Da Silva eager as Windies depart for New Zealand

MORE than 20 West Indies players will leave Barbados on Tuesday night to begin their tour of New Zealand. The regional team will play three T20 Internationals and two Test matches.

West Indies will arrive in New Zealand four weeks before the first T20 match bowls off on November 27. The West Indies players currently playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), including both T20 captain Kieron Pollard and Test captain Jason Holder, will meet their team-mates in New Zealand. The IPL ends on November 10.

The players will have to face a 14-day quarantine period because of covid19, but will be able to train among themselves.

The T20 matches will be contested on November 27, 29 and 30. Following the conclusion of the T20 series, the first Test match will bowl off on December 3.

Trinidadian Joshua Da Silva, who is one of six Test reserves, is anticipating the tour.

The wicket-keeper batsman told Newsday, “I am very excited, very open-minded and excited to get another opportunity and another experience with the senior team just to build the experience and take it forward in my career.”

Da Silva was also a Test reserve on the West Indies tour of England in June and July.

The Test reserves, along with other members of the touring party, will play two first-class matches while the Test series is taking place.

Da Silva is eager to play first-class cricket in New Zealand. “I am very excited, especially (because) I would class it a higher level (than) our first-class (tournament). It is a good experience to face a first-class set up from other bowlers in a different country…very excited for the challenge and we want to make the best of the opportunities and just continue making runs.”

Cricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave told Newsday in a Whatsapp message that “they have all been tested (for covid19) since last week as part of the New Zealand government protocols.”

On Monday at 10.25 am, Grave said “so far” everyone tested negative.

Explaining what is required of the players during the 14-day quarantine, Grave said that in the first three days the players will be confined to their rooms. From day four to seven the players and staff will be split into three bubbles with a maximum of 15 people per bubble. In the bubble players will be allowed to train and socialize among themselves.

Between day eight and 14, the teams will be split into two bubbles with a maximum of 20 people in each bubble. Players will be permitted to train and socialize.

After the 14-day quarantine West Indies will not have to stay in a bio-secure environment. New Zealand has a population of five million people, but as of Monday has only confirmed 1,940 cases of covid19 with 25 deaths.

SQUADS

T20 Squad

Kieron Pollard (captain), Fabian Allen, Sheldon Cottrell, Andre Fletcher, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Rovman Powell, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr, Kesrick Williams

Test Squad

Jason Holder (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Chemar Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach

Test Reserves

Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua DaSilva, Preston McSween, Shayne Moseley, Raymon Reifer, Jayden Seales

MATCH SCHEDULE

November 27: 1st T20I at Eden Park, Auckland

November 29: 2nd T20I at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

November 30: 3rd T20I at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

December 3-7: 1st Test at Seddon Park, Hamilton

December 11-15: 2nd Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington