West Indies

West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales has signed for Sussex again next year after a profitable spell at the start of this year’s County Championship season.

The club said: “Sussex Cricket is delighted to announce that West Indies Test bowler Jayden Seales will return to the club at the start of the 2025 season.”

“The right-arm fast-bowler will be available for selection for the first block of the County Championship fixtures.”

“Seales featured in the first seven of Sussex’s County Championship matches this season, taking 38 wickets at an average of 25.29.

“His best figures of 5 for 29 for Sussex came in a scintillating spell against Derbyshire, helping Sussex to a comfortable innings and 124-run victory, cementing their place at the top of the second division in the County Championship.

“Seales recently took 13 wickets in the Test series against England and has taken a total of 62 wickets in 15 appearances for the West Indies.”

Speaking on coming back to Sussex for another stint, Seales said: “It is an absolute pleasure to re-sign for Sussex.

“I have really enjoyed my time there this season and was very excited when the opportunity came to sign again.

“I can’t wait to be with the team again and hopefully in division one next year.”

Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace said: “I am delighted that Jayden has signed to return to Hove next season. He is a fabulous bowler and a high-quality person.

“He showed on many occasions during the early season that he runs in hard every ball, whatever the conditions and situation in the game.

“He gave himself a great chance of success every day.

“Jayden is an incredibly popular guy in the dressing room and everyone at the club will be delighted to see him back with us next season and we are all delighted with his continual development playing for the West Indies.”

The two-match Test series between West Indies and South Africa gets underway with the first game beginning on Wednesday, August 7, at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

The hosts are coming into this clash on the back of a 0-3 drubbing against England. Kraigg Brathwaite’s men lost the first game at Lord’s by an innings and 114 runs, the second at Trent Bridge by 241 runs, and the third at Edgbaston by 10 wickets. However, in the second and third Tests, the Caribbean side showed glimpses of improvement. At home, the West Indies will look to give a good account of themselves against an upbeat South African side.

On the tour of England, Kavem Hodge finished as the third-highest run-getter, scoring 216 from six innings at an average of 36. He scored a brilliant 120 off just 171 balls in the second Test and would want to go from strength to strength against South Africa. Meanwhile, Jayden Seales was the second-highest wicket-taker, bagging 13 wickets from three games at an average of 27.23 and a strike rate of 35.69. He can cause a lot of discomfort for the South African batters if he can find his rhythm.

Meanwhile, the Proteas played their last Test series against New Zealand in February. However, most of their star players skipped the tour to play in the SA20. While New Zealand won both the games in the series, many young South African players got to showcase their skills at the international level.

David Bedingham was the third-highest run-scorer in the series as he registered scores of 32, 87, 39, and 110 in the four games. The 110-run knock in the second Test at Seddon Park came off just 141 balls. Meanwhile, off-spinner Dane Piedt picked up eight wickets in the second Test, averaging 22.75.

South Africa played a warm-up game against West Indies Championship XI in Tarouba, Trinidad ahead of the first Test against the Caribbean side. After conceding 397 runs in the first innings, the tourists declared at 408/9. The home side were 46/4 in their second innings when the match ended in a draw.

Kagiso Rabada and Piedt bagged three wickets apiece in the first innings. In the second innings, Lungi Ngidi picked up three wickets. With the bat, Aiden Markram, captain Temba Bavuma, Bedingham, Ryan Rickelton, and Kyle Verreynne scored half-centuries.

West Indies went to South Africa last year to play a two-match Test series. The Rainbow Nation won both games comprehensively. The Windies would want to turn the tables this time.

West Indies’ best playing XI for the Test series

With a plethora of talent at their disposal, the West Indies selection committee faces a tough task in picking the best eleven for the series. Here’s a potential playing XI based on recent form, experience and the conditions on offer.

Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain)

Role: Opening Batsman

Strengths: Kraigg Brathwaite is known for his solid technique and ability to bat for long periods. As captain, he leads by example, providing stability at the top of the order. His experience in international cricket will be crucial in guiding the team through challenging situations.

Mikyle Louis
Role: Batter

Strengths: Mikyle Louis is an emerging talent who can provide explosive batting as an opener. His ability to play aggressive shots can be crucial in the initial part of the innings.

Joshua Da Silva (Vice-Captain)
Role: Wicketkeeper-Batsman

Strengths: Joshua Da Silva combines his wicketkeeping skills with the ability to score runs in the middle order. His calm demeanour and tactical awareness make him an essential part of the team, especially in pressure situations.

Alick Athanaze
Role: Middle Order Batter

Strengths: Alick Athanaze is a promising young batsman with a solid technique and the ability to play spin effectively. His inclusion adds depth to the batting lineup, and he is expected to build partnerships in the middle overs.

Justin Greaves
Role: All-Rounder

Strengths: Justin Greaves adds balance to the team with his all-round capabilities. He can provide valuable runs in the lower order and is a handy bowler, making him an asset in varying conditions.

Jason Holder
Role: All-Rounder

Strengths: Jason Holder is a key player with his experience and leadership skills. His ability to contribute significantly with both bat and ball makes him a vital cog in the team. Holder’s height and pace add an extra dimension to the bowling attack.

