King: Aussies good test for Windies

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: New West Indies coach Bennett King says that playing the World Champions Australia in the upcoming VB Triangular Limited Overs series in Australia, will be an excellent way to grade the Caribbean team’s development since winning the ICC Champions’ Trophy in September. King, along with manager Tony Howard, were speaking at a media briefing at the Accra Hotel just outside the city, prior to the team’s departure to London on Wednesday. “It’s actually a very good yard stick for myself but I think also for the side to play the consistently best side in the world,” the Australian King told reporters.

He added: “That’s something that you need to take into account as well, that Australia is the best side because of their consistency, and this West Indian side is a side that has been able to beat anyone in the world on their day.” Only seven members of the 14-member squad — Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Courtney Browne, Ian Bradshaw, Dwayne Bravo, Ryan Hinds, Pedro Collins and Mervyn Dillon — assembled in Barbados on Wednesday as captain Brian Lara was unavailable because of “unfinished personal business,” while the Guyanese pair of Reon King and Ramnaresh Sarwan were delayed in Guyana because of an air traffic controllers’ strike.

Also missing was the Jamaican quartet of Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Marlon Samuels and newcomer Xavier Marshall, who along with Lara, are expected to link up with the team in London. Lara is expected to meet the squad in London today before their departure for Australia. King, who will be guiding the regional team in his first series as head coach, said he was also looking forward to the challenge that the series presented. He fended off suggestions that the contract dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), would have any negative effect on the players during the VB Triangular series. “That (negative effect) remains to be seen but for me, sitting where I am, I haven’t seen signs of it,” King told reporters.

“For me, I’ve been adrift and apart from it and I have read things in the paper and listened to the press reports (but) I know throughout all of this that the West Indies Cricket Board and their new partner Digicel have really provided a strong base and strong support for the players,” King explained. The Windies are expected to arrive in Australia on Sunday and are scheduled to play warm-up games on January 5, 8, and 9, before opening their VB Series campaign on January 14 with a day-night encounter against hosts Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The squad: Brian Lara (capt), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (vice-capt), Christopher Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Ryan Hinds, Courtney Browne, Ian Bradshaw, Pedro Collins, Mervyn Dillon, Reon King, and Xavier Marshall.