BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Fit-again West Indies Test captain, Jason Holder, is one of seven current West Indies players named in a full-strength 13-man squad for the high-profile third round clash in the Regional Four-Day Championship against four-time reigning champions, Guyana Jaguars, starting tomorrow.
The 27-year-old Holder is joined by opener Kraigg Brathwaite, batsman Roston Chase, wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich, off-spinner Ashley Nurse, seamer Kemar Roach and left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican. Of the squad, only opener Shayne Moseley, batsman Aaron Jones and Keon Harding lack international experience as fast bowler Miguel Cummins played the last of his 13 Tests last July, while left-hander Jonathan Carter has already played 28 one-dayers and captain Shamarh Brooks has extensive experience leading West Indies A.
However, there is no Shai Hope, the stylish right-hander who shone brightest for West Indies in the limited overs series against Bangladesh last month.
The inclusion of the international players should make for an intriguing contest between two teams with a strong perennial rivalry. Holder missed the tour of Bangladesh through injury and Nurse also returns after a muscle injury put him out of the latter part of the limited overs tour of India and the entire Bangladesh series.
Dowrich was part of the recent Test series while Chase and Roach featured in both Tests and one-dayers. Brathwaite and Warrican were members of the Test squad but returned in time to play the second round match against Jamaica Scorpions last month.
Pride will hope to get a bounce from the presence of the Windies players, especially following two rather lacklustre performances. They went down to Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the opening round by 34 runs and then pulled off a dramatic 41-win over Scorpions inside three days, even though producing yet another poor showing overall.
Pride lie second in the four-day standings on 22.6, behind Jaguars who have 37 following wins in their first two matches.
SQUAD – Shamarh Brooks (captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Keon Harding, Jason Holder, Aaron Jones, Shayne Moseley, Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach, Jomel Warrican.
