Barbados has yet another Test cricketer. Last night the 29-year-old Justin Greaves received his maroon cap ahead of the opening Test between hosts Australia and West Indies at the Adelaide Oval.
Named in the final eleven early yesterday morning, Greaves, a batting all-rounder, stepped out alongside fellow debutants Kavem Hodge and Shamar Joseph.
Hodge, a 30-year-old Dominican batting all-rounder, and Joseph, a 24-year-old Guyanese fast bowler graced Test cricket for the first time as West Indies started three uncapped players.
Overall, the West Indies team has a combined 235 Test caps between them, compared to Australia’s 689.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, 87, and fast bowler Kemar Roach, 79, share 166 of those 235 caps between them.
Greaves, who hails from St James, Barbados has featured in 37 First-Class and 46 List A matches before achieving his big moment.
His first-class batting average stands at 26.97 with one century and seven half-centuries, while his bowling average is 22.76 with a strike-rate of 48.6 having taken 76 wickets with four five-wicket hauls and one four-wicket haul.
Greaves recently enjoyed a splendid CG United Super50 Cup, helping runners-up Leeward Islands to the final, and finishing as the second highest run-scorer with 403 runs in seven innings at an average of 80.60.
Unfortunately, Greaves picked up a hamstring injury in said final which prevented possible selection to the West Indies One-day International squad which defeated visitors England 2-1.
Previously contracted by the Barbados Pride, Greaves now plies his trade for Leewards, after being released by the Windward Islands after the end of the 2022/2023 season, despite finishing as their top-wicket taker in the most recent 2023 West Indies Championship.
Greaves picked up 16 wickets in seven innings at an average of 16.06 with two five-wicket hauls against Guyana, and Jamaica against which he featured with career best bowling figures of six for 34.
With the bat, he averaged 25.66 across seven innings with a high score of 50.
The local Empire club 50-over captain is a former West Indies Under-19 cricketer who represented the region at the 2012 ICC Under-19 World Cup in Australia.
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