The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Message Board Archives

HEADLINE: Five things Sabina taught us

 
CaribbeanCricket.com 2017-04-26 06:28:16 

For a change, let’s talk cricket. Not the politics of cricket mind you. The distinction needs to be made because so much of what we read and speak about these days is taking place away from the pitch. In the past week for instance, there was Darren Bravo’s decision to get legal with the West Indies Cricket Board in his now five-month long standoff with its president, Dave Cameron. And on the weekend, news leaked that Brian Lara wants one of the stands at the new Cricket Academy in Tarouba named after Sachin Tendulkar. Go back a little further, and there was Prime Minister Keith Rowley’s hijacking claim against what he called a clique within the WICB/Cricket West Indies and his assertion that, “unless there are drastic changes to the current arrangements, West Indies cricket will never get back to where we expect it to be.” I’ll sum up all of that by saying this: Blah, blah, blah!If it could take more than five months to settle matters over a tweet, then one has to wonder if the business of Bravo’s playing cricket for West Indies is really a priority for either the player or the WICB president. As for the Tendulkar Stand brouhaha, why people place such value on naming things after others is beyond me. 


Full Story

 
Drapsey 2017-04-26 06:52:48 


3. The double rookie gamble fails.

Vishal Singh was averaging 26.41 this season for Guyana Jaguars in the Regional Four-Day series before his century in the tour match against Pakistan. World Cup-winning Under-19 skipper Shimron Hetmyer was better at 38.45 before getting 97 for the President’s XI.

Tour matches could be fair guides sometimes, but throwing two rookies not in prolific form into a vulnerable middle order was always going to be a risk. Picking one would have been wiser, while allowing Jermaine Blackwood to continue his development in the side, especially on his home ground. In the end, neither the promising Hetmyer, nor Singh was able to replicate their warm-up match form against opponents who would have had a good look at them. What do the selectors do now?

I could've written that myself.

Actually, I posted something close on one of the threads questioning the selection fallacy.

 
mikesiva 2017-04-26 09:18:22 

In reply to Drapsey

Yes the selectors read too much into the president xi match. Pakistan were rusty and used that match to get used to Caribbean conditions. Hetmyer Powell and Singh all made runs in this match. All three failed to make runs in the test match when Pakistan were ready for serious business.

 
JahJah 2017-04-26 10:53:29 

Vishal Singh was averaging 26.41 this season for Guyana Jaguars in the Regional Four-Day series before his century in the tour match against Pakistan. World Cup-winning Under-19 skipper Shimron Hetmyer was better at 38.45 before getting 97 for the President’s XI.


I pointed this out on some other thread before the test team was elected. Must try and find it.

 
sandisha 2017-04-26 18:31:32 

Good article but to me he did not quite address the "Five things Sabina taught us." In my view the first thing Sabina taught us was, we need a good blend of youth and experience if we want to build back our cricket and as such, Marlon Samuel and Chanderpaul were axed too early. It was 42 year old Misbah-ul-Haq's inning of 99 n.o from over 300 minutes and over 200 balls, along with 39 yr old Younis Khan's 58 that really took the game from us. That we did not have. 2. Blackwood instead of Hope would have made more sense especially at home where he has a good run. I am a big fan of Hope as he surely looks like our future star; however he is being mishandled by selectors and I am afraid that we don't destroy his confidence like we did to Xavier Marshall and others. Right now his confidence is very low but we cannot drop him for the Barbados test. I suggest we play him as the wicketkeeper / batsman so he is under less pressure and play Dowrich as the batsman, until we get Hope going with the bat. Bishoo's best days are behind him as seen at Sabina Park where their spinners always had us under pressure but Bishoo in particular never looked penetrative. I suggest Rahkeem Cornwall for the Barbados test.

 
hubert 2017-04-26 20:14:04 

In reply to sandisha

If I were picking the 2nd Test team, I would discard one of the newbies,preferably Vishaul Singh and include Roach. Chase or Dowrich bats at 3 followed by Hope and Hetty with Holder playing more as a batsman .Roach and Bishoo can hold their own down the order. The objective is to attack the Pakistan with full slate of bowlers in going for win.
This Pakistan is the weakest to visit the Caribbean and is still too dependent on the geriatric duo for runs and solidity.
Be bold Waste Indies although I know this suggestion is way out of your league.
I gone. lol

 
sandisha 2017-04-27 09:26:28 

I agree with you that we should include Roach for the 2nd test in B/dos. That being said here is my final 11:
1.Brathwaite
2.Powell
3.Dowitch
4.Chase
5.Hope (wicketkeeper not because he is better than Dowitch but just to ease him up from the pressure of his past which probably would allow him to bat with more freedom, so we could getting him going as a batsman. Definitely NOT long term).

6.Blackwood (sad to drop both debutants but Blackmood should not have been dropped)
7.Rahkeem Cornwall (Better batsman and more penetrative spinner than Bishoo
8. Holder
9. Roach
10. Joseph
11. Gabriel