Latest update February 6th, 2025 7:27 AM
Dowlin, Nash recalled for 1st Test
Travis Dowlin
Darren Bravo, Shillingford could make debuts
By Sean Devers
The Clyde Butts-led West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) selection panel named the two players without Test experience in a 14-man squad for the first Digicel Test against South Africa at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad from Thursday.
Chris Gayle has been retained as Captain with Dwayne Bravo as his deputy while talented 21-year-old Trinidadian left-hander Daren Bravo and 27-year-old Dominican off-spinner Shane Shillingford could make their debuts on Thursday as the visitors begin their fourth series against the West Indies as the clear favorites following their 5-nil whitewash in the ODI series.
Shillingford has taken 216 wickets from 58 First Class matches and even with left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn retained despite his run-in with his Captain in Dominica, Shillingford, who has eight 5-wicket hauls at First-Class level could be included in the final team on a track expected to assist the spinners.
Darren Bravo
Young Bravo evokes memories of the great Brain Lara with his style if not production of runs but with 3 tons and 2 fifties from 17 First-Class matches and a Man-of-the-series performance in the last ‘A’ team series for the West Indies, Bravo could also make his Test debut on home soil after averaging 36.50 from 10 ODIs.
Nelon Pascal is also another player on the squad without Test experience.
With Dale Richards not selected, Guyana’s 33-year-old Travis Dowlin who has three fifties and averages 41 in his 4 Tests, should share the opening duties with Gayle.
Narsingh Deonarine who scored 82 against Australia in his last Test gets another chance to cement his place in the Regional side while the team’s best batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul is the other Guyanese in the side which is without leading pacer Jerome Taylor due to a hip injury.
Like his ‘A’ team Skipper Dowlin, left-handed Australian-born Jamaican Brendon Nash returns to the Regional side from the ‘A’ team and a lot will depend on the temperament of
Brendan Nash
Chanderpaul and Nash in the middle order to prevent a South Africa victory.
The West Indies have won 3 and lost 14 off the 22 Tests against South Africa since their 52-run win in the inaugural Test in 1992 in Barbados and have only managed 2 wins against the Africans on home soil.
West Indies squad: Chris Gayle (Captain), Dwayne Bravo (Vice Captain), Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Shiv Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Travis Dowlin, Brendan Nash, Nelon Pascal, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Shane Shillingford.
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