Questionnable Choices In Announced West Indies A Team Squad.
Back in the halcyon days of West Indies cricket, when our teams ruled the international cricket world, it used to be that whenever a squad was selected for an overseas tour there would be at most one or two players whose inclusion would be questionable. Not so in more recent times and especially since the appointment of former West Indies Test opener Desmond Haynes as Selection Chair and his Barbadian compatriot Roland Butch as his Co-Selector. Squads chosen by these two now invariably seem to raise more than a few eyebrows, while causing astonishment over the merits of some included players to become the topic of the day among thousands of West Indies cricket fans and ardent followers.
The most recent example of this increasingly disturbing trend was provided by the Haynes-headed, Butcher-inclusive Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel’s announced fifteen-man squad for the West Indies “A” Team tour of Bangladesh. The selected squad, which is to be led by Joshua Da Silva, the West Indies Test wicket-keeper/batter for its three four-day “Test” matches against Bangladesh “A” starting on 16 May, includes no less than four contentious selections. Choices which have left many a West Indian cricket aficionado shaking their heads in utter disbelief! Foremost among them, no less than the veteran internationally revered and respected former Radio Commentator, Joseph “Reds” Perriera
Along with Da Silva, the 15-member squad includes other players with West Indies Test match experience: left-handed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, left-handed allrounder Raymon Reifer, fast bowler Anderson Phillip and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie.
The squad also includes three newcomers to the international level: openers Kirk McKenzie and Zachary McCaskie, as well as fast bowler Jair McAllister. All three made their first-class debuts during the West Indies Championship four-day first-class tournament earlier this year.
The announced full squad is as follows: Joshua DaSilva (Captain), Alick Athanaze, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Tevin Imlach, Akeem Jordan, Brandon King, Jair McAllister, Zachary McCaskie Kirk McKenzie, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer and Kevin Sinclair
In announcing the squad Lead Selector, the Most Honorable Dr Desmond Haynes, stated that the aim was to pick a balanced team as they look to expose the players to overseas conditions. Despite’ Haynes’ provided explanation, given that the selected squad is supposed to be for an A Team developmental tour to Bangladesh, one of the few Test-playing countries currently ranked lower than the West Indies, some of the inclusions can only now be best described as incredulous!
The choice of the West Indies’ incumbent Test wicket-keeper batsman Josh DaSilva to lead the side is perfectly understandable. He is obviously now being viewed as a potential future West Indies captain. Hopefully, as captain, he will also use the tour to provide himself with the responsibility of coming higher in the batting order, possibly at number five.
The inclusion of the two other current West Indies Test players: Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Gudakesh Motie is perfectly understandable as well. The provided match play exposure should prove to be most valuable for their respective preparations for the upcoming Home Series against India.
Chanderpaul has been short of runs of late in his most recent outings. Motie on the other hand is still trying to recover fully from his most recent injury. He also always bowls much better when he’s had a good few successive matches under his belt.
Those three as well as quite a few of the other inclusions such as those of Alick Athanaze, Bandon King, Tevin Imlach, Akeem Jordan, Jair McAllister, Kirk McKenzie and Kevin Sinclair are, however, the sum total of the favourable and fully agreeable selections. The remainder are again highly dubious and extraordinarily befuddling.
It is incomprehensible that at this stage of their respective carriers, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Anderson Phillip and Raymon Reifer should all still find themselves included on a supposedly West Indies A Team developmental tour. All four have had more than sufficient chances to demonstrate their worth to the Selectors. Their respective performances have just as clearly shown that they are simply not Test match material. Why then continue to provide each of them with even further opportunities and particularly so at the expense of much younger more promising players?
As Reds has correctly suggested, Cariah’s inclusion is an absolute mystery. As a 30-year-old Cariah has so far only taken 59 wickets in 73 First-Class matches at an average of 33. As a batsman, Cariah has scored 2994 runs with five centuries in 120 innings at an average of 28. Moreover, having not featured at all in the recently-concluded Headley-Weekes Tri Series, Cariah’s inclusion in the squad has come as a major surprise to most, including the clearly astonished Reds.
“I was surprised that Cariah has been selected again. This is almost a mystery. He has been in and out and has not really performed. The side already has two spinners in (Gudakesh) Motie and Sinclair. It is a short tour; do you need a leg-spinner which will shorten the batting on a short tour?” the veteran commentator questioned.
“Reds” has also correctly questioned the inclusion of Ramon Reifer, very accurately noting that he is not the dominant traditional number three as was seen in previous West Indies teams. Reds further suggests that Reifer’s selection could now be an indication that he will be Haynes-Butcher’s first choice as the West Indies number three, not only for the Bangladesh A tour but further beyond as well.
“The inclusion of (Raymon) Reifer indicates that the Selectors have decided that he will be the number three, not only in Bangladesh, but against India, and beyond. Reifer is not a number three that is going to dominate if you had a bad start. Reifer is going to drop anchor, and he may get 20 from 80 balls. He will not dominate; he will put undue pressure on the rest of the batting. I think the selectors made an error. The selectors have not developed a (dominant) number three in the tradition of the outstanding number three the West Indies have had for a long time,” “Reds” added.
Most West Indies cricket fans and followers would now be in total agreement with Reds. Brandon King, who has also been included in the squad is far better suited as a potential, bowling-dominating number three than Reifer with his very limited stroke play could ever hope to be.
Concerning Reifer’s questionable, likely insignificant, contributions as a left-arm seamer, the far more promising, pacy and penetrative Dominic Drakes would have been a much better choice. Drakes often showed but his pace and penetration during the Headley-Weekes Tris Series, troubling batsmen with his admirable lines and lengths while effecting key dismissals in the process.
After finishing second in the rankings for the Headley Weekes Tri Series highest run scorers, Kevlon Anderson surely should also have warranted being included ahead of Keacy Carty. Says Reds “I did not see Carty getting in ahead of Anderson. Carty had his chances and has not taken advantage. He is young enough to come back. Certainly, Anderson should have been on the plane to Bangladesh.”
In addition to the included Jair McAllister there were also some other very promising seamers on display during the Headley-Weekes Tri Series, particularly from within the Academy team. Anyone of Nyeem Young, Johann Layne or Kelvin Pitman would have been a much better selection than the already repeatedly tried Anderson Phillip.
A most wonderfully created opportunity to provide promising emerging younger players with valuable overseas touring exposure, completely wasted. Some correct choices yes, but yet again also far too many incomprehensible squad inclusions from Chairman Haynes and his fellow Selector Roland Butcher.