I don't think Holder should captain any format of West Indies cricket at this stage! Holder is very inexperienced and he doesn't have the killer instinct as a captain and is too relaxed.
Galle Curator and former Sri Lankan Test cricketer Jayananda Warnaweera has been discharged from his duties of curating the pitch for the upcoming Sri Lanka - West Indies Test on account of missing a meeting with ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU). In Warnaweera's absence, national curator B.A. Janaka Samath has been asked to oversee preparations for the Test beginning from October 14.
According to the Daily Mirror, ICC had alerted Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) about an upcoming investigation pertaining to match-fixing activities but Warnaweera's absence from the meeting meant that the ACU officials were unable to proceed with their enquiry. The officials will meet with SLC Chief Sidath Wettimuny to chart the next plan of action on the matter.
Last week, Warnaweera resigned from his position as a a member of the interim committee citing personal reasons prompting speculations of foul play. He had taken up the position earlier in the year in controversial circumstances due to his involvement as an executive committee member in SLC's previous administration.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Under-19 World Cup skipper Kusal Mendis is one of two uncapped players named by selectors in a 15-man squad to face West Indies for the two-Test series starting next week in Galle.
The 20-year-old top order batsman and wicketkeeper will join 29-year-old all-rounder Milinda Siriwardana, as the new faces, with Upul Tharanga and Jehan Mubarak dropped after featuring in the recent series against India.
Mendis led Sri Lanka at last year’s Youth World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and convenor of selectors, Kapila Wijegunawardana, said the player had been under watch for some time.
“Kusal Mendis has been on our radar for a while. We felt that he earned a spot in the Test squad with the way he has been batting, and the way he batted on the recent tour to India,†Wijegunawardana said in reference to the Moin-ud-Dowlah tournament where Mendis stroked a hundred and a half-century as he captained Sri Lanka’s Development XI.
“All the selectors have assessed his skill levels to be quite good and are backing him.â€
Siriwardana, meanwhile, is a left-handed batsman and left-arm spinner, who made has already played five One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20s.
He made his debut last July in the series against Pakistan.
As expected, Angelo Matthews will lead the side with batsman Lahiru Thirimanne as his deputy. The 26-year-old Thirimanne is currently captaining the Sri Lanka Cricket Board President’s XI in the three-day tour match against West Indies.
The opening Test bowls off next Wednesday with the second Test scheduled to start October 22 here.
West Indies have never won a Test on Sri Lankan soil.
Holder, like former England captain Mike Brearley, will have to prove himself as captain first, then anything else afterwards, using intensity, elasticity, possible innovation and imagination. He simply will have to take chances as WI’s leader.
MIDDLE ORDER batsman Marlon Samuels says he is anxious to put bat to ball when the Test series between West Indies and Sri Lanka begins.
Samuels, a senior member of the regional side, says he is also eager to step-up to leading roles for his team in their two match test series against the Sri Lankans.
Both sides are showcasing a number of young players who will play in the first test at the Galle International Stadium (October 14-18) in the coastal town of Galle; and the P Sara Oval (October 22-26) in the capital, Colombo.
“I can’t wait to get out into the middle and play some game. I have been in the nets but you know how it goes. Batting in the nets for me is just about hitting balls and keeping my form steady,†said Samuels.
“But going out in the middle and getting the job done that’s where it matters the most. So the form has been good. I am going into this series not really over confident but confident and looking forward to playing a major role to help the team as much as possibleâ€.
