Antiguan-born Sylvester Joseph had been there or thereabouts for West Indies ever since he toured Australia with the senior squad in 2000-01. He played a handful of one-day internationals with limited success, but finally made his Test debut in 2004, against England in the third Test at Old Trafford in the unfamilar role of an opening batsman.

He scored 45 and, but both his Test and one-day career were abruptly halted after a poor tour of Sri Lanka in 2005. Two solid domestic campaigns led to his recall for the England tour in 2007.