Kavem Hodge
Role: Batter

Strengths: Kavem Hodge is a solid batsman who can play both defensive and attacking roles. His adaptability will be crucial in building innings and providing stability in the middle order.

Gudakesh Motie
Role: Spinner

Strengths: Gudakesh Motie is an effective left-arm spinner who can exploit turning conditions. His ability to take wickets in crucial moments will be vital, especially in the second innings of matches.

Kemar Roach
Role: Fast Bowler

Strengths: Kemar Roach is one of the most experienced bowlers in the squad. His pace, swing, and ability to bowl in the death overs make him a key player in the bowling lineup. He has a knack for taking early wickets, which can set the tone for the innings.

Jayden Seales
Role: Fast Bowler

Strengths: Jayden Seales is a young fast bowler with the potential to make a significant impact. His pace and ability to swing the ball can trouble batsmen, especially in the early overs.

Shamar Joseph
Role: Fast Bowler

Strengths: Shamar Joseph adds depth to the pace attack with his ability to bowl consistently at a good pace. His role will be to support Roach and Seales in applying pressure on the South African batting lineup.

The Proteas aim to use the potential hostility of the home crowd to their advantage when they challenge the West Indies in the first Test in Trinidad and Tobago starting on Wednesday, seamer Lungi Ngidi said.

Ngidi was speaking from the Brian Lara Stadium where SA and a Windies Championship XI played to a draw in an unofficial four-day encounter.

He said their opponents at the weekend were a tough nut to crack and expected a similar fight from the senior side in their opening encounter at Queen’s Park Oval.

“It is exactly what I was expecting, [there were] no surprises, they’re a good team.

“It is always competitive especially if teams are playing at home, they have the crowd behind them but we are obviously here to compete — they will put their best foot forward, and so will we,” Ngidi said after the match.

The right-arm seamer took three of the four wickets to fall in the second innings as a stalemate was reached around lunchtime on the final day on Saturday.

Wickets in the first innings were spread across the bowling attack, with Kagiso Rabada taking 3/47, while spinners Dane Piedt and Keshav Maharaj took 3/41 and 2/82 respectively as Dane Paterson and Migael Pretorius chipped in with one apiece to restrict the home side to 397 all out.

After the Proteas posted 408/9 with a lead of 11, Ngidi and Piedt struck early on in the second innings to have the Windies on 32/4 before reaching the lunch break on 46/4 when the decision was taken to share honours.

Ngidi said executing their plans under pressure and adapting to different match situations from Wednesday would be vital in getting the upper hand over their hosts.

“Any conditions you come across [will require] that you find a way.

“We didn’t know what to expect, it turned out on the slower side so we had to adapt our plans to what we had in front of us, we did pretty well and it is something we will look to do in the first Test as well,” the right arm seamer said.

Having assessed conditions, Ngidi said the main objective was to find some rhythm in the first innings, which he then tried to work into the game plan he had for himself going into the second innings.

“I was told I would be taking the new ball, which changed things around in the team for us to adapt to bowing at different stages in the innings.

“The ball seemed to be doing a bit more for me than in the first innings, so I tried to capitalize on that and use the conditions as best I could.

“In Test cricket, the ball is going to swing, so you learn from a young age how to try to control it, it’s about finding an area on the wicket to hit if it is swinging, and if not, then finding a different area to hit,” he said.

South Africa are all set to tour the Caribbean for a two-match Test series, beginning on Wednesday, August 7, as part of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

Both sides are placed in the bottom half of the standings, and need a serious push in the latter half of the competition to be in contention for the final.

The red-ball affairs between South Africa and the West Indies in the past have been a series of one-sided affairs. The Proteas have only lost three matches to the Men in Maroon across 32 contests, with the last loss coming back in 2007.

West Indies are coming on the back of a whitewash defeat against England away from home. Despite the humbling scoreline, there were a lot of positives for Kraigg Brathwaite and company, as they were able to test the opposition on certain occasions.

As far as South Africa are concerned, they began the cycle with a dominant innings win over India. However, since then they have lost three successive Tests, including a clean sweep by New Zealand, where they sent their second-string side.

With an opportunity to get back to winning ways, both sides will be keen on making the most of it. On that note, let us take a look at three things to watch out for in the South Africa-West Indies Test series.

#1 Tony de Zorzi at the top of the order

South Africa’s top-order was left with a gaping hole after Dean Elgar’s retirement following the Test series against India. The Proteas made use of Neil Brand, Edward Moore, and Clyde Fortuin for the tour of New Zealand when the major stars were playing in the SA20.

However, now with the full-strength team available, the team has to look for a long-term opening partner along with Aiden Markram. The identified candidate is Tony de Zorzi, who made his debut against the West Indies last year at home. In his four-match Test career so far, he has played at number three, and now for his first overseas assignment, he will apparently open the innings.

He batted at the top of the order in South Africa’s warm-up clash against the West Indies Championship XI, where he scored nine runs.

“I’ve got big shoes to fill. The guy before me was unbelievable. So it’s really exciting to be batting with Aiden. It’s cool that it’s a familiar face,” de Zorzi said recently (via Cricbuzz).

