HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka, CMC – With their rain-ravaged Test series behind them, West Indies arrived here in this small southern city yesterday afternoon to begin preparations for their five-match One-Day Inter-national series which bowls off on Thursday.
The Caribbean side will feature in the first ever ODI to be played at the newly-built Suriyawewa Cricket Stadium, and captain Darren Sammy said his squad had remained upbeat ahead of the series.
“We are confident as we look ahead to the ODIs. We have some new players coming in and they will have a few days to adapt to the conditions,” Sammy said.
“We started a very good thing during the Test series and I am confident the new guys will fit into the formula we have established.”
The three-Test series was wrecked by rain and finished in a humdrum nil-all draw on Sunday, after the last day of the final Test was abandoned without a ball bowled.
Sammy said that not only would the ODI series represent a chance to come away from the tour with something, but it would also kick-start their build-up for next year’s World Cup to be played in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India.
“We have all to play for. We played three Tests and did well in tough foreign conditions and we are looking ahead with confidence,” the 26-year-old all-rounder said.
“The Sri Lankans did well in the last ODI Series they played in Australia and they will be looking to maintain that momentum. Our job will be to halt that and try and create momentum of our own as we look ahead to the World Cup.”
The touring squad have been joined by big-hitting all-rounder Kieron Pollard, left-arm spinner Nikita Miller, fast bowler Ravi Rampaul and batsman Kirk Edwards for the series.
They replace Test vice-captain Brendan Nash, wicketkeeper/batsman Devon Thomas, fast bowler Nelon Pascal, and off-spinner Shane Shillingford.
The Windies will train on Tuesday morning at the Suriyawewa Cricket Stadium, ahead of Thursday’s game which will be the first of a doubleheader in the city before the final three matches are played in Colombo.