Roger Harper, Cricket West Indies’ Chief Selector has expressed concern over the productivity of opening partnerships for the West Indies but laments the fact that no one is really knocking at the door to be selected.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite has had a welcome return to form with two Test half-centuries and a century in his last four Test matches but fellow opener John Campbell has not been inspiring much confidence with his performances.

The Jamaican has scores of 3, 23, 36, 18, 42, 11, 5, and 10 in his last four Tests. His last half-century, 68, was made in the second Test against New Zealand in December last year.

As a result, solid opening partnerships for the Caribbean side have been rare and this is a worry for Harper.

 “I think it has been a concern for a while. It was pleasing to see the captain get some big scores, but we need the partnership, on the whole, to be solid,” Harper said this past week on Mason and Guest.

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It might be a worrying circumstances among other teams, we might have to conduct a research to assess if openers of other test teams are performing consistently. I think the ability of these modern bowlers to swing the new balls both ways, especially early on a fresh pitch and early morning conditions, these conditions could be affecting many openers of other teams. It might worth a comparative analysis of other test openers in the last 20 test innings. When was the last time we had an opener who performed consistently?

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

The dilemma for the WI selectors is what can be done in the absence of productive openers in the region.

The reality is that Campbell was never likely to succeed; a First Class average of 29, with 5 centuries after 80 games, suggests as much. The old adage of not being able to get blood out of stone applies. There are no other openers putting their hands up at the moment either so it seems we now need to think outside the box.

There are several top and middle order batters, all seemingly more capable than the available opening options in the region, who are unable to fit into an XI at the same time.

Think Bonner, Mayers, Blackwood, Da Silva, Bravo, Brooks, Hetmyer, Pooran, Hope.....only 4 of these could be accommodated in the starting XI against Sri Lanka recently. Now think Shastri, Boon, Langer, Sehwag, McCullum, Rohit Sharma, Latham, to name a few......none of these started off as natural openers; all performed/are performing the role with more than a reasonable measure of success.

I've opined before that WI look at converting Da Silva to an opener - he's certainly looked a very solid and reliable batsman, with a good head on those shoulders, in his short career to date - and entrust Hope with the gloves as a lower middle order option. Brooks and Bonner may also be opening candidates but moving Da Silva up provides the opportunity to accommodate Hope, who has been very prolific in ODI and certainly looks the best talent in the region. Hope has also seemingly benefited from the dual role in ODIs; I'd like to think that the dual role would provide a cushion for his batting, at least initially, in Tests as well.

If statistics were the only criteria for picking teams then there would be no need for selectors; the current openers conundrum facing WI cricket is where the selectors mettle will be tested and their ability to do the job proven.

We got away with playing a weak and shortened batting lineup against an average Sri Lanka team in the recently concluded Tests. If we believe that the same lineup will serve us well against better bowling teams such as South Africa, Pakistan and others then we may be in for a rude awakening.

Our selectors need to be more flexible; the recent statement by the coach (https://caribbeancricket.com/news/2006/10/32/9057) does not inspire much confidence in this regard though.