Shane Dowrich, the most capped West Indies Test wicketkeeper/batter in the last seven years, is set to return to first-class cricket for the first time in 14 months as star-studded Barbados Pride prepare for the rescheduled February 9 start of the six-team regional Championship, which they are proudly defending.That’s the word from chairman of the Barbados selectors Henderson Broomes, who has explained reasons for Dowrich’s absence from both the aborted Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) four-team Legends Cup after only one round in late November because of covid-19 concerns, and the just concluded four-day practice match.The 30-year-old Dowrich played the last of 35 Tests in the first week of December 2020 against New Zealand when he injured his finger in the first innings of the opening match at Seddon Park in Hamilton.He was unable to bat in the match, which West Indies lost by an innings and 134 runs, and soon returned home.Since then, he has had no cricket of note and with the Barbados selectors having met this week to discuss the squad, Broomes said Dowrich’s no-show in the recent Barbados practice match at Desmond Haynes Oval was due to him recovering from Covid-19, which also sidelined fast bowler Keon Harding and left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican.“Dowrich, Harding and Warrican have been now all cleared to resume practice and are fully fit,” Broomes told this columnist in a wide-ranging interview.
