The West Indies cricket stars have arrive safely in the UK for their three-Test tour behind closed doors, making history in the process.
The 25-man squad with enough reserves to enable them to train and play two practice matches against each other before the first Test landed at Manchester Airport before being transferred to Old Trafford where they will stay in quarantine for the next three weeks before moving to the Ageas Bowl.
The tour party led by all rounder Jason Holder wore face masks as they became the first international sports team of any kind to move around the world in order to fulfil fixtures that have widely been decimated by the coronavirus pandemic.
And it is with that pioneering spirit that Windies board chairman Ricky Skerritt bid them farewell from the Caribbean on their transatlantic overnight charter.
“West Indies are defending champions of the Wisden Trophy. Players who are now travelling to England, for no doing of theirs and for no fault of theirs, will find themselves in the middle of history,” Skerritt told cricinfo.
“I am pretty confident the players and management understand the historic aspect of this tour.
“The world of cricket will be happy to see cricket restarting, but not at all costs. Covid-19 risk had to be addressed and we are confident that the key elements and protocols have been put in place.
“To me, the psychological concerns about Covid-19 will lessen as the players get settled in. Their bigger pressures would be related to playing their best cricket.
“And getting to a point, within just three weeks to be precise, to be ready to put out their best efforts, having not played any competitive cricket for three months.
“That is not easy for any cricketer, much less a young cricketer without vast experience. So it will soon become more of a cricket challenge than a health-related challenge, in my opinion.”
The squad arrived without three players who would have made the tour but have stayed behind due to concerns over coronavirus, and there is little doubt that the quality of their side will be reduced by the absence of Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul.
However the Windies always save their best for England, and such is the rich and complex history between the two regions, there is no doubt the competitive juices will flow strongly over the next two months.
