Caribbean Life, December 4-10, 2020 31
By Nelson A. King
West Indies ODI and T20I
left-handed, aggressive batsman
Nicholas Pooran has been
given the opportunity to stake
his claim for future involvement
in West Indies Test squads after
his inclusion in a 14-man ‘A’
squad to play a pair of firstclass
matches in New Zealand
in December, according to ESPNCricinfo.
Pooran, 25, has asserted
his position as one of the most
exciting young limited-overs
batsmen in the world in the last
two years, making a flying start
to his ODI career and continuing
to impress on the global T20
circuit, said ESPNCricinfo on
Saturday.
It said that form has led several
prominent voices within
West Indies cricket – most notably
Michael Holding, the commentator
and former fast bowler
– to suggest he should be considered
for Test selection, despite
his first-class experience extending
to three games for Trinidad
and Tobago back in 2014.
But ESPNCricinfo said
Pooran will have the chance to
face the red ball for the first time
since then in December after
being named in the West Indies
A squad to play two fixtures
against New Zealand A.
ESPNCricinfo said the squad
comprises eight members of the
team that, on Monday, ended a
three-match T20I series in New
Zealand, and six reserves from
the Test party.
West Indies lost the T20I 2-0
after the third match on Monday
was abandoned because of rain.
There are two four-day
matches scheduled, beginning
on Dec. 3 in Mount Maunganui
and Dec. 11 in Nelson.
“This series will give our
players an opportunity to play
first-class cricket against foreign
opposition, as well as
experience different conditions
here in New Zealand,” Roger
Harper, Cricket West Indies’
lead selector, told ESPNCricinfo.
“It will also help to keep
them in the frame should the
need for replacements for the
Test team arise, as we will have
players who have been playing
red-ball cricket and in form to
consider,” he added.
While it is highly unlikely
that Pooran will play any part
in the Test series against New
Zealand even if he scores heavily
– the A-team fixtures run in
parallel to the Tests – he could
feasibly be considered for the
planned series in Bangladesh
in January, where his ability
against spin could come to the
fore, ESPNCricinfo said.
It said Pooran is due to join
the Melbourne Stars for six
matches in the BBL season
following those fixtures, with
the New Zealand-Australia
travel corridor meaning that
he will not have to quarantine
on arrival in Australia.
West Indies A squad vs New
Zealand A: Fabian Allen, Nkrumah
Bonner, Joshua Da Silva
(wk), Brandon King, Kyle Mayers,
Preston McSween, Shayne
Moseley, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman
Powell, Raymon Reifer,
Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd,
Oshane Thomas and
Hayden Walsh.
West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran raises his bat to celebrate
scoring fi fty runs during the third and fi nal one-day international
cricket match of the series between India and West
Indies in Cuttack, India, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019. Associated
Press/Mahesh Kumar A., fi le
Pooran named in Windies A redball
squad to face New Zealand A
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