Wed, Oct 11, '17
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – West Indies captain Jason Holder does not foresee any decrease in intensity from his side when they take on minnows Zimbabwe in two Tests in Bulawayo later this month.
The Caribbean side left Barbados on Monday for the short rubber, which will see them chasing their first series win since they beat Bangladesh in a similar two-Test series in the Caribbean three years ago.
Holder said the trajectory of the Windies performances was headed in the right direction and Zimbabwe presented an ideal opportunity to continue that progression.
“It won’t be difficult to motivate the guys,” Holder told CMC Sports prior to the side’s departure.
“We’re a young side. After the performances we’ve had in England and earlier in the year against Pakistan and also in the back end of last year against Pakistan again, I think [it] is encouraging and we have to keep heading in the direction we’re going in.”
read more at Antigua Observer
Tue, Oct 10, '17
ST JOHN’S—Windies “A” head coach Graeme West said the imminent home series against Sri Lanka “A” is the perfect opportunity for a number of fringe players to advance their claims for recognition by the Selection Panel of Cricket West Indies at the highest levels of the game.
West was speaking ahead of the start of the series that begins with the first of three “Tests,” which opens tomorrow at the Trelawny Multiplex in Jamaica, where all of the matches in the series, including three One-dayers, will be staged.
On the importance of players showing consistency, West said: “The players that have progressed to the senior team over the last 12 or 18 months have done it on the backs of some consistent performances in “A” Team matches. More of the same is required from the team, as a collective to do well, but with strong contributions from each individual. We have players in this squad at different points in their career, but there a few of them that will feel they need to really make a move forward over the next few weeks and ahead of the start of the next regional season, so this is a really great opportunity to get ahead of the game.
Mon, Oct 2, '17
LAHORE, Pakistan (CMC) — West Indies players who opt to play matches in Pakistan during next year's Pakistan Super League will benefit from Pakistan Cricket Board largesse, with foreign players being offered US$10,000 per game.
Media reports here said the match bonuses would be paid in addition to the players' existing contracts, with the hope of encouraging international players to make themselves available for the home matches.
For the first time next year, the PSL is set to host six to eight matches in Pakistan, with the remainder scheduled to be played at the usual venues in United Arab Emirates.
This home schedule is expected to include double-headers in Lahore and Karachi.
If the move comes to fruition, it will mark the first time PSL matches will be played inside Pakistan.
Mon, Oct 2, '17
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has confirmed it will host West Indies for a short tour comprising two Tests in Bulawayo later this month. This will be Zimbabwe’s first Test engagement since their tour of Sri Lanka in July.
The first Test will be played from October 21-25, while the second one will follow from October 29. Both matches will be played at the Queens’ Sports Club.
A three-day warm-up from October 15 will precede the series opener.
read more at Trinidad Guardian
Sun, Oct 1, '17 by TONY BECCA
The West Indies, or Windies, tour of England in 2017 has ended, and in what must be considered a disappointing exercise, but one that ended with a few wonderful and pleasing performances.
The Windies went to England unheralded, played mostly in conditions totally foreign to them, lost the three-match Test series 2-1, won the one-match T20 contest, and lost the five-match confrontation 4-0, a result that sentenced them to battle with Zimbabwe, Ireland, Afghanistan, and company for a place in next year's World Cup.
As bitter as the losses were, as easily as they lost the ODIs, however, the Windies left England with their heads held fairly high and with hope in their breasts.
The pride came from the unexpected brilliant performance at Headingley, where they scored 322 in the last innings to win by five wickets on the last day after the embarrassment of Edgbaston when they lost 19 wickets in one day, to lose in three days, from their decisive victory in the lone T20 fixture, and their fantastic recovery from 33 for three to 356 for five before losing the fourth ODI on the Duckworth Lewis scoring system.
The hope, however, came from the performance of a few youngsters - three batsmen, one bowler, and one all-rounder.