What will the selectors come up with’?

Jan 01, 2020 Sports

---

Asks Sean Devers

In March last year Guyana’s Captain Leon Johnson won his country’s fifth successive titles (2015-2019); one more than Tamar Lambert’ four and equalled Jamaica’s five-year run from 2008-2012 after Chris Gayle led Jamaica in 2008.

Johnson is arguable the best ‘Red Ball’ Captain in the Region, a hard worker, very knowledgeable about the game and even though his form has dipped in the last year or so he is still just 32 and should be the Captain once again.
But Johnson who has five centuries and 37 fifties from 109 First-Class games since making his debut in 2014, will be aware that his chances of regaining his place in the West Indies are getting slimmer as years continue to pass by.
However, 2020 is a new year and if he can score heavily he can get a recall. Narsingh Deonarine is the only Guyanese to score a 1,000 runs in a season when he recorded 1,068 runs in 2009, while Carl Hooper made 954 runs in the 2002 Busta Cup.
Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, who took over from Mahendra Nagamootoo in 2008, is the oldest member of the team at 34, but he has 117 Test wickets and 382 scalps from 100 First-Class matches and his presence in the team comes with a wealth of experience which the young spinners can learn from.
Nagamootoo was 31 when Bishoo replaced him but there are no young leg-spinners knocking on the door now. But Bishoo will need to replicate his 2015 season when he captured close to 60 wickets if he is to earn a Test recall.

Chris Barnwell is 32 but he has revived his Regional Career over the last two years with his positive batting and useful fast medium bowling and will be an asset, especially since Romario Shepherd and Keemo Paul could miss the first two games along with Shimron Hetymer. Sherfane Rutherford’s availability is yet to be confirmed.
Vishaul Singh, at 30 is also hard pressed to get a West Indies recall but he is one of the senior players in side and his temperament is ideal for four-day cricket and the little left-hander should be the glue which could hold the middle order together.
Left arm-spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who holds the record for most wickets in a season when he took 67 in 2015, has done consistently well at the Regional level but has struggled the reproduce those performances at the International level.
After Neil McGarrell played the last of his four Tests and 17 ODIs in 2001 he was replaced by Permaul in 2008 when McGarrell, who was still getting wickets in Regional level, had just turned 35.
While Permaul’s presence will certainly help Guyana to win a sixth consecutive title, if he continues to be ignored by the West Indies selectors, the time could soon come for him make way for younger bowlers like Gudakesh Motie and West Indies U-19 left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul has struggled to score quickly in ‘white ball’ cricket but is well suited for the longer version and scored 542 runs in this year’s tournament and along with the usually free flowing Chanderpaul Hemraj should provide a solid opening foundation for Guyana.
The 29-year-old Anthony Bramble, unlucky not have played for at least the West Indies ‘A’ team, scored the most runs (580) for Guyana last season and had the most dismissals, Raymond Reifer has showed that he is one of the best all-rounders in the West Indies, while Keon Joseph has bowled with good pace in the practice match at Providence.
In the absence of Ronsford Beaton, Keemo Paul and Romario Shepherd, rookie pacer Nial Smith should make his First-Class debut next year.
Jonathon Foo was outstanding in the Super50 and showed his all-round worth in the recent practice match but at 29 he should be left to play limited overs cricket to allow a space for all-rounder Keevin Sinclair who could score runs in the lower middle order.
Sinclair, who represented the West Indies Emerging players in the Super50, needs to flight the ball more if he is to make a big impact in four-day cricket but at only 20 and with Bishoo in the squad, Sinclair can only get better.
I would pick Sinclair ahead of Ramaal Lewis because of superior batting ability and his age.
Guyana is favoured to win another title next year but while winning is important the balance should be investing in young players like West Indies under-19 pair of Nedd and Kevlon Anderson, who could develop into West Indies Test players.
The West Indies, Ireland ODIs runs from January 7-12, while the lone T20I is set for January 15 while Guyana oppose the Leewards in Antigua from January 9-12 before they face Barbados in Barbados from January 16-19.
My 13-man squad would be: Chanderpaul Hemraj, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Leon Johnson (Captain), Vishaul Singh, Chris Barnwell, Anthony Bramble, Raymond Reifer, Veerasammy Permaul, Nail Smith, Keon Joseph, Gudakesh Motie and Kevin Sinclair.

---

---