West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer is expected to return to the regional team in short order, having recently passed a fitness test.
The player has been practicing with the Windies team during its ongoing One Day International series against India, despite not being named as a member of the ODI squad. The way will now be clear for Hetmyer to return to active duty having passed a fitness test on Tuesday.
“We hope to have him back soon, I think he passed the fitness test this morning, which is wonderful news, so we expect to have him back as soon as possible,” Pooran told members of the media on Tuesday.
There is now much for the West Indies cricket team and its legions of fans around the globe to be encouraged by, despite the harsh reality of having already lost the current three-match ODI Series against India. The West Indies lost both of the first two matches of the series. The margins of defeat in both matches were, however, agonizingly close. India won the July 22, first ODI, by just three runs. In the second, played on Sunday, July 24, India’s victory margin was by two wickets with just two balls to spare.
The improvements shown by the West Indies team so far during the current India series and by comparison to its performances during the preceding three-match losing efforts against Bangladesh were as numerous as they are significant. The actual results of the matches for both the Bangladesh and India series are unimportant to the extent that they have no points bearing on the West Indies’ automatic qualification for next year’s ICC 2023 World Cup. Only the top eight ICC ranked teams will gain automatic qualification to the India-hosted 2023 World Cup.
While the results from the Bangladesh and India series will not count towards 2023 World Cup automatic qualification, those from the forthcoming series against the visiting New Zealand, which follows immediately, certainly will. In theatre parlance, therefore, the Bangladesh and India series should be regarded as mere dress rehearsals for the actual all-important three live ODI match shows against the Kiwis next month, on August 17, 19 and 21 at Barbados’ Kensington Oval, the mecca of West Indies cricket.
West Indies batsman Shai Hope says his success in the One-Day International format is down to his desire to spend time at the crease.
Hope celebrated his 100th ODI on Sunday at the Queen’s Park Oval with a brilliant 115 in a losing effort against India, his 13th century in the format to go along with 20 fifties.
The Barbadian, who now has 4193 ODI runs at an excellent average of 49.91, became the fourth West Indian and 10th player to ever score a century in their 100th ODI. Ramnaresh Sarwan, Gordon Greenidge and Chris Gayle are the other West Indians to achieve this feat while New Zealand’s Chris Cairns, Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, England’s Marcus Trescothick, Australia’s David Warner and India’s Shikhar Dhawan make up the rest of that exclusive club.
“I would just say my desire to bat as long as I can,” was Hope’s response in a post-match press conference when asked what he attributes his performances to.
Shai Hope scored a magnificent century but it was not enough to prevent the West Indies from going 2-0 down after a thrilling two-wicket victory with two balls to spare at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad on Sunday.
The win means the home side’s seven-match losing streak continues as they ceded the three-match series to India with one match remaining.
India started slowly but eventually got the measure of the West Indies attack with half-centuries from Shreyas Ayer (63) and Sanju Samson (54) but it was Axar Patel whose quick-fire 64 from 35 balls that powered India over the line with a straight six from the fourth ball of the final over bowled by Kyle Mayers.
Mayers finished with 2-48 from 7.4 overs. Alzarri Joseph bowled well for his 2-46 from 10. Jayden Seales proved economical taking 1-40 from his allotment.
Guyana Amazon Warriors have announced the appointment of Rayon Griffith as the Head Coach for the upcoming 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season.
Griffith is no stranger to the Guyana Amazon Warriors, having performed in the capacity of Lead Coach last season. Prior to that, Griffith served three seasons as the Assistant Coach for the five-time finalists.
Currently, the 43-year-old Level Three certified coach serves as the West Indies Senior Men’s Fielding Coach while also completing stints with the West Indies A team and Guyana national side where he was instrumental in the franchise winning five consecutive First-Class titles.
