Wallace questions CWI’s decision to rest players ahead of Sri Lanka series

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Former West Indies opening batsman Philo Wallace is not in agreement with the decision by Cricket West Indies (CWI) to rest some of its players ahead of next month’s home series against Sri Lanka.

The Windies are scheduled to play Sri Lanka in three One Day Internationals (ODIs), three T20Is and two Test matches, with the first match of the ODI series slated for June 3.

Speaking during the Mason and Guest radio show on Tuesday, Wallace, who played 33 ODIs and seven Tests for the West Indies, contended that players should have been participating in the West Indies Championship.

“All that we’re hearing is that we’re resting players. Shamar Joseph now is dealing with an issue, so that’s more down time, hoping to come back for the finals.

“We have Sri Lanka at our doorsteps but yet our main players are being given more down time when we should be loading them up for the series because we’re playing six matches in Jamaica against Sri Lanka and then they come down to Antigua for two Test matches. So, it’s a lot of cricket and the guys’ muscles need to work into that cricket, if not they’re going to find themselves struggling,” Wallace said.

“All the strength and conditioning training they’re doing, the actual conditioning is going to come during playing time.”

However, CWI’s Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, responded by saying almost all of the players were currently playing cricket.

“Shai Hope is the only person who has not featured so far. Alzarri [Joseph] I think returned following the end of the first round, so we will work with him to ensure that he is ready for the international season.

“And remember that what we’re looking at is ensuring that we have all our players for the start of the international home series and Shai Hope has a huge role to play in that,” Bascombe said.

CMC