ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – West Indies will be without key batsmen Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer when they leave in a few days for their historic “bio-secure” tour of England, but two newcomers have been included in a squad that chief selector Roger Harper believes is up to the challenge of holding onto the Wisden Trophy.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced in a statement yesterday that left-handers Bravo and Hetmyer, along with all-rounder Keemo Paul, had opted out of the 14-man team selected for the three-Test series that will be played behind closed doors from next month, amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has already infected close to 280 000 people in the United Kingdom and caused almost 40 000 deaths.

The new faces are middle-order batsman Nkrumah Bonner, making his Test squad debut after being one of the leading batsmen in the 2020 West Indies Championship with 523 runs in seven matches at an average of 58.11; and 22-year-old fast bowler Chemar Holder, the leading fast bowler in the West Indies Championship with 36 wickets in eight matches at 18.91 each, and a member of the successful ICC U-19 World Cup winning side in 2016.

More than half of the squad were involved in the victorious Test series against England in the Caribbean last year so they will bring that experience, that knowledge and belief with them and marry it to the enthusiasm and vitality of the newcomers,” Harper said.

England is a tough team when playing in home conditions; however, I think the West Indies has a good chance of retaining the Wisden Trophy.

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