West Indies name inexperienced squad

West Indies have named an inexpert squad for their two Twenty20 internationals in England next month.

With the two matches at The Oval set to clash with the Champions League Twenty20, the Windies selectors have chosen to fail to notice Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Lendl Simmons, Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo and Ravi Rampaul.

Star batsman Chris Gayle has also been lost as he remains out of favour following a spat with the West Indies Cricket Board after he miss the limited overs series next to Pakistan earlier this year.

West Indies' choice not to select their Champions League Twenty20 players may not go down well with their England rivals, who earlier this month, tag the matches on to the end of their summer programme to help fulfil a contractual responsibility with the media and the WICB.

England is also likely to select Eoin Morgan in spite of the left-hander being named in the Kolkata Knight Riders' squad for the competition.

In contrast, Bravo and Pollard are due to play for their IPL franchises - defensive champions the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians correspondingly - while the residual four players will appear for home country Trinidad & Tobago.

In their nonattendance the Windies have called on four new uncapped players - Miles Bascombe, Johnson Charles, Nkruma Bonner and Derwin Christian. The two Twenty20s are listed for September 23 and 25 at The Oval.


West Indies squad: Darren Sammy (capt), Christopher Barnwell, Miles Bascombe, Devendra Bishoo, Nkruma Bonner, Johnson Charles, Derwin Christian (wk), Fidel Edwards, Danza Hyatt, Ashley Nurse, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Krishmar Santokie, Dwayne Smith.

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WICB dissatisfied at Gayle's IPL decision

 

Chris Gayle's choice of the IPL over country has infuriated the West Indies Cricket Board, which said it decided Gayle a no-objection certificate only after he had made himself occupied for national selection and fly to India. The IPL clash directly with Pakistan's Test and ODI tour of the West Indies. Gayle will take no part in either series, having connected Royal Challengers Bangalore as a substitute for Dirk Nannes. 

The WICB also long-established that Gayle was in the middle of a rehabilitation program after a side strain that not allowed his selection from the first two matches against Pakistan. Gayle's flight to India has successfully cut across the middle of his rehab. 

"The WICB does not accept Gayle's reason for making himself unavailable but as he has already clearly made his choice and has travelled to India, the WICB does not wish to stand in his way," the board said. "The WICB is most dissatisfied in the manner in which Gayle has handled the entire situation, particularly given the mature and helpful manner in which two other players who refused contracts- Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard - made themselves obtainable for selection and contracted to an understanding in the best interest of West Indies cricket."

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