Carib Beer Cup First Round Stars
Each week, I plan to select a team at the end of each round of competition in the Carib Cup Series. It is an attempt to highlight the best performers for each round. I will name a team of eleven, and five reserves.
The eleven will reflect at least six batsmen, a wicket-keeper and four bowlers. The reserves will consist of at least two batsmen and at least two bowlers. All-rounders can qualify as both batsman and bowlers in the selection of the first team and the reserves.
This exercise is intended only to acknowledge the top performers in each round and shall not be misconstrued as validation of their merit for other considerations. I know the West Indies domestic cricket is used as a precursor for selecting players for the senior team. I am not a West Indies selector and my selections are based solely on my judgement of excellent and impact performances.
I will also name a player or players of the round each week and could be one or more players.
My team after the first round of play is as follows:
Devon Smith (Windwards)
Azeemul Haniff (GUY)
Andre Percival (GUY)
Daren Ganga (T&T)
Ryan Hurley (BAR)
+Keith Hibbert (JAM)
David Bernard, Jr. (JAM)
Omari Banks (LI)
Sulieman Benn (BAR)
Orlando Jackson (WI)
Marlon Black (T&T)
Reserves:
Sherwyn Campbell (BAR)
Alex Adams (LI)
Leon Garrick (JAM)
Ryan Cunninghan (JAM)
Colin Stuart (GUY)
From the Windward Islands, Devon Smith starts off the season in the same fashion he did in last year's Busta Cup competition. In fact he opened his account with exactly the same score of 86 runs. He followed up his first innings knock with a half-ton (55) in the second innings. His teammate, Orlando Jackson, also put in a creditable performance in a losing cause with a haul of 5 for 80 in the first innings.
The standout players in the Barbadian team were Ryan Hurley and Sulieman Benn. Hurley's 116 with the bat and a first innings haul of 3 for 57 were instrumental in giving Barbados its outright victory over the Windwards. Benn's five-wicket haul (5-67) in the second innings was also key. Ex Test man, Sherwin Campbell, chipped in with a solid half century in the second innings that helped to seal the victory for Barbados.
The Trinidad and Tobago captain Daren Ganga, batting down the order in this match, blazed out of the gates with commanding scores of 89 in the first innings and an unbeaten 111 in the second, to amass the highest aggregate in the first round. Pacer Marlon Black's first innings haul of 5-67 gave the Trinis a chance.
Guyana managed to gain first innings points on the back of half centuries from Andre Percival (76) and Azeemul Haniff (62). These batsmen also had key knocks in the crucial second innings of 32 not out and 69, respectively, to stave off T&T fightback. Colin Stuart had a reasonable wicket haul of 4 for 94.
In the Jamaica/Leewards match, the main standouts for Jamaica was David Bernard, Jr. He grabbed 4-101 in the first innings and followed up with the bat with a solid 91 to help Jamaica gain first innings point. Keith Hibbert's knock of 81 was also crucial and earned him the wicker-keeper spot for this round. Leon Garrick (58) and Ryan Cunningham (3 for 64) also helped Jamaica to secure first innings points.
For the Leewards, Omari Banks (75) and 3-122 was the main standout, along with Alex Adams (38 & 65) and 2-45.
Other players worth mentioning, though they did not make my final team or the reserves are Stuart Williams (71) Ian Tittle (68) and Sylvester Joseph (28 & 56 not out) of the Leeward Islands and T&T's Imran Jan (52 and 49).
My players of the round go to Ryan Hurley of Barbados, Daren Ganga of T&T and David Bernard, Jr. of Jamaica.