West Indies Test team skipper Jason Holder and few other cricketers have returned back to training in small groups following a coronavirus-forced hiatus as they gear up for a proposed tour of England in July.
Away from nets for a long period, the players including Kraigg Brathwaite, Shai Hope, Kemar Roach, Shane Dowrich, Shamarh Brooks, and Raymon Reifer trained at the Kensington Oval.
The players trained behind the closed doors and under the watchful eyes of West Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick.
“The initiative to get back to training has been given local Government approval, with strict protocols of social distancing, observing the guidelines as set out by the authorities and CWI’s Medical Advisory Committee and was conducted behind closed doors,” the country’s cricket board said in a press release.
“It’s great news that the players are now able to begin their cricket training, having been restricted to fitness and conditioning work at home for the past few weeks, as we begin to prepare for defending the Wisden Trophy,” said Johnny Grave, CEO of Cricket West Indies.
The West Indies Cricket Board (CWI) is holding regular discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) regarding the tour which will comprise of three Tests and remains “increasingly confident” about it going ahead as planned.
“Based on the information we have at the moment, everyone is getting increasingly confident that the tour will happen at some point this summer,” said Johnny Grave, CEO of CWI.
“Our next Board of Directors Teleconference is on May 28 and if the tour has to take place as currently planned, by the start of June, we would need to have their approval and support by then in order to get the charter flight logistics in place and select the players. “We are in the final stages of discussions with the ECB and we expect to hear from them shortly once their bio-secure plans have UK Government and ECB Board support.”
As for the England players, cricketers including Stuart Broad, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, and James Anderson too have resumed training, becoming the first set to do so following the coronavirus break.