Captain Kraigg Brathwaite has identified the next several months as critical for his beleaguered Test side, as they seek to recover from their series loss to India and prepare for the difficult tour of Australia.
The Caribbean side continued their struggles against the Indians when they went down 1-0 in the two-Test series last week, after losing the first Test in Dominica by an innings and 141 runs inside three days, and then watching as final-day rain forced a draw in the second Test in Trinidad, with another defeat a distinct possibility.
West Indies now face a long break from the Test format with their next series a two-Test affair in Australia next January, and Brathwaite said preparation during this period would be pivotal to his side’s performance.
“For sure, we’ll have some camps in-between. We’re going to Australia [who use] Kookaburra balls, so I think using those balls in those camps is important,” he pointed out.
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) today announced the new West Indies Women’s Academy programme with the first High-Performance camp scheduled to take place from 30 July to 13 August at the West Indies High-Performance Centre at Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua. The West Indies Women’s Academy will feature an intake of 16 Women’s Rising Stars.
This marks a pivotal moment in the development of West Indies Women’s cricket in the region and a key step in the professional journey of the 16 players aspiring to become part of the next generation of West Indies Women’s senior players.
The West Indies Women's Academy programme will provide a long-term development and coaching plan for these emerging players with the opportunity to learn and train alongside some of the best coaches and mentors in women's cricket. This first West Indies Women’s Academy camp will focus on refining their skills, enhancing their tactical acumen, and nurturing their mental resilience to prepare them for the challenges of international cricket.
Scotland bowler Chris Sole will be joining the Saint Lucia Kings for the first half of their 2023 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season. Sole is the first Scotland player to appear at the CPL and will be with the Kings until Bhanuka Rakapaksa joins the squad after the first five group matches.
Sole has played 38 international matches for Scotland, claiming 58 wickets in those matches and was a significant contributor to Scotland’s deep run at the ICC World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe this month.
The Kings have also announced that they have signed Zimbabwe international, Sean Williams as a replacement for Dasun Shanaka who is no longer available for the 2023 CPL.
Williams brings huge experience to the Kings squads having scored more than 7500 runs in his 238 international matches for Zimbabwe. A very useful bowling option, Williams also brings another spin bowling option to the Kings team.
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) today paid tribute to Raphick Jumadeen, the former West Indies spin bowler who passed away in his homeland Trinidad on Tuesday. He was 75.
As a left-arm spinner, he played 12 Test matches between 1972 and 1979. He took 29 wickets with best figures of 4-72 against Australia at Sabina Park, Jamaica in 1978. He was one of the leading bowlers for Trinidad and Tobago and played 99 first-class matches where he took 347 wickets at an average of 27.9 runs per wicket.
Following retirement from the game he was a coach and selector in Trinidad and was a member of the West Indies senior men’s selection panel.
Dr Kishore Shallow, President of CWI paid tribute.
Former West Indies opening batter Philo Wallace has questioned Cricket West Indies' (CWI) selection policy following the revelation of the 15-member squad currently facing off against India in a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series.
Speaking on the Mason & Guest show on Tuesday, Wallace said:
"The selectors will say this is the best available fifteen (players) for this ODI series. I just want to know, with the selection of this squad, where is this squad going to take us? What is the selectors' vision [for] this squad? My take is that we're still allowing players to dictate when they're available or when they're not available."
Wallace first took aim at Guyanese batter Shimron Hetmyer who, before his appearance in the first ODI against India on Thursday, had not represented the West Indies in a year.
"Shimron Hetmyer [and] how he's left our cricket... and he's just decided--well he's been selected so he's waltzed back in. There's no clear explanation [of] how he has gained selection."
