West Indies tour of England 2020

The West Indies cricket team are currently touring England to play three Test matches. The team were originally scheduled to tour the country in May and June 2020. However, the series was initially postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cricket West Indies stated that they would do everything they can to help accommodate the fixtures,including moving the fixtures back or even hosting them in the West Indies. A revised tour schedule, with the first Test starting in July, was proposed at the end of May 2020. The fixtures were confirmed the following month, with the matches to be played behind closed doors. The Test series will form part of the inaugural 2019–21 ICC World Test Championship.

BACKGROUND

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that no professional matches would take place before 28 May 2020 due to the pandemic.In April 2020, Ashley Giles, the director of cricket, said that hosting the Test matches in June was looking "less and less likely",but that "everything is on the table" with regards to England's schedule in 2020. On 24 April 2020, the ECB confirmed that no professional cricket would be played in England before 1 July 2020, with the tour being postponed. After the tour was postponed, both cricket boards had been involved in "positive" talks about rescheduling the series.This included the possibility of the West Indies team going into isolation for 14 days, and the first Test match starting on 8 July 2020. The ECB were also looking at hosting the Test matches in bio-secure environments, with Old Trafford in Manchester and the Rose Bowl in Southampton being possible venues, due to their hotel facilities.

On 13 May 2020, Johnny Grave, the chief executive of Cricket West Indies, said that he was hopeful that the tour would go ahead, but that players would be "very nervous" about travelling. The next day, the ECB confirmed that England players would return to training in the following week. Grave also confirmed that thirty players had been identified for preparation for the tour, with the West Indies' Test captain Jason Holder saying that no-one will be forced to travel, with safety being the priority. In late May 2020, a revised schedule was issued, with the final Test match taking place at Old Trafford in late July 2020. Grave also revealed details of a tentative tour itinerary, with the first Test starting on 8 July 2020 at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. The same week, the UK government published updated guidance on the resumption of training for elite sports. The West Indies also resumed training, with small groups taking part in on-field sessions at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. Cricket West Indies gave its approval "in principle" of touring England. On 2 June 2020, the ECB confirmed the dates and venues for the three-match series.

On 29 May 2020, the ECB named a 55-man group of players to begin training ahead of international fixtures starting in England. On 17 June 2020, this was trimmed down to a 30-man squad to prepare behind closed doors for the Test matches. England and the West Indies will play inter-squad warm-up matches in Southampton and Manchester respectively prior to the Test series. On 3 June 2020, Cricket West Indies named a 14-man squad, along with eleven reserve players for the Test series. Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul decided against travelling to England, due to coronavirus fears,and the length of time they could be away from their families. On 8 June 2020, the squad flew out from Antigua, arriving at Manchester Airport the following morning. After arrival, Jason Holder said that the players feel safe and that people "were crying out for cricket".

SQUADS

West Indies: Jason Holder (c), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich (wk), Chemar Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach

Reserves: Sunil Ambris, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Keon Harding, Kyle Mayers, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Sheyne Moseley, Anderson Phillip, Oshane Thomas and Jomel Warrican

England: Dominic Sibley, Keaton Jennings, Zak Crawley, Jonathan Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Ben Foakes, Moeen Ali, Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Jack Leach, Olly Stone, James Anderson, Saqib Mahmood, Rory Burns, James Bracey, Joe Denly, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler , Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Dominic Bess, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson.

SCHEDULE