Three (3) West Indies players have chosen not to travel to England for next month’s Test Cricket series because of coronavirus fears.
Batsmen, Guyanese, Shimron Hetmyer and Trinidadian Darren Bravo and all-rounder Keemo Paul of Guyana opted out of a 25-man touring party.
The three-Test series, originally due to begin on 4th June, starts on 8th July at bio-secure venues without spectators. West Indies arrive on 9th June and will be based at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester for initial quarantine and training.
The first Test will then begin on 8th July at the A-GEAS Bowl in Southampton, followed by two Tests at Old Trafford, starting on 6th July and 24th July.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) said players will be tested for coronavirus this week and are scheduled to fly to the UK on private chartered flights on 8th June. They have named an initial 14-man squad, plus 11 reserves who will train with the squad and be available as replacements if needed.
The West Indies squad in full is: Jason Holder (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich, Chemar Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer, and Kemar Roach.
Reserve players are: Vincentian, Sunil Ambris, Joshua da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Keon Harding, Kyle Mayers, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Shane Moseley, Anderson Phillip, Oshane Thomas, and Jomel Warrican.
CWI said it will not hold the decisions made by Hetmyer, Bravo and Paul against them when considering future selection. The number of coronavirus deaths and confirmed cases is far higher in the UK than the Caribbean.
