RODDY Estwick, the West Indies assistant coach, says batsman Nkrumah Bonner has shown a level of maturity and discipline to suggest he could become one of Test cricket’s late bloomers.

After outstanding performances in the domestic first class championship, the Jamaican Bonner, 31, was selected in the West Indies 14-man squad for the three-match tour of England, opening the door for a long-awaited Test debut.

“Some people tend to mature a little bit later and he [Bonner] seems to have done that,” Estwick said during a virtual press conference from the team’s base at Old Trafford in Manchester on Monday.

“In the [practice] nets what we are seeing is a player who is willing to knuckle down and get accustomed to the conditions in England [and to] obviously stake a claim for a Test place,” he added.

“He’s worked hard to get here — at 31— you look back at the number of people who made their debut in their 30s. We’re encouraging him and saying ‘look all is not lost. You’ve been given a great opportunity. You just got to continue to work hard, continue to play disciplined and continue to do the things you’ve been doing for the past two years’,” the former Barbados pace bowler told journalists.

Former Australian batsman Michael Hussey is a world-famous case of a late bloomer. The left-hander made his Test debut at 30, and went on to become one of the best batsmen in the game. In 79 Tests between 2005 and 2013 he struck 19 hundreds at an average of 51.52.

Closer to home, Bonner’s story is similar to that of his contemporary and former West Indies Under-19 teammate Shamarh Brooks.

The Barbadian batsman, long considered an under achiever, broke into the West Indies senior team last year at age 30, and impressed with a half-century before running himself out against India at Sabina Park. He followed with a match-winning century against Afghanistan in India.

Bonner has only played for the Caribbean side in Twenty20 Internationals — both of which came between 2011 and 2012.

However, he was a straightforward pick for the tour after he enjoyed his best campaign in regional four-day cricket. Last season he compiled 523 runs in 13 innings at an average of 58.11 for Jamaica Scorpions.

His cause was aided when left-handers Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer — along with pacer Keemo Paul — pulled out due to concerns surrounding the novel coronavirus.

Bonner made his first class debut 10 years ago as a talented youngster, but up to last season the right-hand batsman had largely flattered to deceive in over 60 matches. A lone century, while playing for West Indies A, was the only three-figure score to his name.

He has since identified lack of focus as the major shortcoming during that sputtering spell.

The transformation began toward the backend of the 2018-19 campaign. And during last season’s regional 50-over tournament — which preceded the four-day competition — he delivered consistent knocks in line with the promise he showed years ago.

He rode that confident wave into the four-day tournament, and by the end of the season, he had proven himself among the more technically-adept batsmen in the region, at ease against pace and spin.

He had two hundreds and two half centuries to show for it.

“Bonner has been around for a while. He had a very good first class year… obviously the selectors are rewarding people who’ve done well. Bonner has been given this opportunity and hopefully he can grab it and can continue to work hard,” Estwick, an assistant to Head Coach Phil Simmons, said.

The Jason Holder-captained team claimed the Wisden Trophy after shocking England 2-1 in the Caribbean last year. But West Indies have not won a Test series on English soil since 1988.

The upcoming Test matches are to be played behind closed doors in biosecure facilities, to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus which has killed approximately 42,000 people in the United Kingdom.

The first Test is to start July 8 at Ageas Bowl in Southampton, while the second and third matches are slated for Old Trafford, beginning July 16 and 24, respectively. Both venues have hotels on site.