#2 New bowlers on show

Alzarri Joseph and Marco Jansen have been rested for the upcoming series, leaving space for new pacers to leave an impression. From South Africa’s side, it comes in the form of Migael Pretorius whereas the West Indies have included a new spinner among their ranks.

Uncapped Bryan Charles was called up as Kevin Sinclair suffered a broken arm during the England tour. As far as Joseph’s replacement in the side is concerned, veteran seamer Kemar Roach marks a return after recovering from injury.

#3 Fragile batting unit of both sides will be in focus

West Indies and South Africa are two sides that have done reasonably well in white-ball cricket in recent times but have been equally dismal in red-ball cricket.

Barring the win against Australia at the Gabba, the West Indies do not have much to show for. South Africa, on the other hand, were whitewashed by Australia and New Zealand in recent times and recorded a loss to England too.

A common trait that links these two sides are their imperious bowling attack. However, it has been their batting that has let them down. With Elgar out of the picture, the issue only escalates for the Proteas.

Consequently, it is the responsibility of the young batters to showcase their ability and cement their place to create a stable batting order for their sides. South Africa have several newcomers in the batting department like Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, and Kyle Verryene. These four players have made a total of 25 Test appearances combined so far.

The same inexperience is evident in the West Indies batting unit as well. The management decided to give young Mikyle Louis an opportunity on the England tour. Other than that, the entire middle order of Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, and Kirk McKenzie are all trying to find their feet in international cricket. They have certainly shown glimpses of promise, but consistency and reliability continue to elude them.

Who among these inexperienced batters rises to the occasion will be interesting to watch, and their doing so will be of great help to their side as they will have one problem less to solve.

Legendary West Indies cricketer Sir Clive Lloyd has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to address the financial inequality in the global revenue distribution model.

Lloyd was speaking after he received the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC), which is the highest honour in the region of Grenada, a country located in the Caribbean.

Lloyd, who led West Indies to consecutive ODI World Cups in 1975 and 1979, gave a timely reminder to the global cricketing fraternity that there wasn’t any financial reward for the West Indies board during the team’s glory days. According to Lloyd, with the global game now “on a sounder fiscal footing”, it was time for the West Indies to get their fare share.

“Over the years in our ascendancy we did not ask for any extra money. But now I’m told when they have distribution of funds at the ICC, England receives $180 million, Australia $180 million, India $180 million, and we are $80 million. I want to know, where do they get this disparity?” Barbados Today quoted Lloyd as saying.

In 2015, the ICC revenue distribution model was restructured. The shares were distributed to the boards based on how much the countries contribute to the ICC revenue. India generate almost 90 per cent of the revenue, as per a report in Cricbuzz, with the BCCI receiving almost 39 per cent of the income.

“Because when we were leading, everybody wanted to play – we were playing two tours in the winter. We were the cash cow for these guys. But now that we might be a little down in the dumps, nobody now is saying, well you know West Indies do need some help,” the 79 year-old added.

“And I think that it’s about time that our board men make a special call to the ICC. Send 10 or 12 people who we know have the pull, and that extra that is needed, to tell them that we need some special dispensation,” he explained.

“Sir Clive pointed out that the financial imbalance has always been there, even when West Indies were winning, but that it is worse now that more money is coming into cricket,” the Barbados Today report added Lloyd as saying.

England’s lopsided 3-0 Test series rout of the once dominant West Indies completed earlier this month took place when several current Caribbean star performers were preparing for lucrative stints in English domestic cricket’s Hundred competition.

All-rounder Andre Russell is one of five West Indian players in the maximum £125,000 ($160,000) bracket for this year’s edition, joining Spirit team-mate Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran at Northern Superchargers, Rovman Powell at Trent Rockets and Kieron Pollard at Southern Brave.

Although they are renowned as dynamic batsmen on the franchise scene, Pooran, Powell and Pollard have never played a single Test, while Russell’s solitary red-ball cap came in 2010.

It has long been said that Cricket West Indies’ relative lack of financial clout has made franchise cricket a particularly attractive option for Caribbean players, but Russell says other considerations are a factor when considering why players from the region are cutting short their first-class careers.

“I don’t think it’s the money, I don’t think money is the issue,” he told Britain’s PA news agency.

“Based on the amount of T20 and leagues around the world, I think a lot of players are just not interested in playing Tests.”

The 36-year-old added: “I’m always excited watching the other West Indian batters, especially when they’re hitting boundary after boundary.

“As long as you can do well from contracts outside your nation I think they are going to grab that opportunity but everyone wants to play on the big stage.

“So, if the big stage comes in Test cricket, I know youngsters will be happy to play. I just don’t think it’s about money or anything like that.”

Russell, adamant he is not built for five-day Test cricket, said he sympathised with the West Indies team whitewashed inside 10 days of a scheduled 15 by England

“Red-ball cricket is not my cookie, I don’t think my body will keep up with Test cricket,” Russell explained. “But those in the team at the moment are fit enough and taking on the challenge.

“They had a few moments in the Test series where they could have turned things around. Playing England at home is always going to be hard for the West Indies.”