Lawes set to get chance against New Zealand
Every match matters now, and so does every selection.
With the West Indies determined to stay on course for automatic qualification to the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, head coach Daren Sammy believes the time is right to see what teenage left-arm wrist spinner Vitel Lawes could bring to the table when the Windies take on New Zealand in the opening One-Day International in Guyana from 2.30 p.m. today.
“I’ve been a bit of an advocate in trying to introduce this type of spinners, especially wrist spinners. We see how effective it is against us in the white-ball format,” Sammy said. The coach said Lawes has earned his opportunity after impressing throughout the West Indies pathway system, including at the Under-19 level and the High Performance Centre, while also benefiting from the guidance of former West Indies left-arm spinner Nikita Miller.
“The time he’s spent working with Nikita Miller, being in the dressing room and training against us has helped in his development. Now is a good chance to give him that opportunity and see what he has.”Sammy dismissed suggestions that the youngster is a “secret weapon”, but admitted having a left-arm wrist spinner gives the West Indies a different dimension. “I think it’s a good addition to have a wrist spinner, a left-arm wrist spinner into the squad. It’s something I’ve been looking forward to.
