By David Jackson
The Caribbean Premier League ended with
a victory for the Guyana Amazon Warriors
in the final. The Warriors fully deserved to be
champions. They were the best team in the
tournament. Imran Tahir, the highly experienced,
43-year-old, former South African cricketer did a
great job as captain of the team. It was great to
see the Warriors finally becoming champions after
being defeated in five previous CPL finals and
they did so in emphatic style. They convincingly
defeated Trinidad and Tobago Knight Riders.
CPL 2023 provided an opportunity for the
selectors to look more closely at the players,
with the hope of selecting the best squad of
15 to compete against England later this year
and Australia next year. West Indies will play
England in a 5-match T201 series beginning
on the 12th of December. They will then face
Australia in a three-match T20 series from the
9th to the 13th of February. From these T20
series the West Indies selectors would be able
to decide the squad for the upcoming T20
WORLD CUP IN 2024
The 15 players who I believe merit selection
at this time are: Rovman Powell (captain),
Brandon King, Andre Fletcher, Shai Hope,
Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Fabian
Allen, Romario Shepherd, Alzarri Joseph,
Jason Holder, Akeil Hossein, Gudakesh Motie,
Keacy Carty, Oshane Thomas, and Allick
Athanaze. One of the main disappointment
of the recently concluded CPL was the poor
form of Evin Lewis with the bat. Fans across
the region were hoping that he performed
well to reclaim his spot as an opening partner
of Brandon King. It was not to be. Evin looked
like a mere shadow of his former self. Another
disappointment was the bowling of Obed
McCoy. Obed McCoy seems unsettled in
mind and lacking in confidence. He had
established himself as one of the main wicket taking
bowlers for West Indies in T20s but sadly
his was completely off and he did not use his
arsenal of variations to good effect. What is
the problem with Obed I wonder?
We now come to Kyle Mayers. Mayers in
the team was clear as crystal. Be aggressive
at the top of the order and give the team
a great start in the power play. Mayers
would often get off to a flying start, then throw away his
wicket needlessly. What is wrong with this guy? Surely the
selectors would not keep him in the squad now? What
possible reason can they give to select Mayers again?
This has to be it for Mayers! He has clearly shown that he
is not international material. I say no more on him. What
about Johnson Charles though? After all someone has
to open with Brandon King. Charles performed fairly well
in this tournament, but age is not on his Side. I prefer to
see the selectors investing in younger players like Keacy
Carty or Allick Athanaze. Carty is a solid middle order
batsman who can be quite useful in building partnerships in the middle. Hence the reason I included him in my 15.
If Mayers and Charles are omitted, how do we solve the
problem of an opening partner for Brandon King? Andre
Fletcher may be added to the squad for that purpose,but I fail to see how he can make the starting X1. Shai
Hope should open the innings with King.
Now, what about Roston Chase? Chase did not produce
much in this tournament. I included Fabian Allen in
the squad to replace Roston Chase. Fabian is a more
valuable player; a useful spinner, explosive lower order
finisher and a magnificent fielder. His energy in the field
is contagious. Allen should not be omitted from any West
Indies T20 squad. Never! In addition to the inclusion of
Allen, I mentioned two other spinners in Akeil Hossein
and Gudakesh Motie. Both are good wicket-takers who
can be quite useful in breaking partnerships. In the fast
bowling department Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph are
sure picks. No one should even attempt to argue with
that. Romario Shepherd has improved so well that he
is now a great asset to the team, as a medium-paced
bowler and a destructive lower order batsman. Oshane
Thomas is my final pick for the past bowlers. I am seeing
some improvement in his bowling. He is less wayward,
trying his best to maintain good line and length but he
is still bowling to many no balls. He should remain in the
squad however. We may need that raw pace when
the wicket is fast-paced and helpful to the fast bowlers.
Finally, as we look forward to the ICC T20 World Cup next
year West Indies need to assess their level of preparedness
for that tournament. West Indies are out of this year’s ODI
World, after failing to qualify in the Qualifier tournament in
Zimbabwe earlier this year, and that probably will play on
their minds a bit. They, however, must put that behind them
and prepare well for the T20 World Cup.
We will be playing at home so the home advantage
should give the players some
degree of confidence to do
well. West Indies are ranked 7th
inT20s, just above Sri Lanka at 8th
and just below South Africa at 6.
Despite the recent series victory
over India, the no. 1 ranked T20
team in the world it will take a
great and determined effort from
our West Indies to lift the trophy
next year, or even come close to
doing so.
The tournament will be played at
seven venues in the Caribbean
and three in the USA. The
Caribbean countries hosting
the matches are: Antigua and
Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica,
Trinidad and Tobago and St.
Vincent and the Grenadines.
After a long drought, International
Cricket has returned to the Arnos
Vale Playing Field in St. Vincent which has staged some rather interesting
matches in the past. I will always remember that
exciting low-scoring ODI match in 1981 between
West Indies and England at the Arnos Vale Playing
Field. After being bowled out for a mere 127 runs
in their innings, West Indies found themselves in
the difficult position of defending a low score. The
spectators…and there were many in the stands
and on the grounds… remained to watch to
the end of the exciting match. After all, the West
Indies had a potent four-prong fast bowling attack
of Roberts, Holding, Garner and Croft. It came
right down to the 19th over with England 9 wickets
down and wanting only 4 runs to win. Clive Lloyd
found himself in a tricky position. Five bowlers were
used, and three: Roberts, Garner and Kallicharan
had already bowled their 10 overs. It left two
bowlers; Holding and Croft with one more over
each to finish their 10 overs. Who should bowl
the 19th over? Croft had the best figures in the
match of 9 overs 4 maidens 15 runs 6 wickets while
Holding had 2 wickets for 30 runs off his 9 overs. The
crowd shouted to captain Clive Lloyd to give the
ball to Colin Croft for that crucial 19th over, but
Lloyd handed the ball to Michael Holding.
There were long shouts of nooooooooooo! right
around the playing field. “Nooooooo! Give the
ball to Croft! The noooooooo turn to screams of
joy when Holding rocked back the stumps of Chris
Old in the second ball of the over. West Indies
won in nail-biting encounter. So, as a Vincentian,
I say with pride and happiness, Welcome back
to International Cricket at the Arnos Vale Playing
Field!