West Indies A Team set to face Pakistan A

St John’s, Antigua – The members of the West Indies A Team will be looking to make maximum use of their opportunities when they play against Pakistan A Team in a seven-match Digicel-sponsored Series. The first Digicel Twenty20 will be played on Friday at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds in Antigua. First ball is 6.30 pm (5.30 pm Jamaica Time).

Speaking ahead of the tour, coach Hendy Springer was confident his side would put in a good showing against the visitors. The former Barbados allrounder also outlined the main purpose of the A Team is to develop players for the higher level. Some members of the West Indies A Team were recently in Barbados at a camp with the West Indies senior team.

“This series has come along at the perfect time. What we are aiming to do if to prepare the players as well as possible so that they won’t go into the senior team for a short visit but they go to stay. It is a lot of work in the ‘A’ team. It is a necessity as far as the development of West Indies cricket is concerned,” Springer said.

“We’re looking to win the series and to gain experience so that when the selectors call, we have someone to put forward. It is about the opportunity to play, to compete against strong A Teams, get experience and I will hope that in a couple of months, some of these guys will do well enough to stamp their authority at the senior team level. With the A Team, it is all about development, trying to push guys and prepare them to going into the senior West Indies team.”

This is the fourth series this year for the West Indies A Team. In April they played against Zimbabwe, in May they toured Bangladesh and in June had a full tour of England, where they played against the England Lions and India A.

“There has been some improvement and development. We can define that by looking at the number of guys who have graduated from the A Team since the Bangladesh tour who are in senior team now,” Springer said. “Again we have more opportunities for these young men to improve and to grow as cricketers and as persons. The good thing is we are playing all three formats of the game and this should be a good series for everyone involved.”

West Indies ‘A’ squad for Twenty20 matches: Dave Bernard (Captain) Jason Holder (Vice Captain), Miles Bascombe, Devendra Bishoo, Johnson Charles, Kirk Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Jonathan Foo, Danza Hyatt, Nikita Miller, Ashley Nurse, Ravi Rampaul, Krishmar Santokie.

Team management unit: Hendy Springer (head coach), Stuart Williams (assistant coach), Lyndel Wright (manager), Janel Springer (physiotherapist).

Tour schedule for Digicel A Team Series (with match officials)

Antigua

November 5: West Indies A v Pakistan A – First Digicel T20 Match – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds (6:30pm) – Umpires: Joel Wilson, Gregory Brathwaite (Clancy Mack – Standby)

November 6: West Indies A v Pakistan A – Second Digicel T20 Match – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds (6:30pm) – Umpires: Joel Wilson, Gregory Brathwaite (Clancy Mack – Standby)

Grenada

November 9: West Indies A v Pakistan A – First Digicel One Day Match – Grenada National Stadium (9am) – Umpires: Peter Nero, Nigel Duguid (Standby TBA)

November 11: West Indies A v Pakistan A – Second Digicel One Day Match – Progress Park (9am) – Umpires: Peter Nero, Nigel Duguid (Standby TBA)

November 14: West Indies A v Pakistan A – Third Digicel One Day Match – Progress Park (9am) – Umpires: Peter Nero, Nigel Duguid (Standby TBA)

St Vincent

November 18-21: West Indies A v Pakistan A – First Digicel ‘Test’ – Arnos Vale Sports Complex (9:30am) – Umpires: Peter Nero, Nigel Duguid (Goaland Greaves – Standby)

November 24-27: West Indies A v Pakistan A – Second Digicel ‘Test’ – Arnos Vale Sports Complex (9:30am) – Umpires: Joel Wilson, Gregory Brathwaite (Goaland Greaves – Standby)