DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC-West Indies and New Zealand are expected to go all out to lift themselves from their lowly ranked status when they square-off in a test series starting in June
Both teams are struggling on the same number of points above bottom of the table Zimbabwe and Bangladesh who are 34 and 19 points respectively.
The latest Reliance ICC Test ranking released yesterday showed West Indies and New Zealand locked on 87 points each, both trailing Sri Lanka by two points.
Darren Sammy’s men, on a high from an impressive run to the semi-finals of the just ended T20 World Cup, will be hoping to carry the momentum into their three tests and two T20s against New Zealand.
They have a score to settle with the visitors who defeated them convincingly 2-0 in their test series last December.
New Zealand have just named two new caps in Wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi and off-spinner Mark Craig in a 15 man squad for the tour to the West Indies.
The New Zealand series will begin with the Jamaica Test (June 8-12), followed by the second match in Trinidad (from June 16) and Guyana (from June 26).
The first test at Jamaica’s Sabina Park will be of major significance for swashbuckling opening batsman Chris Gayle set to play his 100th Test.
Gayle, who made his Test debut in 2000, has scored 6,933 runs from the 99 matches he has played so far at an average of 42.01 with 15 centuries and 34 half centuries.
The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said it was preparing to celebrate the event and will announce further details soon.