Leon Johnson to lead President's XI against Australia

Leon Johnson will lead the President’s XI

St. John's (Antigua), May 16 (IANS) Promising Guyanese batsman Leon Johnson has been appointed captain of the President's XI to play a tour match against Australia ahead of their Caribbean Test series beginning next month.

Johnson will lead a 13-man squad to play the Australians in a three-day tour match at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground here from May 27 to 29. Opener Johnson became the 300th player to represent West Indies in Test cricket when he made the starting XI for the second Test against Bangladesh in September 2014, reports CMC.

He has played four Tests and scored 275 runs at an average of 39.28 with a highest score of 66. No other player in the 13-member squad has represented West Indies in Tests.

Barbados all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite will serve as his vice-captain in a squad that also includes Trinidad and Tobago batsman Jason Mohammed. Also included is Trinidad and Tobago leg-spinner Imran Khan.

The tour match will be Australia's lone warm-up for the Test series which bowls off on June 3 at Windsor Park in Dominica. The second Test will take place at Sabina Park in Jamaica from June 11.

President's XI squad: Leon Johnson (captain), Carlos Brathwaite (vice-captain), Sharmarh Brooks, Rajindra Chandrika, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Jason Dawes, Shane Dowrich, Imran Khan, Marquino Mindley, Jason Mohammed, Tyrone Theophile, Jomel Warrican.