Bridgetown, Barbados – West Indies captain Darren Sammy says the signs are looking really good as the Windies prepares for the upcoming T20 Series in England next week.
An upbeat Sammy expressed confidence that his players will do well when they face Graeme Swann’s men at the Kia Oval in London. The two matches are slated for Friday, September 23 and Sunday, September 25.
The players have undergone intense fitness testing, training and planning at the Sagicor High Performance Centre at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies and will have two warm-up matches against Sagicor HPC on Saturday at Desmond Haynes Oval and Sunday at the 3Ws Oval.
“The players are working very hard as we prepare for the upcoming matches in England. We have a few new players in the squad and they are all very enthusiastic. We are all really enjoying our work. It’s hard work and it’s rewarding. The vibe among the players in the group is great,” Sammy said
“This series signals the start of our overseas campaign for this year and we want to start our travels on a winning note. These two matches present us with a chance to look at players as we prepare for the ICC T20 World Championship in Sri Lanka next year. Some young players have been given this golden opportunity to show what they can do. The selectors have indentified players they want to look at and everyone is happy to get the opportunity to represent the West Indies.”
Sammy acknowledged that England are “a very good side” but noted that his team can challenge them on their home soil.
“England have been playing some very good cricket in all three formats of the game and we know we face a major challenge in this series. But we have some very confident players who are eager to prove themselves and give their utmost for the people of the West Indies. There is a lot to be gained by performing in this short series. I will be giving my all and I expect the same from all the other member of the squad. We have our plans on how we aim to play against England and what we aim to get out of the series.”