West Indies v New Zealand, 1st Test, Kingston

JAMAICA: West Indies team manager Sir Richie Richardson believes the West Indies Cricket Board acted in an appropriate matter in omitting off-spinner Sunil Narine from the West Indies team for the first Test against New Zealand.

Speaking shortly after the team arrived in the country for Sunday's first Test against New Zealand at Sabina Park, Richardson pointed out that Narine knew of the rules relating to player availability for a series.

Narine, rated as one of the best off-spinners in the world, especially in the shorter formats of the game, was not considered for selection after missing the date to report for a Windies one-week training camp, as he remained in India to participate in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 tournament.

Players, based on the West Indies selection policy, are required to make themselves available for training camp at least seven days before the start of a series.

Narine represents the Kolkata Knight Riders, who went on to win the IPL final, which was played on Sunday.

It was mandatory for all players to report to the West Indies camp by Sunday, given that the Test series against India begins this coming Sunday.

"Rules and regulations are there. The players signed a retainer contract with the West Indies Cricket Board, making a commitment to West Indies cricket," said Richardson, a former Windies skipper.

"At the end of the day, if it was not for West Indies cricket none of us would have been here."

He added: "I understand players wanting the opportunity to go and play cricket elsewhere and I support that. I want players to be comfortable and make as much money as possible.

"But for me, personally, West Indies cricket has to be number one.

"What happens if all the players decide that they are going to play cricket all over the world and ignore West Indies cricket? Our cricket would die," he added.

Richardson, in the meantime, while calling the situation "unfortunate", pointed to ways he believes the situation could be remedied in the future.

"It's unfortunate that there is a clash (with the IPL). I think what perhaps should be done is all the countries around the world should get together and make sure that there is a clear window for IPL.

"This would ensure that there are no conflicts where the players are concerned," he added.

Meanwhile, as it relates to the upcoming Test, Richardson expressed satisfaction with the pre-series camp and believes the team is well positioned to beat New Zealand.

"We have a lot of guys in the team that are capable of beating the New Zealanders, especially playing in the Caribbean in conditions we play very, very well," he said.

"Sabina Park is normally very good to us and we plan to tuck in and play very good cricket, and starting the series with a win."

West Indies squad: Denesh Ramdin (Captain), Sulieman Benn, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shiv Chanderpaul, Kirk Edwards, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Shane Shillingford, Jerome Taylor.

Article from the Jamaica Gleaner

Kingston, Jamaica – Newly-appointed West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin is confident of his team’s bowling for the three-Test match series against New Zealand, despite the absence of ace spinner Sunil Narine.
West Indies skipper Denesh Ramdin (right) and Sunil Narine.

West Indies skipper Denesh Ramdin (right) and Sunil Narine.

The off-spinner missed out on being a part of the regional squad because he was not able to make the June 1 training camp deadline set by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). Under contractual obligations with Indian Premier League’s (IPL) Kolkata Knight Riders, Narine chose to play for his franchise team in the final of that Twenty20 tournament.
“We are disappointed but we still have two world-class spinners in (left-arm finger spinner) Sulieman Benn and (off-spinner) Shane Shillingford,” Ramdin told reporters shortly after the West Indies cricketers arrived in Jamaica for the first Test which is to commence at Sabina Park on Sunday.
“Any team that has Narine in the line-up would be amazing but we have to use what we have and hopefully we will overcome the New Zealanders.”
Ramdin said the regional team, which lost 0-2 in three Tests away to New Zealand last year, will be boosted by the return from injury of pacers Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor. Marquee left-hander Christopher Gayle, struggling with a back ailment, is expected to feature in his hundredth Test for the West Indies.
“We had a week [of practice] in Barbados, we had practice matches and the batters got something out of it. Hopefully the next two to three days we have here, the practice in the nets should be sufficient going into the first Test.
“Young Kemar Roach is back and Jerome Taylor is bowling well and we have Shannon Gabriel. In the spinning department we have Sulieman Benn and Shane Shillingford and so far everything is good,” said the 29-year-old Ramdin.
Given how well Shillingford did in New Zealand, the visitors’ seeming weakness against good slow bowling and the spinner-friendly nature of Sabina Park, the West Indies skipper hinted that both front-line spinners could feature in the starting XI.
“It’s always good to have two spinners in the squad. We’ll go there and see the pitch if it’s suitable for that. I believe two spinners on that [Sabina Park] track will do well for us,” Ramdin said.
The second Test match is set to be played at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad & Tobago from June 16-20, while the third was recently shifted from the National Stadium in Guyana to the Kensington Oval in Barbados, and will run from June 26-30.
Squad – Denesh Ramdin (capt), Christopher Gayle, Kieran Powell, Kirk Edwards, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn, Kemar Roach, Shane Shillingford, Shannon Gabriel, Kraigg Brathwaite, Marlon Samuels, Jason Holder. (Jamaica Observer)