With the inclusion of Shannon Gabriel to the West Indies squad ahead of their first Test against England, Shamarh Brooks reckons it will be a big boost for the Caribbean side.
Speaking to the media via a virtual press conference yesterday, Brooks was asked by Stabroek Sport about the impact the 32-year-old pacer would have on the team’s chances.
He responded, “That’s a big boost as we all know Shannon is ranked number 19 in the world…I mean we all know what he can do. I know he is also in the back of the mind of the English players so having him in the side is a big boost.”
Brooks, who has played three Test matches since his debut, also contended that though Gabriel was coming off “a lean period in the last year or so, in the last two or three years Shannon has been very successful.”
Gabriel was drafted into the squad from the reserve list following his eight wickets in the two warm up matches prior to the start of the Test series. With him in the line up alongside pacemen Jason Holder and Kemar Roach who are ranked three and 11th respectively, Brooks reasoned that the bowling attack will be strong.
“Clearly our bowling will be our strength and it has been our strengths for the last couple years,” he said.
“I think the Test bowlers really came with a different intensity and proved vital in terms of us losing wickets in the second game and our guys not getting a longer hit as we would like but that’s the game sometimes,” said Brooks of the warm-up matches.
The 31-year-old right hander viewed this series as an “important series,” while admitting that the English will be no pushover especially in their home conditions.
“We have had good preparation over the last couple weeks and I’m backing us to do well once we could play the basic templates and simple cricket.
“The guys are working very, very hard.
As I said before we know the English bowling attack is a good one and once we bat well I think we have a very, very good chance.”
According to Brooks the batsmen also needed to spend some time at the crease.
“Spending time at the crease will be key and once we play ourselves I guess spend some time at the crease it will get easier but not actually putting down the English bowlers but we need as a batting unit to stand up in this series and will no doubt make the difference.”
Brooks said that the team usually wins matches when the batsmen do well.
“If you look at our batting, when we do get it right as a batting unit we have won cricket games and that’s why I’m stressing on the point that we really need to bat well especially against a team like England at home it would be very challenging.”
Test Squad: Jason Holder (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich, Chemar Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel
Reserve Players: Sunil Ambris, Joshua DaSilva, Keon Harding, Kyle Mayers, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Anderson Phillip, Oshane Thomas, Jomel Warrican
