West Indies chief says Holder ban is ‘crippling’
The president of Cricket West Indies, Dave Cameron, has questioned the “crippling decision” to ban Jason Holder for the third Test against England.
Holder, captain of West Indies, was suspended by the International Cricket Council after overseeing a slow over rate during a seriesclinching 10-wicket victory in Antigua – his second such offence in a 12-month period.
He will now miss the chance to fight for what would be a first clean sweep over England since 1986, punished for tardy play in a match that finished inside three days. Kraigg Brathwaite takes over the captaincy for the Test in St Lucia which starts on Saturday.
“We will, of course, abide by the ICC ruling but we have to wonder if such punitive action at a pivotal stage of the series is good for cricket,” said Cameron.
“What a shame if the series is remembered not for the sparkling play of the reinvigorated West Indies players but for a crippling decision made by a rule that ought to be modified.”
Meanwhile, England’s Joe Denly says it would be an “absolute dream” to play in the Ashes next summer and believes he has a chance in St Lucia to make an opening batting position his own.
Denly, who travelled to St Lucia yesterday with the rest of the team, made six and 17 on his Test debut in Antigua and is set to play in the third Test this weekend, an opportunity to try to prove he can play at Test level.
England do not play Test cricket again until July’s four-day Test against Ireland, plenty of time for others in county cricket to push for one of the many available spots in the top order.
Denly knows, at 32, this is his only chance and failure in St Lucia will bring an end to his Test career at just two caps.
“I hope they see a future in me opening the batting in Test cricket,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity, these two Tests, and for me to try to make that position mine.
“There’s a lot of time before the next Test in England but this Test coming up is a great chance to get a score and make myself a realistic option for them going into the summer.
“For me, it has to be about this next game. Playing in an Ashes series is an absolute dream and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about it a little bit. Obviously, with the opportunity I have in the next Test, it is there, but it is important to try and not think about it as much as possible and have a real focus on trying to get a score in this next Test and prove to those guys who think I am a stopgap/makeshift opener that I have got a future as an opener in Test cricket. Hopefully I can do that.”