Andre Coley has been appointed as the interim coach of the West Indies men’s team for the upcoming tour of South Africa, Cricket West Indies announced on Wednesday.
Following a meeting of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Board of Directors on Monday, December 19, the CWI announced that Coley will oversee the two-Test tour of Zimbabwe from January 28 to February 16, as well as the multi-format tour of Africa and South, which includes two Tests, three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20 Internationals (T20Is) from February 21 to October 28.
Coley said he was honored to be considered for the job.
“To be asked to oversee the West Indies team in the upcoming tour to Zimbabwe and South Africa is a special honour,” he said. “West Indies cricket holds a special place in my heart. The upcoming task will be challenging as we will face two teams in their home conditions. We will need to ensure that our planning and preparation are adequate and demonstrate consistency in the implementation of these plans to give ourselves the best chance of achieving positive results.”
Coley said he is confident the players are eager to find success in the tournament.
“The players, I’m sure, are enthusiastic about the opportunities that both series have to offer and are eager to contribute to the success of our team,” he said.
“I look forward to the upcoming tournaments and the opportunity to make a tangible and meaningful contribution to the growth of West Indies cricket.”
Meanwhile, the experience of Jimmy Adams, CWI Director of Cricket Coley should serve him well in this task that CWI has entrusted to him.
“We welcome Andrei back into the West Indies dressing room and with his wealth of knowledge of the game, player management skills, dedication and hard work and attention to detail, we know he is equipped good,” Adams said.
“He is a highly experienced coach who has operated at every level within the CWI High Performance Pathway. This has prepared him for the job at hand and we expect him to once again approach this new role with the same energy and zeal that has characterized his time in the CWI coaching system and earned him the respect of the players and all those with whom he interacted. “
Coley, a former Jamaica goalkeeper/striker, is currently the Head Coach of the CWI Academy program.
While Andre Coley fulfills the interim role, CWI High Performance Manager Graeme West will oversee the West Indies Academy program and will be supported by Adams to ensure there is no disruption to the Academy program during the period.
Coley previously served as Assistant Head of Academy and Interim Head of Academy when the Sagicor Academy was launched in 2010. He was also Head Coach of the West Indies U19 Team; Assistant coach of the West Indies men’s and women’s teams, as well as the Head Coach of the Jamaica Scorpions and Windward Islands Volcanoes, who were the champions of the 2018 Super50 Cup.
In 2016, he was the Assistant Coach of the West Indies Men’s Team which won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and earlier this year he was the Assistant Coach of the Jamaica Tallawahs when they won the Caribbean Premier League title.
CWI also confirmed that the contracts of assistant coaches Roddy Estwick and Monty Desai had ended.
“I would like to thank Roddy and Monty for their hard work and dedication in supporting the team over the last few years and wish them the best in the future,” said Adams.
TOUR SCHEDULES
West Indies to Zimbabwe
January 28 to 31: four-day warm-up at Bulawayo Athletic Sports Club
4 to 8 February: 1st Test at Queens Sports Club
February 12 to 16: 2nd Test at Queens Sports Club
West Indies to South Africa
February 21 to 24: vs South Africa Invitational XI at Willowmoore Park, Benoni
February 28 to March 4: First Test at SuperSport Park, Centurion
8-12 March: 2nd Test at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
March 16: 1st ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)
March 18: 2nd ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)
March 21: 3rd ODI at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom
March 25: 1st T20 is at SuperSport Park, Centurion
March 26: 2nd T20I at SuperSport Park, Centurion
March 28: 3rd T20I at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (night)
