West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope has been named captain of title hopefuls Barbados Pride for the West Indies Super50 Cup, starting on October 27 in Antigua and Trinidad.
Hope, vice-captain of the Windies One-day International side, takes over from world-rated all-rounder Jason Holder.
The 14-member squad includes four newcomers – left-am spinner Camarie Boyce, leg-spinner Javed Leacock, pacer Jair McCallister, and left-arm pacer Ramon Simmonds.
Boyce, however, was a member of West Indies Emerging Players side that won the Super50 Cup three years ago, and Simmonds made his debut for Pride in the West Indies Championship earlier this year and for Barbados Royals in this year’s Caribbean Premier League Twenty20.
A news release from the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) said Test wicketkeeper-batsman Shane Dowrich will replace West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who is set to depart the tournament on international duties in Australia after the third round of matches in the tournament.
Brathwaite will be playing in the Super50 Cup for the first time in four years, and Dowrich will be looking to continue his career revival.
The news release added pacers Chemar Holder and Dominic Drakes are currently recovering from injuries.
The support staff of the squad – led by head coach Vasbert Drakes – returns from the West Indies Championship earlier this year.
But Colin Bowen, a long-serving international team liaison officer, and former Barclays batsman and off-spinner, is the new team operations manager, replacing newly appointed BCA Manager, Cricket Operations and Development, Wendell Coppin.
Pride will play in Group “A” of the Super50 Cup in Antigua and start their road to redemption in the tournament against Jamaica Scorpions on November 3 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground (VRCG).
Pride, under the leadership of Holder and guidance of head coach Dexter Toppin, finished last of the six franchise teams that played in the Super50 Cup last year in Antigua, where they were beaten in a consolation playoff by Leeward Islands Hurricanes. They won only one match in the tournament.
Squad:
Shai Hope (captain), Camarie Boyce, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Akeem Jordan, Nicholas Kirton, Javed Leacock, Jair McCallister, Zachary McCaskie, Roshon Primus, Ramon Simmonds, Shamar Springer, Jomel Warrican.
