ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel today named the squads for the upcoming Headley Weekes Tri-Series. Team Headley – named in honor of George Headley – will be captained by Joshua Da Silva, the wicket-keeper-batter. Team Weekes – named in honor of Sir Everton Weekes – will be led by Alick Athanaze, the left-handed top-order batter.

The two teams have been drawn from the leading performers in the 2023 West Indies Championship and those deemed to be on the fringe of the Test team. Additionally, CWI named the teams to provide further first-class opportunities to the best performers from the West Indies Championship in a competitive and intense setting, as well as opportunities for players who the selectors believe would benefit from playing red-ball cricket as West Indies prepare for the upcoming “A” Team tour of Bangladesh and the two-Test Series against India at home.

Team Headley and Team Weekes will play against each other and against the West Indies Academy in the three-match series running from 19 April to 6 May, at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua. All three matches have been awarded first-class status. The West Indies Academy was unveiled last year and played CG United Super50 tournament last November.

Team Weekes will feature Athanaze who was the leading batter in the West Indies Championship with 647 runs, which included two centuries; left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul the second-highest wicket-taker with 28 wickets; as well as Jahmar Hamilton who was the joint leading keeper with 19 dismissals.

Team Headley will feature experienced left-hander Darren Bravo, who was the second highest run-scorer in the West Indies Championship with 446 runs which included two centuries; fast bowler Akeem Jordan who was third highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets in four matches; as well as Tevyn Walcott, who was the joint leading keeper with 19 dismissals.

Lead Selector, the Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes, said: “Following the conclusion of the West Indies Championship, we are pleased to have more first-class matches on the calendar. This is a great initiative and will provide our players with more opportunities as we look ahead to the very important Test Series against India later in the year as well as ‘A’ Team matches. We looked at everyone who was available, and we came up with teams who will be very competitive and push each other.”

All matches in the Headley Weekes Tri-Series will be streamed LIVE on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel with live scorecards and ball-by-ball scoring on the Windiescricket.com live match centre.

FULL SQUADS

Team Headley

• Joshua Da Silva (captain)
• Sunil Ambris
• Darren Bravo
• Justin Greaves
• Kavem Hodge
• Chaim Holder
• Akeem Jordan
• Marquino Mindley
• Shayne Moseley
• Gudakesh Motie
• Anderson Phillip
• Kieran Powell
• Tevyn Walcott

Team Weekes

• Alick Athanaze (captain)
• Tagenarine Chanderpaul
• Keacy Carty
• Dominic Drakes
• Jahmar Hamilton
• Brandon King
• Jair McAllister
• Zachary McCaskie
• Veerasammy Permaul
• Raymon Reifer
• Kevin Sinclair
• Nial Smith
• Devon Thomas

West Indies Academy

• Kevlon Anderson
• Ackeem Auguste
• Joshua Bishop
• Teddy Bishop
• McKenny Clarke
• Rivaldo Clarke
• Joshua James
• Johann Layne
• Kirk McKenzie
• Ashmead Nedd
• Kelvin Pitman
• Keagan Simmons
• Ramon Simmonds
• Kevin Wickham
• Nyeem Young

NOTES:

• Shai Hope was selected but was given permission to represent Yorkshire in the English County Championship 

• Rahkeem Cornwall and Shane Dowrich made themselves unavailable for selection.

MATCH SCHEDULE

All matches to be played at CCG, Antigua

Match 1: 19-22 April: Team Headley v West Indies Academy

Match 2: 26-29 April: Team Weekes v West Indies Academy

Match 3: 3-6 May: Team Weekes v Team Headley

Anyway Congratulations to CWI for finally listening to the fans on this board who have long suggested team matches of the best performers, in preparation for a touring A-team squad.

What I don’t understand is, why Joshua Da Silva was made captain of Team Headley when he was not the captain of Trinidad or any of the teams during the West Indies Championship series. To make it even more obvious Darren Bravo who captained Trinidad and Tobago, a team that included Joshua Da Silva, is now playing for Da Silver’s team . Mark you Darren Bravo was the 2nd highest scorer as captain. So it is clear that selectors are trying to bury Darren Bravo before he even plays a game

Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes, please listen to the lyrics of the song “Downpresser man - where you gonna run to? “ sang by the late Peter Tosh and STOP pressing Darren Bravo. He deserves a fair chance like others. No doubt the captaincy of Alick Arthanaze motivated to be the highest runs getter and so too the captaincy given to Darren Bravo motivated him to be the second highest runs getter. So why reward Arthanaze and press Darren Bravo? Do you think if given the captaincy that might motivate to score runs and push for a recall on the test team? Don’t press the man

In reply to Sylobaby

Even if Bravo is selected for international duty he is highly unlikely to have a future as captain. Makes sense to give the younger DaSilva the opportunity to test his leadership skills

In reply to Logic
I agree but since they are rewarding players for their performances during the Caribbean championships. Bravo performed as captain so play him as captain. This is not a best verses the best to select a final team as seen during the covid.

In reply to Sylobaby

Bravo seems to have recovered the hunger and temperament to play red ball cricket. Let us see how he looks in these final two matches to see if he can force his way back on to the test team. I think that Headley is the stronger of the two teams and that probably Greaves and Ambris or Walcott will sit but if hope that everyone gets at least one game. My only disappointment is that the Academy team seems to be of a much lower standard that Headley and Weekes. I would have preferred a foreign A team or even the champion regional team to be the third team.

In reply to Sylobaby

Bravo seems to have recovered the hunger and temperament to play red ball cricket. Let us see how he looks in these final two matches to see if he can force his way back on to the test team. I think that Headley is the stronger of the two teams and that probably Greaves and Ambris or Walcott will sit but if hope that everyone gets at least one game. My only disappointment is that the Academy team seems to be of a much lower standard that Headley and Weekes. I would have preferred a foreign A team or even the champion regional team to be the third team.