I was listening to the KLAS FM call-in programme a couple of days ago, and Orville Higgins stated that sources in the WICB informed him that the persistent omission of Nikita Miller had nothing to do with cricket.
Season after season, Miller has returned the best figures for a spinner, and yet he can't get a second Test after his only appearance in 2009. However, sources in the WICB informed Higgins that the selectors continually ignored Miller because he was too outspoken. Apparently, Miller spoke up for a number of players on the issue of unsatisfactory conditions on an ODI tour, and as a result, the selectors gave him the cold shoulder after that.
The information Higgins received sounds plausible to me. The WICB was always a bunch of vindictive skunts....
Message Board Archives
Miller omission nothing to do with cricket
In reply to mikesiva
What is the fascination with Miller?
He is average bowler in my opinion, reasonable batsman.
The Jamaican that should be in the team each an
everytime is Leveridge.
Powell/Blackwood... have potential. I have lots
of time for those two.
Miller not so much but I thank him for his
contributions to regional cricket.
In reply to Gun_Play
Miller's intentions fortunately is not to impress people like you with insular objectives, the man has tirelessly, season after season the most successful bowler in the region, so if that is not a criterion to be selected for WI team then no wonder mediocre players are been consistently selected solely based on their nationality, nothing to do with performance.
In reply to mikesiva
Is he a WIPA member?
Did Wavell Hinds sanction this?
In reply to Narper
maybe Joshua who turned on the players he was so close to!
In reply to Slipfeeler
What are my insular objectives?
Seems like you are so blinded by the like for your countrymen you can't see pass that Jamaican flag in ur face.
Carry on with your nationalism.
In reply to Slipfeeler
I had seem Miller bowl and I dont think he is not International class. He turns out season after season with Truck load of wickets because of his experience at FC level where spinners rule the roost. He and Permaul are 2 bowlers who I think are very good ala Devon Smith at FC level but are not Test cricket class.
Anyone who has seen him bowl and know the game would not push for him as he is not going to add anything new to this team.
In reply to Pacy
Purely speculative without validation. If we can wait 19 innings for Hope to score one 50+, certainly we could give the most successful bowler in the region for the past 4 years, at least one series.
In reply to Gun_Play
Insular? I am giving factual information from an objective perspective and without emotional or nationalistic notions. Fact: Blackwood with a 31+ average has score consistently one 50+ every other innings through his career including 2 match saving innings.
Fact: Hope had not scored one 50+ in 18 innings, then scored his first 50+ in his 20th innings at bat.
Fact: Many batsmen has not averaged over 27 so far in this series.
Fact: Many current WI batsmen have test averages less than Blackwood.
Fact: Blackwood dropped from on field team against Pakistan.
My brother show me the insularity in the above factual statements.
Smh all this noise over Miller? He's a first class bully nothing more than that...
Same for Devon Smith...
In reply to Slipfeeler
Um... Are you okay?
You accused me of being insular I did no such
thing.
Then you went on a rant about Blackwood and Hope
when I was discussing Miller's non selection.
Anyway, like I said, carry on.
In reply to Slipfeeler
Fact: Many batsmen has not averaged over 27 so far in this series.
Fact: Many current WI batsmen have test averages less than Blackwood.
Fact: Blackwood dropped from on field team against Pakistan.
Just look at the recent ODI series and FC season stats and you would get a clue for the confidence selectors had on Hope and the reason Blackwood fell behind.
In reply to anthonyp
Same for Devon Smith...
Miller deserves a chance to prove himself at the highest level.
One can't just speculate that he can't make it.
If he fails....then drop him....but it is grossly unfair for him to perform well year after year and NOT be considered for a place in the senior team.
In reply to Narper
Well we agree, he should play ahead of Devendra
In reply to mikesiva
This is a fact. Miller is a leader, he is a performer and he was given a raw deal.
The Jamaica cricket folks will never stand up for him, because they are eat a food types.
Absent Sunil, Absent Badree, Miller should be the first choice slow man in the team.
In reply to Pacy
Anyone who has seen him bowl and know the game would not push for him as he is not going to add anything new to this team.
There would be one way to test that and that would be to give him a run in tests. There were people in South Africa who thought Philander wouldn't make it despite him performing at first-class level for a long time. Those of us who think we can just look at a player and know whether he will perform at the highest level or not are often mistaken. Give him a try and let him fail or succeed. All he can do is deliver at first-class level and he has done that over and over again. He has been treated unfairly
After I provided frequency distribution information of scores below Blackwood's 31 average allyuh are still getting bluffed with this "50+ every other innings" foolishness.
At the very least, check for yourselves nah. Call out de man's gwen.
Shame on allyuh.
In reply to Courtesy
Dem should really include standard deviation and relative standard deviation in batting stats 
Miller, did man who doesn't like gt food N the most successful chubby jewmaycan cappo....figure it!?
In reply to Narper
I am sure the selectors do when computing the figures.
In reply to Courtesy
I understand your attempts at statistical distribution etc., my only concern is your inability to produce the same statistical data on all other players. Why Blackwood is the only player been singled out for analysis? Obviously we do not need complex data to prove that he has been performing better as a batsman than most other players on the team.
