Thirty players including a few newcomers have been called to a three-week high-performance red-ball training camp that starts today (May 16) in St Lucia, as the West Indies begin preparation for the upcoming Test series against South Africa in June.

Current world number-one ranked Test all-rounder Jason Holder is being rested due to his workload across all formats of the game and will arrive in St Lucia at the end of the month.

The camp is to provide an opportunity for established Test and developing players to sharpen and enhance their red-ball skills in a high-performance environment after a month-long break after the Sri Lanka Series.

The camp will include two ‘best v best’ inter-squad matches, as the West Indies look ahead to their final series in the ICC World Test Championship with two Test Matches against the Proteas in June.

“This camp is very important for our preparation for the upcoming Test Series against South Africa and for the rest of our busy and exciting summer. We will continue the work which we begun last year in England, to further develop our Test team into a force to be reckoned with in world cricket,” said head coach Phill Simmons, whose team claimed two places in the latest Test rankings released last Thursday.

“We welcome the good news of a rise to sixth in the ICC Test Rankings, however, this is just the beginning of our journey and we know we have lots of hard work ahead of us.”

A few players will be receiving their first international training experience since the beginning of the pandemic including Guyanese fast bowler Nial Smith, Jamaican top-order batsman Paul Palmer, Vincentian leg-spinning all-rounder Keron Cottoy and St. Kitts & Nevis’ left-hand batter, Kieran Powell.

Meanwhile, Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite and fast bowlers Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph are not available as they are currently competing in the English County Championship and will return to the West Indies for the Test Series, if selected.

CWI’s Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams, is looking forward to the camp as CWI continues its investment in and focus on building a high-performance environment:

“The pandemic has made it necessary to assemble larger squads during the pre-tour phase to allow our preparation to be facilitated within one bio-secure bubble,” Adams said.

“This has turned into a positive for us by creating a much-needed level of focus and intensity leading into tours while also allowing for players to make a case for selection if they perform well in the warm-up games. Given the lack of regional 4-day cricket so far this year, these camps have taken on even greater importance in our test match preparations.”

The squad completed the quarantine protocols established by the Ministry of Health for the bio-secure environment, before they began training today.

Cricket West Indies (CWI), in partnership with the St. Lucia National Cricket Association, have been working closely with the Government and Ministry of Health to create a safe bio-secure bubble for the players and staff. Everyone entering the bio-secure bubble will undergo two COVID-19 PCR tests prior to their arrival in St. Lucia and throughout the duration of their stay.

The Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium (DSCG) will host both Test matches against South Africa, the first bilateral cricket that they have played in the Caribbean since 2010, with the first Test to be played from June 10-14 and the second from June 18-22.

The 30-member squad comprises Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Keron Cottoy, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Keon Harding, Jahmar Hamilton, Kavem Hodge, Chemar Holder, Shai Hope, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Paul Palmer, Veerasammy Permaul, Anderson Phillip, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer, Jayden Seales, Nial Smith, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr., and Jomel Warrican.