'What About Liam?'

Thu, Oct 2, '03

 

Red Stripe Bowl

The absence of top all-rounder Liam Sebastian from the Under-19 side for the opening match of the Red Stripe Bowl isn't sitting well with cricket administrators in the Windward Islands. And for good reason.

Sebastian, who was named top all-rounder of the recent TCL Group Under-19 tournament, was left out of the final eleven for the opening match against Guyana, prompting president of the Dominica Cricket Association (DCA) Emanuel Nanthan to call for an explanation for his omission.

"I am baffled that Liam was left out of the first match. I was in Guyana for the Under-19 tournament and I saw all the players. In my view, Liam could have made the team as a bowler and as a batsman. All who saw Liam in Guyana were certain of that," Nanthan declared.

Nanthan, who was manager of the Windwards Under-19 squad in Guyana, said he immediately wondered whether Sebastian was injured after learning of his omission. "He is not injured...They just did not select him. Players, particularly young players, can be broken by the disappointment of non-inclusion. Particularly when they believe to them selves that they are preparing to be among the best in the Caribbean," Nanthan declared.

Nanthan's bewilderment was shared by cricket fans around the Caribbean who were following the Under 19's enterprising chase of Guyana's total, wondering why the region's top all-rounder could not crack into the final eleven.

Young West Indies manager Clyde Butts, who incidentally picked Sebastian as the top Under-19 all-rounder this year, could not be reached for comment.

"I have a lot of respect for Butts. That's why it beats me that the best all-rounder in the Caribbean at the Under-19 level can't play in the first match for his team," Nanthan declared.

The 18-year-old Sebastian, son for former Windwards middle order mainstay Lochart Sebastian, was the second highest wicket-taker in the three-day version of the Under-19 tournament with 26 wickets, one behind pacer Ravi Rampaul.

In the one-day version of the tournament, the left-handed Sebastian was second in aggregate and his 10 wickets placed him among the top six bowlers.

And it's not the first year that Sebastian has been consistent. In 2002, he fourth the Under-19 batting averages (250 runs; avg 50.00; HS 125).

As captain, Sebastian led the Windwards to the runner-up spot in both competitions this year.