WI seeks good start

WI seeks good start

Published: Guardian
Friday, June 3, 2016

Keiron Pollard ...returns to boost West Indies.
The West Indies will begin their packed home season today when they oppose South Africa in the first match of the Tri-nation series also involving Australia, at the Providence Stadium in Guyana at 1pm, weather permitting

The West Indies team fresh from winning the ICC World T20 in India will be looking to continue the good work but will have to do without three key senior players in Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy and Dwayne Bravo all of whom have been dropped after missing the domestic Nagico T20 cricket series.

The regional team has however gotten a boost with the return of Keiron Pollard after almost two years in the wilderness and mystery spinner Sunil Narine who has been selected again after passing his bowling action test.

Young skipper Jason Holder will continue to learn his trade and is confident that his players can make a good start :”We are ready, some of the senior guys are back and we are looking to go out there and give a good account of ourselves. We want to give the fans something to cheer and we will be going all out to begin this tournament with a win. South Africa is a tough team and they are difficult to beat but we back ourselves and once we do the basics right, we should be alright.”

South Africa will be hoping that their skipper AB de Villiers fires. Running hot and cold in the recent Indian Premier League (IPL), de Villiers has been described as the best batsman on the planet by another great Virat Kholi. The West Indies will be hoping that his form does not return.

South African all rounder Chris Morris described the West Indies very dangerous. “They've got match-winners from start to end. It's in their home conditions. They know it better than we do. They've got their home support."

A good crowd is expected after the West Indies recent success at the World T20 in India. They will be hoping for much improved weather, as the rain has been belting down over the few days in Georgetown,

Teams:
West Indies: Jason Holder (c), Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Shannon Gabriel, Sunil Narine, Ashley Nurse, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor.

South Africa: AB de Villiers (c), Kyle Abott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso.

www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2016-06-03/wi-seeks-good-start