DEONARINE, BERNARD GET WEST INDIES RECALL

Apr 07, 2009 Sports

No place for Barath or Daren Bravo

Narsingh Deonarine

The West Indies selectors have recalled prolific Guyanese left-hander Narsingh Deonarine and Jamaican all-rounder David Bernard in a 17-man squad for the Test series in England but have surprisingly left out talented teenager Adrian Barath.
The 25-year-old Deonarine who played the last of his four Tests in Sri Lanka in 2005 virtually picked himself with 1,068 runs this season while the 27-year-old Bernard who played his only Test in Trinidad six years ago has also had a very impressive season with both bat and ball.
The omission of the 18-year-old Barath is surprising since he has scored two centuries and four fifties this season and is one of the more level-headed young batsmen in the region. In a squad of 17 a place should have been found for him since practicing with the team in the English conditions even if he did not play in the Tests would have been beneficial to his development as an opening batsman.

Dwayne Bravo who played in the recent ODI series against England has been left out of the Test series since according to the WICB, a medical panel feels he is not sufficiently recovered from his ankle surgery.
Bravo’s younger brother, teenager Daren Bravo, could also consider himself a bit unlucky to have missed out after scoring two centuries and two fifties this season when players like Dale Richards who turns 33 in July and only has four first class tons has been selected to possible make his Test debut in England.
The naturally talented but inconsistent Devon Smith gets another chance to revive his Test career while 24-year-old Lendl Simmons who made his Test debut last month in his homeland Trinidad, has also been selected.

Grenada’s 21-year-old Nelon Pacal has been rewarded for his good work this season with his ability to generate genuine pace this tour could be an important one for him.
Twenty-seven-year-old Jamaican Andrew Richardson has also bowled well this season and gets a chance to make his Test debut, while 24 year-old Lionel Baker gets to further enhance his two-Test career.
Pascal, Richardson and Richards are the uncapped players in the squad for the two-Test series which starts with the first test from May 6 at Lords.

The second Test will be played from May 14 before the three-match ODI series commences on May 21`.
Selector, Guyanese Clyde Butts, said, “This year Richardson has been bowling very well and deserves his selection. He is tall, accurate and has the ability to get wicket at crucial stages in the game. Pascal has been doing well and he has some pace and can be a handful. The selectors believe he should be given the chance to grow and feature at the international level.”
“Bernard has been out for a while, but over the years has been a consistent performer for Jamaica and this year has come to the show,” Butts added. “Deonarine has made over 1 000 and has batted really well.
We felt he needed to get scores and take his game to another level and he did just that. He has been consistent and deserves this chance.”

Chris Gayle will have Denesh Ramdin as his Vice-Captain while senior players Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan will be expected to continue their important contributions with the bat in the same way that Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards should be banked on to spearhead the fast bowling attack.
The full squad read: Chris Gayle (Captain), Denesh Ramdin (Vice Captain), Lionel Baker, Sulieman Benn, David Bernard, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Fidel Edwards, Brendan Nash, Nelon Pascal, Dale Richards, Andrew Richardson, Darren Sammy, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.
Test Tour schedule
April 21-23: vs Leicestershire at Grace Road
April 25-27: vs Essex at Chelmsford
April 30 to May 3: vs England Lions at County Ground, Derby
April 6-10: 1st Test at Lord’s
April 14-18: 2nd Test at Chester-le-Street
(Sean Devers in Jamaica)