FORMER national Coach Junior Bennett says the selections of Jamaican batsmen Nkrumah Bonner, Jermaine Blackwood and John Campbell for the West Indies Test series in England were all expected.

The challenge for them now is to stay focus to ensure they maximise their opportunities in the three-Test series in what will be extremely difficult circumstances brought on by the novel coronavirus, Bennett told the Jamaica Observer.

“Bonner, Blackwood and John Campbell did fairly well in the first-class season, so they have been justly rewarded. I’m hoping that they go out there and put their best foot forward and do their best,” Bennett, the Jamaica Scorpions’ chairman of selectors, said.

“[These are] trying times at the moment in terms of the coronavirus, but they just have to focus on the cricket, and I believe once they focus on the cricket they will do well,” he said.

Bennett has guided all three players at stages during their careers.

Blackwood, 28, was outstanding for the Scorpions during the four-day season, amassing 768 runs in eight matches. He registered a first-class career-best 248 and averaged 51.20. Outside of an appearance as a concussion substitute, Blackwood has not played a Test match since 2017.

His teammate Bonner, 31, scored 523 runs, including two centuries at a team-high average of 58.11. Bonner, who has played two T20 Internationals, is yet to make his Test debut.

The Scorpions skipper Campbell, 26, spanked two centuries while aggregating 491 runs at 32.73. The left-hand opener, though having only a top-score of 55 from six Tests, is highly thought of in regional circles.

While the three batsmen are among the 14-man squad, two of their countrymen, pacers Oshane Thomas and Marquino Mindley, are listed in a group of 11 reserve players.

West Indies, under Captain Jason Holder, are defending the Wisden Trophy after defeating the Englishmen 2-1 in the Caribbean last year.

The tour to England was originally scheduled to run from May to June, but was postponed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. In the United Kingdom (UK), the virus — which causes the COVID-19 disease — has resulted in over 41,000 deaths.

All three matches are to be played without onsite spectators in cricket’s first-ever biosecure Test series. Biosecure measures are designed to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases.

Trinidadian Darren Bravo and the Guyanese pair of Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul opted out of selection.

West Indies players and staff, who arrived in the UK on Tuesday, will be quarantined for two weeks before the opening Test at Ageas Bowl in Southampton. The second and third matches are booked for Old Trafford in Manchester, starting on July 16 and 24, respectively.

The touring side, coached by Phil Simmons, has arranged to travel with as many as 25 players to allow for internal preparation matches and to ensure replacements are readily available in the event of injury or sickness.

Players from both teams will be required to avoid members of the public and to follow physical distancing guidelines while on tour.

Bennett is hopeful the measures taken will be enough to preserve the health of all concerned.

“We are just hoping that everything works well because all of us want to see some international cricket playing right now. We just hope that what they put in place will work, and once it works kudos to them,” he told the Observer.

Squad – Jason Holder (captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, John Campbell, Shai Hope, Shamarh Brooks, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Rahkeem Cornwall, Kemar Roach, Chemar Holder, Nkrumah Bonner, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer.

Reserves – Sunil Ambris, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Keon Harding, Kyle Mayers, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Anderson Phillip, Oshane Thomas, Jomel Warrican.

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