West Indies have appointed Trevor Penney as the new men's assistant coach on a two-year contract. Penney's area of expertise is fielding, and he will work with the team for the white-ball formats (ODIs and T20Is).

The 51-year-old will join the West Indies team on January 2 as they start preparations for the upcoming home series against Ireland where the two teams will face each other in three ODIs and as many T20Is from January 7 to 19.

"I'm thrilled and excited to be given this opportunity to work with this brilliant bunch of cricketers and staff led by Kieron Pollard and Phil Simmons. I've been lucky enough over the last few years to work with several members of the squad and the Caribbean is like 'home away from home' for me being involved in the CPL," Penney said. 

"We have two big T20 World Cups coming up (in Australia 2020 and India 2021) and it's my aim to try and improve everybody and be as good as we can and hopefully win those two major ICC events for the great people of the West Indies," he added.

Penney has a strong record as a successful coach with various teams around the world. He is also a former player for Warwickshire county cricket club where he played 158 first-class matches and 291 List A matches in a career which spanned close to two decades. He has worked with several international teams as well with franchise teams. He was head coach of Sri Lanka, fielding coach of India, and consultant coach to the Netherlands.

He also served as assistant coach at King's XI Punjab, Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League; as well as assistant coach with the St Lucia Zouks and St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Most recently he was part of the Barbados Trident coaching staff during their successful campaign in the 2019 CPL.

West Indies head coach, Phil Simmons said: "Trevor is an excellent coach and has demonstrated this everywhere he has worked. He has huge experience with Sri Lanka and India at the highest international level, and in most T20 leagues around the world including the CPL. He brings enormous energy and is very well respected by all the players."