West Indies announced squad for T20 against Australia

The West Indies national selectors have announced their team which will play the first Twenty20 match against Australia.

All rounder Dwayne Smith, succeeded in winning his place after he flourished in the recent tournaments. Smith  regained his form in the Carribean T20, 2011-12 and occupied the third spot in batting by scoring 165 runs in six innings at an average of 33.00 with the best of 86.

He was fifth among the highest scorers in the recently concluded Bangladesh Premier League 2011-12 while playing for Khulna Royal Bengals. The right hand batsman thrashed 346 runs at an excellent average of 43.25, the best of unbeaten 103 with one hundred and two fifties.

The 28-year-old has played 10 T20s, scored 117 runs at an average of 11.70 with the best of 33 and has taken seven wickets as well.

He played his last T20 for the Windies against England on September 25, 2011 at Kennington Oval, London, scored 11 runs but was unable to take a wicket in the match that visitors lost by 25 runs.

Krishmar Santokie, a left arm medium pace bowler, won the confidence of the selectors by his recent performance in the domestic level. He was the most successful bowler in the Caribbean T20, 2011-12, while representing Jamaica, grabbed 14 wickets in six matches at a super average of 10.35 runs per wicket with the best of 4 for 13 runs.

The 27-year-old has played 22, T20s in the domestic cricket and had grasped 48 wickets at a superb average of 9.43 runs per wicket with the best of 5 for 24 runs. He has played one T20 international against England and taken one wicket for 17.00 runs.

Garey Mathurin is a left arm spinner who has appeared in only one T20 international which was played against England on September 25, 2011 at Kennington Oval, London. He clinched 3-9 runs in the allotted four overs, declared ‘Player of the match’ as the Windies beat England by 25 runs.

The 28-year-old played 21 T20s in the domestic cricket and has taken 22 wickets averaging 18.27 runs per wicket with the best of 4 for 25 runs.

Nkrumah Bonner is an upcoming young all rounder who is performing well consistently at different levels of the game. He has played 12 T20s, scored 214 runs in 11 innings averaging 23.77 with the best of unbeaten 66 and has taken 6 wickets at an average of 27.00 with the best of 3 for 27 runs.

The 23-year-old has played one T20 international for the Caribbeans against England at Kennington Oval, London on September 23, 2011.

The West Indies Chairman of Selectors, Clyde Butts announced the team with a vision to groom them for the forthcoming ICC World T20 Championship which will be held in Sri Lanka in September, 2012. He said,

“We also use these matches as part of our continued preparations for the ICC World T20 Championship in Sri Lanka in September. That tournament is not far away and we want to make sure we get ready for that event as well.”

West Indies are doing well in the ongoing One Day International series against the Kangaroos and were leading the five match series 2-1 after winning the fourth encounter which was played on March 23, 2012 at Beausejour Stadium, Gross Islet, St Lucia.

Butts believed that they have formulated a team which was a combination of experience and youth and will deliver positive results. He further commented,

“We have named a squad with a mixture of experience and youth and we believe they have the quality to defeat the Australians.”

The first T20 will be played at Beausejour Stadium, Gross Islet, St Lucia on March 27, 2012.

West Indies squad for first T20;

• Darren Sammy (capt), Dwayne Bravo (vice-capt), Carlton Baugh (wk), Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Fidel Edwards, Garey Mathurin, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Andrew Russell, Marlon Samuels, Krishmar Santokie, Dwayne Smith.