No way out for Windies batsman Phillips trapped in Australia
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Barbados and West Indies left-hander Omar Phillips has been forced to wait even longer before he can return home, after the Australian state of Victoria extended its state of emergency for another four weeks in response to the continued spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Australia closed its borders last month to mitigate against rising cases of the virus, and while the travel ban does not apply to international departures, several airlines have grounded flights until May-June, leaving hundreds of travellers stranded.
Based in Melbourne where he has been playing for Stratmore Cricket Club, the 33-year-old Phillips was scheduled to return home on April 12, but as tension heightened amid the outbreak, he rebooked his ticket for March 23.
However, that flight was subsequently cancelled, and attempts to secure a flight for the following day also proved futile.
Perhaps the biggest blow to his chances of leaving Australia came earlier this week when Victoria, of which Melbourne is the capital, extended its shutdown for another four weeks until May 11.
“Everyday it’s something new, so I’ve just got to play it by ear at the moment. I’m just waiting on word on when they will start back flights,” Phillips said.
“[The club] has been great, [they’ve been] fantastic. It’s a good family club and everyone’s been chipping in and trying to make sure I’m as comfortable as possible because it’s not easy being away, especially in this time,” he added.
Phillips, an opener, played two Tests for West Indies as part of a second-string team during the tumultuous players’ strike of 2009, when Bangladesh toured West Indies.
He narrowly missed out on joining an illustrious club of batsmen with centuries on debut when he perished for 94 in the first innings at Arnos Vale in Kingstown.
Overall, he has played 57 first-class matches and scored a single hundred, but has not featured in the domestic championship in nearly two years.
Australia has already recorded nearly 6,500 infections and 63 deaths. Victoria, meanwhile, has reported 1,291 infections and 14 deaths, and Premier Daniel Andrews said he had not yet ruled out extending the curfew “well beyond” the May 11 date.
