'We'll play Test in Shillingford's honour'

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Cricket365
December 17, 2013

West Indies manager Richie Richardson says they will play the third Test against New Zealand for spinner Shane Shillingford, after he was suspended by the ICC for an illegal bowling action earlier this week.

Shillingford, the Windies' top wicket-taker this year, was suspended from all international cricket until another report could be made, while Marlon Samuels was banned from bowling his quicker deliveries.

The Black Caps lead the series one-nil after their huge win in Wellington, and will go into the third and final Test in Hamilton full of confidence as Shillingford had proven to be a real handful.

Richardson said: "We realise it's very important for us to focus on the test match starting in a couple of days' time, we need to win this test match, and we don't have Shane but we're going to do it for him.

"It's sad but you're playing at the highest level, you're playing international cricket, and you can't afford to go into a test match with things at the back of your mind.

"You've just got to focus on what's ahead of you, and our focus right now is to win this test match and win it for Shane."

Windies coach Ottis Gibson said he was surprised by the ICC's findings, saying: "Though I felt confident about the way the two players performed at the testing, the report did not come back in our favour.

"Shane is obviously gutted, but Marlon's role in the team, as I have said previously, is primarily as a batsman, so the impact on him is a little bit less.

"They are both tough characters and have had their share of ups and downs in the game over the years. We have no doubt that they will emerge from this latest setback with the utmost confidence."