Sunday 15 June 2014 16:24, UK
West Indies have brought uncapped duo Jermaine Blackwood and Leon Johnson into their squad for the second Test against New Zealand at Queens Park Oval which begins on Monday.
The batting pair come in at the expense of opener Kieran Powell and the experienced Marlon Samuels following the disappointing 186-run defeat in last week’s first Test in Jamaica.
Jamaican right-hander Blackwood has been in scintillating form domestically, finishing the 2014 campaign with innings of 94 and 118 in the regional final against the Windward Islands in St Lucia.
The 22-year-old further enhanced his international prospects after notching almost 400 runs for the West Indies High Performance Centre in their recent series against Bangladesh A.
Guyanese left-hander Johnson averages 33.18 from 50 first-class matches since making his national debut as a teenager in 2004.
The 26-year-old, who played for West Indies in a One-Day International tournament against Bermuda and Canada in 2008, also spent three seasons playing in the Kent Cricket League for Sandwich Town.
Samuels, a 52-Test veteran, was dropped after recording his first “pair” in international cricket, while Powell only managed 28 in his two innings against New Zealand.
Both newcomers are expected to play, with pressure on the West Indies to square the series ahead of the third and final Test in Barbados, beginning June 26.
New Zealand are likely to be unchanged following the victory in Kingston, only their second Test match victory on six tours to the Caribbean.
Test squads
West Indies: Denesh Ramdin (captain), Chris Gayle, Kraigg Brathwaite, Kirk Edwards, Darren Bravo, Jermaine Blackwood, Leon Johnson, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn, Shane Shillingford, Jason Holder, Shannon Gabriel.
New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (captain), Tom Latham, Peter Fulton, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Jimmy Neesham, B.J. Watling, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Mark Craig, Trent Boult, Corey Anderson, Hamish Rutherford, Luke Ronchi, Neil Wagner.
Watch the match live on Sky Sports 3, with coverage from 2.55pm on Monday
