When the West Indies team faces off against New Zealand later this year for three Test matches, five One-day internationals and two Twenty 20, the bowlers will have to do pretty well and that clearly means that the selectors will have to select the correct group of players in the bowling capacity. For the Test matches, Tino Best, Ravi RamPaul, Kemar Roach and Sunil Narine are some of the bowlers who should be considered. Tino Best has shown some improvement in his accuracy and control, and that should assist him to earn his place. RamPaul’s fitness should be up to standard before the series and he should be easily selected. Roach and Narine have been consistent and both players should earn a place.
ADRIAN BARATH SHOULD BE GIVEN A TEST CALL
Trinidad and Tobago opening batsman Adrian Barath should be recalled to Test cricket in the West Indies squad but this is not to say that Kieron Powell should not be selected. It is appropriate to tour with three opening batsmen even if the situation arises that one of them have to bat at number three. Lendl Simmons has batted well recently and this should earn him a middle order position in Tests. A strong middle order batting is essential for the Test squad. Dwayne Bravo and his brother Dwayne have to come up with some useful runs for the team, for both of these players have definitive roles in the team.
ODI SQUAD
Kevon Cooper, Krishma Santokie (man of the series for the LCPL) Samuel Badree and Shannon Gabriel are players who should be much more exposed to One-Day international cricket. These cricketers have the capabilities to perform not only Twenty20 matches but in 50-over matches as well. Cooper, the Trinidad and Tobago all-rounder, is a star player with valuable assets. He is a fine bowler, a keen batsman and super attractive outfielder with safe hands. Andre Fletcher had a good LCPL series along with Ashley Nurse, Jonathan Carter and Darren Sammy (West Indies Test and Twenty20 captain). Andre Russell played some fine innings as well and much attention must be given to the way in which players perform.
PROMOTE MARLON SAMUELS TO NUMBER THREE IN ODI
West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels should go up in the order in ODI’s in order for him to be given the opportunity to focus on batting long innings. A major problem exists with the West Indies 50-over batting that batsmen are not carrying their innings through for the long haul. Partnerships are a necessity to bring strength to a teams performance.
JOHNSON CHARLES WILL DO BETTER AT NUMBER FOUR
The swashbuckling opener Johnson Charles should be placed lower in the batting order. There is no need to have two aggressive hard-hitters opening the batting in a 50-over ODI. Denesh Ramdin is well equipped to start with Chris Gayle. While Ramdin anchors the other end picking up useful singles and twos, Gayle will have the opportuinty to play his natural game. Charles is not a player to push for singles; he is a boundary-focussed batsman. The opening spots in the 50-over ODI game call for some solid starts. In the Twenty20 game, Gayle and Charles are the perfect openers but not in ODI.
Note:
A semi-perfect ODI West Indies squad with batting order in place
1. Chris Gayle, 2. Denesh Ramdin, 3. Marlon Samuels, 4. Johnson Charles, 5. Lendl Simmons, 6. Dwayne Bravo, 7. Darren Sammy, 8. Ravi Ram Paul, 9. Kemar Roach, 10. Tino Best, 11. Sunil Narine
