Louis set to make history on England tour

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

OPENER MIKYLE Louis could become the first player from St Kitts to play Test cicket after he was named in the West Indies 15-member squad for their tour of England next month.

The 23-year-old is the only complete newcomer in the squad that will face the English in three Tests for the Vivian Richards-Ian Botham Trophy, more or less taking the place of Guyanese left-handed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, son of former Guyana captain and West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Louis was the leading run scorer in the West Indies Championship this year with 682 runs from 14 innings in seven matches at an average of 48.71, and could form a new opening partnership with Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite, whose uncapped Barbados Pride opening partner, Zachary McCaskie is also in the side.

“The squad has been shaped with both experience and emerging talent, ensuring a strong balance as we face the challenge of playing in English conditions,” West Indies lead selector, Desmond Haynes, said.

“Over the past year, our red-ball programme has continued to develop. Following our victory in the last Test in January in Australia, it is evident that we are seeing the fruits of that investment.

“Each player selected has earned their place through consistent performances and hard work. We are confident that this blend of seasoned players and emerging faces will perform admirably against England.”

The squad has been boosted with the return of all-rounder Jason Holder and pacer Jayden Seales after they missed the previous Test series against hosts and world champions, Australia, in January this year when West Indies won a Test Down Under for the first time in 27 years.

Holder chose to play for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 in the United Arab Emirates, but it was always going to be difficult to ignore him once he was available, and his appearances for Pride and Worcestershire in the English County Championship helped his cause.

He was ruled out of the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup taking place in the Caribbean and the United States with an injury that Cricket West Indies failed to specify at the time, but reports in his native Barbados suggested that it was a shoulder – and it appears that he will be fit enough to make the trip.

Seales also missed the tour of Australia with a shoulder injury, but he appears to have fully recovered and has been playing for leaders Sussex in Division 2 of the English County Championship, where he has been one of the most successful bowlers taking a joint-high 24 wickets at 24.25 apiece.

Holder and Seales will help form a formidable pace attack with vice-captain Alzarri Joseph, unrelated namesake Shamar Joseph, and the veteran Kemar Roach, who has also been racking up the miles in England for defending Division 1 county champions, Surrey.

Apart from the younger Chanderpaul, two others that made the trip to Australia – Barbadians Justin Greaves and Akeem Jordan – have also missed out on the trip to England – but CWI announced that West Indies Under-19 pacer Isai Thorne, who took 19 wickets in the West Indies Championship, will accompany the squad to England as a development player.

West Indies will play a three-day, warm-up match against a County Select XI from July 3 at Beckenham before the first Test against Ben Stokes and company starts on July 10 at the home of the sport, Lord’s. The opening encounter will also be the farewell Test for England pacer James Anderson.

The second Test begins on July 18 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, and the third on July 26 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

West Indies are the current holders of the Richards-Botham Trophy following a 1-0 home Test series win in March of 2022.

Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Alzarri Joseph (vice-captain), Alick Athanaze, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Shamar Joseph, Mikyle Louis, Zachary McCaskie, Kirk McKenzie, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Kevin Sinclair.