“For 2016 and 2017, West Indies needs two years of rebuilding!”

Jan 10, 2016 Sports

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First, an apology, Last week, I suggested that West Indies Cricket Board-NAGICO Super-50 50-overs 2016 competition presently being played could be used as preparations for not only ICC World T-20 in India, in March and April next, but for ICC Champions Trophy 2017 in England and ICC World Cup 2019 in that same country.
That is incorrect. I had forgotten that WI, surprise winners of Champions Trophy 2004, while making miniscule ODI progress, did not qualify for that next wonderful eight-team tournament, as WI are now ranked a dismal ninth in the ODI world!
What a distant, luxurious memory that has become, WI winning that pulsating final at Kennignton Oval, London; third ODI championship after ICC CWC 1975 and 1979; that September evening, courtesy of now WI selector Courtney Browne and left-arm medium pacer Ian Bradshaw.
So, world tournaments for WI to look forward to are, ICC CWC 2019 and ICC World T-20 later this year, perhaps hoping for a repeat of that exhilarating success at ICC W-T-20 2012 in Sri Lanka. But much has changed for WI in three years since that fourth international success!
This upcoming two-year lull should give WI senior men’s team time to breathe, after putrid returns from most recent tours – South Africa, Sri Lanka, Australia – plus tours of the Caribbean by England and Australia. WI only drew one and won one of nine Tests played in those tours!
That is why that fifteen-man list suggested by WICB as being retained for 2016, the first of what could be a two-year rebuilding period, while including some enterprising players, is confusing.  Some participants of those tours, at home and away, deserve nothing more than being dropped for non-performances. Several do not deserve continuing contracts just for failure!
Is this list for 2016 really about players performing in WI’s future and especially for the next two years in WI men’s cricket, or is this list just allowing for some gratuities, players’ pensions and a benefit year for several barely surviving veterans on their last legs?
What exactly are these fifteen players selected supposed to achieve?  Will these fifteen, with a few additions, take West Indies into battle when India comes, then for the rest of international cricket in 2016 and 2017.  Surely these cannot be the best fifteen cricketers that WI now has!
One has to believe that this list was submitted for ratification by WI selectors headed by Clive Lloyd, including Browne, Eldine Baptiste and Courtney Walsh, with recommendations from head-coach Phil Simmons, bowling coach (Sir) Curtly Ambrose and assistant-coach Stuart Williams. With respect, do these men see the same cricket that I, if no-one else, see?
Remember, these selectors incredibly dropped no-one for that shambolic tour of Australia after WI had been badly outplayed in Sri Lanka 2-0; by an innings and six runs, and then by a relatively closer seventy-one runs. Did that entire team deserve to go to Australia?  Nah!
Some WI players; Darren Bravo, Jason Holder and Kraigg Brathwaite especially; came from Australia with credit, but some who deserve further inclusions for their efforts, like the effervescent new all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite of Barbados, and surprise success, Windward Islands’ Jomel Warrican, do not feature. Why not?
Indeed, that list does not include any left-arm spinner at all, those who have, recently, proved so lethal whenever they were selected. There is no place for ever-green Sulimann Benn, Warrican or Veerasammy Permaul, all of whom have out-bowled, and out-lasted the always injured and regular passenger, right-arm leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo. Nonsense!
Warrican, in his 25th year, is already nicely primed, with eleven wickets from his four Tests to date. Surely he must be encouraged on. This guy is a very good prospect. Similarly, Permaul is just in his 27th year, maturing nicely, with eighteen wickets from six Tests, yet he too was excluded. Benn might be a bit long in the tooth, but there is still so much fight left in him.
Maybe WI selectors see regular mirages, as no opening pair anywhere in world cricket would be shaking in their boots to face so-called fast-men Jerome Taylor, Shannon Gabriel or Kemar Roach.
Taylor has played 46 Tests for 130 wickets at 34.46 runs, a return of less than three wickets per Test. Roach is just better, with 122 wickets from 37 Tests, three wickets per Test, but has taken only four wickets in his last six Tests and none at all in Australia.
Gabriel, if he ever gets fit, since he seems, like Bishoo, to always be somewhat injured, averages two wickets per Test. Indeed, all three should be skating on very thin ice, for while Taylor may have done relatively well early in 2015, by the end of last year, all three had become practically useless as fast bowlers, not even taking the shine off of the ball properly.
And what of wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin and batsman Marlon Samuels, both somehow still surviving, while Rajendra Chandrika has not been convincing; a wicket waiting to happen. At least Leon Johnson, the best WI batsman not consistently selected in 2015, is, thankfully, back!
From this list, WI’s plans for at least the next year look decidedly cloudy! Enjoy!

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