In reply to Slipfeeler
I will increase my tolerance level and engage you.
What if the selectors are saying:
We will now engage some younger players who have excelled at the regional level the same opportunity to prove their worth and if they fall short, after a cut off point (reasonable number of test matches) explore other options moving forward.
I have already posted elsewhere that the WICB selectors should be consistent and transparent in their approach moving forward.
You know I could easily say like many here that Miller is just not up to Test standard but when I realize he has only played one test match, I would have to laugh at myself to draw that conclusion.
Are we that good at spotting talent, a player's worth, to make that determination after one Test match?
Meanwhile, others get 20 matches to prove talent/worth.
There are so many reasons given for the demise of West Indies cricket, should we look past this one?
In reply to archangel
You hit a big 6 runs there! Over the boundary and still going....
In reply to Emir
Nobody should be blamed for eating a food IMHO.
In reply to Slipfeeler
Blackwood has 19 fifties? What an injustice, 19 50's in 39 innings and get dropped. Or shud ah 20 fifties. Man stop peddling alternate facts bout one 50 every other innings
In reply to Gun_Play
The fact remains that Miller consistently outperforms all the spinners who have been selected to play for the West Indies since 2009, including Shane Shillingford, Suleimann Benn, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Jomel Warrican, etc.
On what basis are these tried-and-failed spinners a better pick than Miller? It can't be FC stats, because Miller has a better record....
It has to be something else. Well, now we know....
In reply to anthonyp... Devon got more than one test.
In reply to Gun_Play
I dont know if its funny or sad. Anytime you have a different opinion than some, that makes you Insular.
In reply to natty_forever
Ole Twinkle Toes got almost 50 tests to prove his uselessness as a test player; and some apologists, as recently as last week, were still calling for him to be included in the West Indies team.
There clearly is a long-standing bias, and a double standard at play, regarding some players & some nationalities, a double standard at play, however much some would want to deny it.
Let's be clear: I am not a fan of Miller, who I think is quite. That said, being ordinary was never a criterion for being excluded from the West Indies team, judging by the long run the likes Darren Sammy, Darren Powell, Devon Smith, Daren Ganga, a an slew of current players, have received in the recent past.
Apart from Nagamootoo, I can't imagine another bowler who dominated the bowling stats year after year being given such short shrift.
Has any of our reams of ordinary batsmen, who have dominated our FC cricket, been similarly treated?
In reply to jacksprat
He's certainly not ordinary at the regional level. And can we know for sure that he'll be ordinary in tests if he has not been really tried? Considering what he's done at first-class level and comparing that to what his competitors have done he ought to be given a chance at least.
In reply to spider
Read my post again. You are echoing my sentiments.
Anyone can see Miller is not of a good standard.
A regional legend like no other tho.
That being said he can feel hard done, because unless there is nothing more he could've done to get selected in terms of numbers and its borderline criminal based on his domination that he has only been given 1 match.
He was given a run in limited overs, a format where he hasn't been the stand out player and did not do well.
I will not select him but I wont be against it if they did select him.
In reply to Andy99
Ah feel de icon tell de selectas its either him or killa...nat both!
In reply to WestDem
But it's neither him nor Killa. 
In reply to Gun_Play
Seems like you are so blinded by the like for your countrymen you can't see pass that Jamaican flag in ur face.
Carry on with your nationalism.
You are one to talk after the constant defence of Bajan players.
Miller got only ONE Test while DOMINATING for EONS! How are we waxing lyrical about giving people EARNED runs in the side...people who ever dominated..but we couldn't give Miller more than one Test.
Remember, it was FC cricket that he made a name for himself. Not List A.
Just admit that he didn't get a fair shake and done nuh!
In reply to Andy99
And how is Miller alone, in the WI, in this regard?
In reply to Pacy
This is absolute Bullshit. it's funny how so many will twist and turn to justify blatant injustices! Listen man, Miller didn't enter Fc cricket with the experience he has now. He was dominating for eons. You have to start somewhere, and he was dominating before and since his (L)ONE Test appearance.
Just from what Mike posted
He dominated from day 1 without the so called experience that you refer to.
In reply to JahJah
And where ever did I say he was alone in this regard, in this thread that was created about the man?
In reply to Andy99
Did I accuse you of saying it?
Mek Gun Play move and gweh. Gun Play's boy Benn was persisted with for way too long without success in BOTH ODIs and Tests. Way too long. Gunzie doh have issues with that though...ah guess.
Even with Miller's 'poor' average of 36 in ODIs, Benn's was 50 after the same amount of matches. Ok, 49, but let's call it 50!! Added to that Miller had a better econ and better SR. Further, Miller had a far better batting record in said ODIs to boot!!!
What was special about Benn in his 26 Tests, which ended in a 39 average, that Miller couldn't get a 2nd match?
In reply to CricketLuva4
De icon is tekking a break bro...he will be back when he tell de selectas he is ready..... 
In reply to JahJah
Miller during his prime was never going to play
ahead of Benn or Shilly.
They did more with the ball and usually had
better numbers.
He deserve more than one Test, yes.
But how is he going to make the team now???
Ahead of Bishoo? I don't see it.
Search
Live Scores
- no matches