(CMC) – Chief selector Roger Harper said West Indies are keen to put behind them this week’s ban from training by health authorities and to focus on the real mission on the Tour of New Zealand.

Health officials in the country prevented the Windies from training for the last few days because members of the squad had “contravened” strict guidelines in their managed isolation facility under COVID-19 protocols.

But Harper, who is travelling with the team in New Zealand, said that it has not distracted the team too much.

“I have been an observer at our training and practice sessions within the bubble that I’m assigned to and I must say the practice sessions were very exciting; so we’re very keen on looking forward to the assignment ahead,” he told the media during a video conference on Thursday.

The players and support staff who endured the managed isolation for the past two weeks were given a clean bill of health, after their third and final round of COVID-19 tests all returned negative for the virus.

This will be a great relief to the players and support staff because it will allow them greater freedom of movement to train and prepare for their series of three Twenty20 Internationals and two Tests against the Black Caps, and the ability to freely leave the isolation facility and mix with the general population.

“What (the ban) has done, it has affected our preparations because the squad had not been able to train for the last couple of days,” Harper said.

“But like everything else, I think it is an opportunity for us to learn when we deviate from plans how it affects the team as a whole and I think that will help to sharpen us and keep us more focussed going ahead.”

The squad was scheduled to fly to the southern island city of Queenstown yesterday for two red-ball matches against New Zealand ‘A’ from November 20 to 22 and November 26 to 29 at the John Davies Oval.

Nine other Windies players, who took part in the Indian Premier League (IPL), including Test captain Jason Holder and Twenty20 International captain Kieron Pollard, arrived in Auckland on Wednesday from Dubai.

They are now undergoing a 14-day period of managed isolation at the same hotel where the others were located.

The period of managed isolation will end one day before the Windies meet the Black Caps in the first Twenty20 International of a three-match series on November 27 at Eden Park in Auckland.