West Indies to have extended camp in NZ ahead of Test, T20 series

West Indies are set to have an extended camp in New Zealand ahead of facing the hosts in three T20s and two Test matches in November-December. The 15-man Test squad along with five reserves, and a 14-man T20 squad will leave for New Zealand on October 27.

According to Cricket West Indies Chairman of Selectors, Roger Harper, the squads would be announced in the new week.

All players, including the likes of Guyanese pair Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul, who opted out of the England series earlier this year, are available for selection, according to Harper.

“The team is going early to have an extended camp in New Zealand…which will work out a little better so the players can have their quarantine and get acclimatised to the actual condition in which they would be competing,” the Chief Selector said on the Mason and Guest Radio Show this week.

Harper said the COVID-19 protocols would be observed, and measures would be put in place to help players deal with playing in a bubble.

“There was a psychologist on tour in England and I expect there would be one going on this tour as well. New Zealand is a little different to England in that they have managed to not be in as bad a place, relative to the COVID-19 virus, as most places around the world, so once the squad quarantines and there are no infections and everything is fine, I think you can just move around freely,” Harper explained.

The West Indies tour to New Zealand will start with the defending T20 World Cup champions facing the Black Caps at Eden Park in Auckland for a match under lights.

The series then moves to Mount Maunganui for two matches at the picturesque Bay Oval – the first a day match and the second under lights. West Indies will then travel to Hamilton for the first Test at Seddon Park and then south to Wellington for the second match at the historic Basin Reserve.

The T20Is will be the start of an 11-month schedule of matches building up to the ICC T20 World Cup, rescheduled for October 2021 in India.

The opening contest at Eden Park will be added significance as this is the venue where the two teams met in their first T20I contest back in 2006. That match ended in a tie which forced a bowl-off.

Match Schedule:

November 27: 1st T20I at Eden Park, Auckland

November 29: 2nd T20I at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

November 30: 3rd T20I at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

December 3-7: 1st Test at Seddon Park, Hamilton

December 11-15: 2nd Test at Basin Reserve, Wellington