Holder wants Windies motivation from #BLM

Windies captain Jason Holder says the global response to the #BlackLivesMatter movement could prove an inspiration to his players when they take on England in the upcoming threeTest cricket series.

The Windies are the first international sports team to travel to Britain since the country went into lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Yet the narrative of a tour taking place in biosecure conditions has shifted somewhat because of the outbreak of widespread protests, including in many English cities, after the death of George Floyd.

Speaking for the first time since arriving in England, Holder said discussions will be held within the squad about the issue and whether players will “show some sort of solidarity with it” during the tour.

“West Indians are fuelled and motivated in different ways,” Holder said. “Who knows, this could be something serious that we build on

“A lot of people live and don’t know exactly what goes on around them, and this is the perfect time to educate yourselves around it and make a

change.”

and get some really positive energy going throughout the group.”

Floyd, a 46-year-old black man from Minneapolis, Minnesota, died after a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds as he begged for air. This happened while he was also handcuffed. His death has become a worldwide symbol in demonstrations over calls for changes to police practices and an end to racial prejudices.

TIME TO UNITE

Holder said it was a time “for all of us to unite as one” and for people to get more educated about the issue of racism.

“What has happened recently ... has impacted the world and the response from people around the world has been tremendous,” he said.

“To be honest,” Holder added, “a lot of people live and don’t know exactly what goes on around them, and this is the perfect time to educate yourselves around it and make a change.”

Holder and his teammates have travelled to one of the hardest-hit countries during the pandemic — Britain has recorded more than 40,000 coronavirus deaths — and the squad will be tested frequently for COVID-19 during a tour that will start with a period of quarantine in a Manchester hotel linked to Old Trafford cricket ground.

The Windies will live and train in what is being described as a “biosecure environment” that will restrict players’ movement.

Holder said he was treating it like a “subcontinent tour” because he doesn’t “do too much moving around in those countries”. Players will [play] computer games, watch TV and be provided with “entertainment within the hotel”, he said.

“The mere fact we are getting an opportunity to play cricket, I think we should cherish that,” Holder said. “Many organisations are taking pay cuts and we have suddenly got our opportunity now to make some money so we have a lot of things to be thankful for.”

Holder said he feels “pretty safe” in England.

– AP