WI warm-up against Barbados, Bermuda

ST JOHN’S: The West Indies team will play three warm-up matches against squads from Barbados and Bermuda starting next week in preparation for next month’s Champions Trophy. The matches against Barbados will be next Tuesday and Thursday, and the match against Bermuda will be September 4, the West Indies Cricket Board said in a statement yesterday. All three matches will be in Bermuda.

The West Indies are drawn in Group B with South Africa and Bangladesh for the Champions Trophy in England, and will open against Bangladesh on September 15. The West Indies will be led by Brian Lara, who survived calls from former Test players to be sacked after the team was swept 4-0 by England in their recent Test series. The West Indies will be without fast bowler Jermaine Lawson who pulled out of the squad on Friday with a strained lower back injury. The 16-member squad leaves for Bermuda today and departs for England on September 5.