Guyana’s wicketkeeper/batsman Derwin Christian is among four newcomers in the West Indies T20 squad to face hosts England in September. The 28-year-old Christian is joined by opening batsmen Miles Bascombe and Johnson Charles, and by all-rounder Nkrumah Bonner, in a new- look 14-man squad to face the hosts in two International T20s on September 23 and 25 at the Kia Oval in London.
Guyana’s wicketkeeper/batsman Derwin Christian
When this newspaper broke the news to Christian on August 23, he was understandably elated. “I have to say that I’m very surprised, but also excited. I’m really looking forward to it (the tour).” The Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) player added: “This has always been my boyhood dream – to play for the West Indies.” Christian, who was part of the West Indies Development Under-19 team in 2000 and the Shell Cricket Academy in Grenada in 2003, has appeared in 40 First Class matches, 28 List A games, and 15 T20s for Guyana.
His style of batting is aptly suited to the T20 format, as was evident during a brutal, match-winning 13-ball 40 against the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in this year’s Caribbean T20 championship.
Christian’s career strike rate in the format is an excellent 150.61.
“Christian impressed the selectors during the last Caribbean T20 when he batted with a cool head and won games for Guyana.
“He is a pugnacious batsman who we believe can be a match-winner down the order,” Chairman of the WICB Selection Committee, Clyde Butts, said.
Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Bascombe, an aggressive Vincentian opener, plays for the Windward Islands and CCC and has represented the West Indies ‘A’. Charles, the 22-year-old St Lucian right-hander, also represented the Windward Islands, and is also a West Indies ‘A’ team selectee.
Bonner, the 22-year-old CCC leg-spinning all-rounder from Jamaica, is also a student at the Sagicor High Performance Centre and a former West Indies Under- 19 player.
Making a return to the squad is all-rounder Dwayne Smith, while pacer Fidel Edwards gets a T20 selection after returning to Test cricket earlier this year.
St Lucia’s Darren Sammy has retained his post as skipper of the squad.
Sammy, whose initial stint as captain finished at the end of the West Indies versus India series, has been reappointed in all formats up until the tour to Bangladesh and India, from October to December this year.
Members of the Trinidad and Tobago squad were not considered for selection due to their participation in the upcoming Nokia Champions League in India. The full squad reads: Darren Sammy, Christopher Barnwell, Miles Bascombe, Devendra Bishoo, Nkrumah Bonner, Johnson Charles, Derwin Christian, Fidel Edwards, Danza Hyatt, Ashley Nurse, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Krishmar Santokie, and Dwayne Smith.
