“EMOTIONS WILL BE HIGH”

Wednesday marks the return of international cricket after more than 100 days, when the West Indies take over England in the first game of the three-Test series on Southampton. There will be no saliva on the ball, no fans in the stadium, no high fives after a wicket, and no hugs after a ton. It is the post-Covid-19 world order.

The West Indies, led by Jason Holder, has taken a huge leap of faith by visiting the UK in the midst of a pandemic and now the cricket world looks at them to show the path. In an email interview Holder Mirror talks about life in the time of coronavirus.

It’s been a while since you’ve been in England. How different is it from normal times?

The obvious thing is that we cannot leave the hotel. While guys had already made a few shopping or golf trips by now, we had to stay on site at Old Trafford (in Manchester). However, we enjoy each other’s company more than ever and the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) has created a fantastic playroom where the team has spent a lot of time.

What were personally the factors you considered before starting this tour?

We certainly had questions, especially from a health and safety point of view, but I think CWI (Cricket West Indies) and the ECB did one great job to answer them. Everything was put on the table before departure and no one was forced to make the journey.

You are limited to a hotel grounds, unlike regular tours. This can have psychological consequences. What are you doing about that?

The majority of Caribbean countries have recently gone through a lockdown / curfew period, and most squadrons were not allowed to train as regularly as they would like. So this situation is actually more comfortable. Once we got here, the team was excited and ready to get back into the game and work on their cricket skills again. Outside of the training, the playroom has been a real success. We have dominoes, a golf simulator, table tennis, darts, pool and lots of other games in that space.

How do you ensure social distance during a match? Isn’t celebrating part of the training process now?


Initially, we had to apply a very strict training protocol and the use of Personal Protective Equipment. However, we have all now tested negative for COVID-19 at least four times since they have been trapped in the bubble and we are considered a family. Therefore, some of those restrictions have been relaxed.

Can you shed some light on how the ball behaves during training without saliva being allowed now?

It is certainly something we have to get used to. However, it is not as if the ban only exists for us. So we just have to work continuously with sweat and hopefully we can achieve the desired results. We’ve strictly banned the use of saliva from the start of the tour, and our bowlers still get the ball to do a few things during net sessions.

How aware are the bowlers during practice sessions about not using saliva?

We adjusted fairly well. I personally haven’t seen anyone using saliva on their ball, nor have I heard any complaints.

Could the opportunity that the return of international cricket after almost four months amid a pandemic make the team better in terms of emotions?

Test cricket has its appeal and its own motivation. Once we cross that line, it’s all about representing ourselves, our families and the wonderful people of the West Indies. The emotions will run high, but we’ll use it to push ourselves forward and perform in our first run in a while.

A new normal, at least for the time being, is not spectators. Can playing outside be an advantage? What role does the audience play for a player?

I actually enjoy the presence of the crowd. I’ll probably sing a few songs from Barmy Army (England’s fan group) in my head while we’re on the field. I don’t see it as an advantage for either team. With the competitiveness of modern Test cricket, I think it will be a hotly contested battle. Hopefully everyone tunes in from home and gives us their support in every way possible.