ago. The teams face each other in semifinal action in Antigua on Thursday at 8pm.
Following a perfect four wins from four matches in Group B, the table-toppers West Indies moved one step closer to retaining their crown by setting up this crucial affair against three-time champs Australia who were Group A runners-up
"The pressure is always there but we're not feeling it. We know where we have to improve and we're just revving up," Dottin said to ESPN. "We know Australia are the top-ranked team in the world but we're on home turf and in great form so we're not afraid of them at all. If anything, we're totally ready for what they have to offer," she added.
Trinidad Newsday has the report
Mon, Nov 19, '18
St John’s, ANTIGUA - Nic Pothas has been appointed interim Head Coach of the WINDIES Men's team with immediate effect. He will lead the technical team for the Bangladesh Tour which consists of 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is series.
Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams thinks “having Nic lead the team at this juncture is important for continuity and we look forward to strong and positive performances from the squad under his leadership”
Nic Pothas said, it is an honour to be asked to be the Head Coach of the West Indies Cricket team for the immediate future. The Bangladesh series will be a tough challenge which we look forward to embracing.”
The first Test bowls off on November 22.
FULL TEST SQUAD
- Kraigg Brathwaite – Captain
- Sunil Ambris
- Devendra Bishoo
- Roston Chase
- Shane Dowrich
- Shannon Gabriel
- Jahmar Hamilton
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Shai Hope
- Shermon Lewis
- Keemo Paul
- Kieran Powell
- Raymon Reifer
- Kemar Roach
- Jomel Warrican
Mon, Nov 19, '18 by KRISSANIA YOUNG
As the West Indies prepare for a full tour of Bangladesh there are three players, at most, who are likely to be involved in all three formats; one of which is Guyanese right arm seamer—Keemo Paul. Paul made his international debut in March earlier this year, when he was called up to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier squad to replace the injured Sheldon Cottrell in Zimbabwe. In the span of nine months, as regularly happens in sports, things have progressed at lightning speed for the twenty-year-old.
The incident in the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh back in 2016—in a must-win group game, when Paul mankaded Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava—would be the earliest memory most have of the young Guyanese. It was an action which sparked a worldwide ‘spirit of the game’ debate. So much so that England’s limited overs captain, Eoin Morgan, accused Paul of “disgraceful behaviour” saying the West Indies should be “embarrassed”. As fate would have it though, Paul was to make his international debut in front of a Zimbabwean crowd with a long memory, but the best thing about Keemo Paul? He has no chill. Every single one of his run-ups were jeered in Harare, but the Guyanese was still to claim a wicket with his first legal delivery of international cricket.
Jason Holder’s men, of course, went on to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, despite losing the Qualifier final to Afghanistan. Paul made himself a regular in the team, playing the four games for which he was in Zimbabwe, claiming five wickets with an economy of 3.72. His rise on the international stage was to continue, as he was named in the T20I squad to Pakistan the following month where his services were again warranted throughout the series.