Bowlers switch sides as second Best v Best practice match gets underway

Shai Hope

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies (CWI) yesterday announced the two teams for the second and final Best v Best three-day match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground. The match will be played from today, to Wednesday.

The teams will again be led by Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood.

The selection panel has made several changes with most of the bowlers switching sides to offer the batters preparation against different types of bowling and vice versa. Fast bowlers Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph, Preston McSween and Chemar Holder, along with spinners Imran Khan and Jomel Warrican are now on the Brathwaite Team. Fast bowlers Shannon Gabriel, Nial Smith and Jayden Seales, along with spinners Rahkeem Cornwall and Veerasammy Permaul are now on the Blackwood Team.

The first Best v Best match was played at the same venue last week. The highlights were centuries by Nkrumah Bonner (166 not out) and Shai Hope (100 not out).

West Indies players are using the Best v Best series as part of their preparations for a two-match Test series in Sri Lanka next month. West Indies will have a four-day warm-up match in Colombo from November 14 to 17. The Test matches will follow on November 21 to 25 and November 29 to December 3. Both Test matches will be played at the Galle International Stadium.

The series is the second of six series, three at home and three away, that West Indies will play in the 2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship.

Brathwaite’s Team :-Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Shamarh Brooks, Joshua Da Silva, Chemar Holder,

Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph,

Imran Khan, Kyle Mayers,

Preston McSween, Kemar Roach, Jeremy Solozano and

Jomel Warrican.

Blackwood’s  Team:Jermaine Blackwood (captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shannon Gabriel,

Jahmar Hamilton, Kavem Hodge, Shayne Moseley,

Veerasammy Permaul, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer,

Jayden Seales and Nial Smith.

Match Schedule in Sri Lanka

November 14 to 17: Warm-up match in Colombo

November 21 to 25: 1st Test at Galle International Stadium

November 29 to December 3: 2nd Test at Galle International Stadium