Simmons staying focused on tri-nation series
Wednesday, June 1 2016
West Indies coach Phil Simmons is not getting sidetracked ahead of the start of the tri-nation series involving Australia and South Africa which gets underway on Friday in Guyana. The Windies, led by inexperienced allrounder Jason Holder, open the series with a game against South Africa at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence.
The regional side arrived in Guyana on Monday to begin preparation and received a warm welcome from Director of Sport Christopher Jones, president and vice-president of the Guyana Cricket Board Drubahadur and Fizul Bacchus as well as Digicel (Guyana) Incorporated Head of Marketing, Jacqueline James, before heading to the team’s hotel.
It was a typical warm Guyanese welcome as the country prepares to host international cricket for the first time since July 16, 2013.
Speaking shortly after the arrival, head coach Phil Simmons told media operatives that as a team they will look at the best way possible to win the tournament.
Asked if the omission of a number of key players will affect West Indies chances in the series, Simmons shied away from addressing the topic, preferring to focus on the task at hand.
“We are here to play against two teams, and that is what we will do,†he said.
Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and Darren Sammy were all left out of the West Indies squad after not competing in the Nagico Super50 tournament earlier this year - the criteria for selection.
Off-spinner Sunil Narine and all-rounder Kieron Pollard, who have not played international cricket since November 2015, were included in the 14-man squad despite both not playing in the 50 overs tournament as well.
West Indies squad: Jason Holder (captain), Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Shannon Gabriel, Sunil Narine, Ashley Nurse, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor.
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