Cricket Dalchand Bissoon

Shane Dowrich, the 23-year-old wicketkeeper / batsman from Barbados and Rajendra Chandrika, 25, the opening batsman from Guyana, are the uncapped players named in the West Indies 14-man squad last Saturday for the first of two Tests against Australia.

The Tests started yesterday (June 3) at Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica.

Both batsmen played well in the three-day warm-up match against Australia, scoring half-centuries for the West Indies President’s XI at Vivian Richards Cricket ground in Antigua last week.

Dowrich played for the West Indies Under-19s and West Indies A teams. He has appeared in 43 first-class matches scoring 1,873 runs with three centuries at an average of 37.46.

Chandrika also played for the West Indies Under-19s, West Indies A and the Sagicor High Performance Centre, He appeared in 32 first-class matches scoring 1,497 runs, his highest 90 at an average of 25.81.

Veteran batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Devon Smith and Carlos Brathwaite who were in the squad for the recent Test series against England were left out.

The full squad for the first Test: Denesh Ramdin (captain), Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Rajendra Chandrika, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels and Jerome Taylor.

Meanwhile, Australia opening batsman Chris Rogers will miss the first Test against the West Indies because of a concussion after being hit while practising in the nets last Sunday. Shaun Marsh who scored a century (118 not out) in the recent warm-up against the WICB President’s XI is likely to take his place.