PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Assistant West Indies coach David Williams believes next month’s regional one-day championship will serve as good preparation for the regional side’s tour of Sri Lanka in November.
He said though the October 14-24 tournament was the shorter form of the game, it would still benefit the players for the November 11 to December 21 Asian tour, which comprises three Tests, five One-Day Internationals and a single Twenty20 International.
“The West Indies team will be playing a series of Tests and one-day matches in Sri Lanka in early November and having the regional 50-overs series played before that tour, would serve the players well,” said Williams, a former West Indies wicketkeeper.
“Although the tournament will be a limited overs tournament, it is 50 overs and hence it would help in the players’ preparation.”
West Indies are scheduled to open the tour with a three-day game before playing Tests in Dambulla from November 16-20, in the capital Colombo four days later at the Sinhalese Sports Club before playing the third at the P Sara Oval, also in Colombo.
Williams said there would also likely be a training camp prior to the series to further prepare the players for what is expected to be tough series.
“After this camp they will leave for Sri Lanka. We are hoping that when the players come to the camp, they are ready for cricket, having played in the regional series,” Williams pointed out.
West Indies drew their last Test series against Sri Lanka 1-1 in the Caribbean two years ago but lost the last series played in Sri Lanka 2-0, back in 2005.
