FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH IN THE HEADLEY-WEEKES SERIES

April 19, 2023, 7:31 p.m

After five rounds of first-class matches, many West Indies players have fared well, but the upcoming Headley-Weekes Tri series matches will be a different test. The three first-class matches come at a critical juncture in West Indies cricket, offering a golden opportunity to identify talent in the two-Test series against India at home, the West Indies A tour of Bangladesh and the ICC Men’s World Cup. year. Here are my five players to watch in the upcoming Headley-Weekes Tri Series:

Alick Athanaze The free-scoring left-hander might be the most obvious choice that many are keeping an eye on. He will captain the Weekes team as he did with the Windward Islands Volcanoes and looks to thrive in leadership. He amassed 647 runs in the five matches he played in the first-class season of the West Indies Championship with four fifties and two hundreds. Prior to this season, Athanaze averaged just 27.5 in 36 FC innings and had never scored a century. He also scored back-to-back hundreds in the CG United Super50 on challenging pitches in Trinidad. In the last 12 months, he has opened up a new level to his game that will allow him to stand out in the upcoming series. His fearless batting style and fluency in the offside have cost him at times but make him a real pleasure to watch when he gets going and is expected to do well in the series.

Brandon King The West Indies T20 International opener has only played five first-class matches in five seasons due to the prowess of T20 cricket. Still, his return could open a new path. Since his debut in 2015, King has averaged just under 35 in 32 first-class matches with three hundreds. The classy right-hander early in his career was predominantly a red-ball player before branching out and has been batting in the Jamaica Scorpions middle order. If he adapts the role for Team Weekes, it will be interesting to see if he integrates his white-ball expertise into his red-ball game through counter-attacks. If he opens the batting like he did against New Zealand A a couple of years ago, King could be a handful for the bowlers when the new ball comes in nicely, as he does in white-ball formats.

Dominic Drakes The tall left-handed all-rounder is only 25 years old, has done well with bat and ball. Since winning the match in the 2021 CPL final, the Drakes have traveled to T20 leagues in Pakistan, India, England and the United Arab Emirates, gaining experience and developing their game. He has played only three first-class matches so far, but in the most recent game he bowled well, taking 3-38 in 13 overs against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes. He can swing the new ball and pull his length back as the ball gets old, bowling a consistent heavy length which makes scoring him difficult. He is an intelligent cricketer who analyzes the game quickly and knows how to play important innings with the bat. In the T20 format, Drakes can be a match winner as we saw in the CPL final, but his batting has grown exponentially since then. This could be the perfect opportunity to showcase his skills in all three sides of the game.

Kevin Sinclair The high-action and pacey off-spinner has been with the Guyana Harpy Eagles for two seasons prior to 2023, but this year he got his chance and made the most of it. The 23-year-old took 18 assists in 16:61 and match figures of 8-81 against the Leeward Islands. They won the match in spectacular fashion to secure the Headley-Weekes trophy. He was also the only player in the top ten in both the batting and bowling charts, scoring 285 runs at an average of over 30 with two half-centuries. On pitches that don’t spin, Sinclair uses crease angle well and is able to eliminate some drift in the air. He has drastically improved his consistency by staying at a certain length for a number of overs, creating pressure. His all-round ability and hunger to return to the West Indies squad will make him a watcher in the series.

Ackeem August Former West Indies Rising Stars U19 captain, he shows immense class at the crease. In the 2022 ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup, he played only two matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the highlight being a brilliant 57 against Australia in his first match. He was also part of the West Indies Academy side in the CG United Super50 tournament and took the team to 84-6,211 in one game with his excellent batting. He is an excellent timer of the ball because he plays it very late. He pounces at any fuller, crisply counterspins and plays some fine runs down the ground against pace. He has been a part of the St. Lucia Kings in the CPL and the Windward Island Volcanoes in the 2022 West Indies Championship. Although Auguste hasn’t had the most opportunities yet, he’s shown that he has something about him, and the shape of the red ball, which represents time in the crease, might suit his game best. It will be challenging against the best bowlers in the region, but he will undoubtedly be up for the fight.