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 on Wednesday at the Trelawny Multiplex in Jamaica, where all of the matches in the series, including three One-dayers, will be staged.
According to a release issued on Monday by Cricket West Indies (CWI) West underscored the importance of players showing consistency, saying: “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”.
The coach said that he was very pleased with the work the players have put in so far in preparation for the series. “The work in Antigua we did was good. Several of the players did not have a great opportunity to practice, due to the hurricanes in the Caribbean, but I feel everyone has got up to speed very quickly, and the two sessions we have had in Trelawny have been excellent. The quality has been high and the intensity has steadily increased as game-day arrives on Wednesday”.
On how he would define success in the series, West said: “Sri Lanka has come with a good mix of experienced and very promising players, so it would be pleasing to record a series victory against any them or any other visiting side for that matter. Apart from this, it would be good to see batsmen like Montcin Hodge and John Campbell, as well as Vishaul Singh, who has had an opportunity to play for the senior team, and captain Shamarh Brooks get significant scores.
“It will also be a big test for two of our fast bowlers, Reynard Leveridge and Oshane Thomas, they have just five matches between them, but they great ability and can bowl quickly, so it will be important to see if they can keep it going throughout a day and a four-day match. In the spin bowling, we have players that are familiar with the “A” Team set-up and have been consistently performing in regional tournaments, so it would be a good opportunity for them to push their claims by taking wickets and bowling effectively in the conditions that we find throughout the series,” the release quoted West as saying.
SQUAD
Shamarh Brooks (Captain)
Vishaul Singh (Vice-Captain)
Sunil Ambris
John Campbell
Yannic Cariah
Rahkeem Cornwall
Sheldon Cottrell
Jahmar Hamilton
Montcin Hodge
Damion Jacobs
Keon Joseph
Reynard Leveridge
Oshane Thomas
Team Management Unit
Graeme West (Head Coach)
Dwain Gill (Team Operations Manager)
Corey Collymore (Assistant Coach)
Khevyn Williams (Physiotherapist)
Zephrynus Nicholas (Fitness Coordinator)
Dinesh Mahabir (Video Data Analyst)
