Bess heads changes to A Team 'Test' squad

ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

Brandon Bess is one of six players that will come into the West Indies A squad for the two four-day 'Tests' against Pakistan A to be contested in St Vincent.

The 22-year-old Bess made an unexpected senior Test debut last June against South Africa at Bridgetown's Kensington Oval, when a cricked neck during warm-ups on the opening day of the Test sidelined Nelon Pascal.

The beanpole fast bowler was rushed down from the West Indies High Performance Centre (HPC), which was taking place at the nearby University of the West Indies Cave Hill campus and asked to open the bowling with Kemar Roach against one of the most powerful batting line-ups in world cricket.

Clearly, Bess was punching above his weight, but he still managed to collar his maiden Test wicket, when he had Paul Harris caught at first slip for 11.

The second-string Pakistan side is not likely to pose the same challenge as Graeme Smith's side, but this provided Bess with a real opportunity to prove what he has learnt from that experience and from the three months he spent at the HPC. He and Shannon Gabriel, one of the most promising young fast bowlers in the region, as well as left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul are three more of the HPC inductees that have been given their chance in the 'Tests'.

Three others - vice-captain Jason Holder, Rajendra Chandrika and Kieran Powell - hold on to their places from the one-day squad, which lost the three-match one-day series against the visitors 2-0, after the first match ended in a tie.

Squad: David Bernard Jr (captain), Jason Holder (vice captain), Brandon Bess, Kraigg Brathwaite, Odean Brown, Rajendra Chandrika, Jonathan Carter, Kirk Edwards, Assad Fudadin, Shannon Gabriel, Kieran Powell, Veerasammy Permaul, Denesh Ramdin.