CRICKET WILL BE BACK WITH ITS TEST

A TEST OF NEWNESS, A TEST OF ADAPTABILITY AND OBVIOUSLY WITH THE TRADITIONAL TEST FORMAT TO BEGIN A FRESH TOMORROW

WEST INDIES TOUR ENGLAND TO START A NEW CHAPTER IN THE CRICKETING HISTORY

Cricket returns to the world stage after a long unwanted gap of three months due to the coronavirus pandemic. It kicks starts with three tests that will be played between the host as England and the visiting team as west indies. west indies boarded from Antigua on a chartered plane, paid for by the ECB, with 25 players and 11 training staff on 8 June and landed on English soil on 9 June. All the players and staff had undergone mandatory COVID-19 tests before they could board for the tour. The test reported all the players and staff negative of the virus. After landing the windies cricketers are kept in self-isolation before they can resume their training procedure in a bio-secure environment at Old Trafford. The hotel in which the players will be staying will be adjacent to the stadium to avoid contamination and safeguard all the personals involved in the conduction of the tour safely. The tour is conducted by the agreement and approval of the UK government and as well as the national governments in the Caribbean.

pic: Windies cricketers arriving in England

Initially, the tour was slated to begin on 3rd June but was postponed to 8 July. Previously the chosen venues were Oval, Lords, and Edgbaston. But after the change in schedule, the venues for the three tests are Ageas Bowl, Southampton, and Old Trafford, Manchester. The tour will be played for about seven weeks. The first match of the tour will take place from July 8 to July 12 in Southampton and the second and third test will be played from 16 to 20 July and 24 to 28 July respectively in Old Trafford.

The West Indies will be lead by Jason Holder who stated "It is a new phase in the game". With ICC coming up with restrictions like a ban on saliva and playing in the empty stadium, etc. as a health measure is just a small change that we are going to witness in the new phase of the game. Phil Simmons will be the head coach of the West Indies cricket team.

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pic: Phil Simmons, the head coach of West Indies

While 25 Cricketers had flown to England out of which 14 players are in the original squad and 11 are reserve players. While 25 players went on the tour 3 other players Shimron Hetmyer, Darren Bravo, Keemo Paul opted out due to the current situation. The West Indies cricket board has stated that they respect the decisions taken by the three players understanding the graveness of the situation all over the world and the selection panel will not hold against the players when it comes to future squad selection.

pic: From the left Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul

Two new players, Nkrumah Bonner, 31 and Chemar Holder,22 have been added to the original squad. Nkrumah Bonner is primarily a batting all-rounder who bowls leg-spin and Chemar Holder is a right-arm fast bowler.

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West Indies Squad :

RESERVE PLAYERS :

Sunil Ambris, Shanon Gabriel, Oshane Thomas, Joshua da Silva, Keon Harding, Kyle Mayers, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindleey, Shane Moseley, Anderson Phillip, Jomel Warrican.

Bowler Shanon Gabriel, who is windies one of the most trusted bowlers, is on the reserve list as he returns from an ankle operation last year and is kept in reserves due to fitness check.

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pic: Shanon Gabriel

There is still an official announcement left from the England Cricket Board about England squad. Most probably it will be lead by Joe Root and consist of their star players like Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Moen Ali, Joe Denly.