ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Twenty-year-old right-hander Teddy Bishop has gained a maiden senior West Indies call-up for the One-Day International tour of Australia next month.
The Grenadian has played only seven first class matches and 17 List A games but impressed recently against touring Ireland, after averaging 60 for West Indies Academy in last October’s Super50 Cup in Trinidad and Tobago.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Tevin Imlach, already in Australia with the Test squad, has also been called up for the first time while fast-bowling all-rounder Justin Greaves, also currently in Australia for the Test series, has been recalled after playing three ODIs two years ago.
West Indies will miss opener Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford, both of whom Cricket West Indies said “have both been given the opportunity to take up T20 franchise contracts during this period”, while Shimron Hetmyer and Yannic Cariah also miss out from the squad that beat England in the Caribbean last month.
Both ace left-hander Nicholas Pooran and leading all-rounder Jason Holder are missing for the second straight series, neither having now not played since the ill-fated ODI qualifiers in Zimbabwe last July.
When they missed last month’s series against England, CWI said the pair had been unavailable for selection as they “prioritised preparation for T20I format.”
Leg-spinner Hayden Walsh, 31, has been recalled after 19 months, following a successful Super50 campaign where he took 20 wickets at 12 runs apiece.
Batsman Kavem Hodge, 30, also already Down Under, also returns after missing the England series.
“On the back of a series win against England, we are expecting our ODI team to be very competitive in Australia,” said chief selector, the Most Honourable Desmond Haynes after the 15-man squad was announced late yesterday.
“We have some new inclusions who have impressed over a significant period and a couple of returning players, who we think will have an impact.”
The Twenty20 International unit is at full strength, meanwhile, with the likes of Andre Russell, Holder and Pooran all included, and fast bowler Alzarri Joseph returning to the 15-man squad after being rested for the last two fixtures in the five-match series against England last month.
West Indies beat England 3-2 in a thriller to finish the year unbeaten in a series, and Haynes said it was hoped the Caribbean side would be able build on this.
“For the T20I series, this forms part of our crucial preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup where we are hosts,” he said.
“We are hoping to build on strong overall performances against India and England and to keep improving as we approach the major tournament.”
West Indies take on the Aussies in three ODIs from February 2-6 in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra before turning their attention to three T20Is in Hobart, Adelaide and Perth from February 9-13.
