Windies World Cup Grades (Part 2)
And now for the wicket-keeper and the bowlers. Following up on my report card of the West Indies batsmen at the World Cup, I will now take a look at the performance of Ridley Jacobs and the "horses-for-courses" fast bowling arsenal.
NOTE: The grades for Jermaine Lawson and Corey Collymore were incomplete because they each played only one game (Collymore did not get a bowl in the rain-affected Bangladesh game).
RIDLEY JACOBS
Ridley did an extremely efficient job behind the stumps, effecting a few smart stumpings and some good catches. He also played well along with Sarwan, when West Indies were in dire straits against New Zealand, even though they could not prevent the required run rate from climbing. Unfortunately, a poor umpiring decision against Sri Lanka in the most crucial game of the West Indies campaign resulted raw-deal against Ridley. Who knows what might have happened. Ridley usually saves his best for those situations. On the negative side Ridley seems to be very much in the background as vice captain with seemingly only Drakes and Lara seeming to assist Hooper in on-field strategy.
GRADE: C
VASBERT DRAKES
Without question, Drakes was the West Indies MVP. he exemplified what professionalism is all about. Always willing to bowl the crucial over, or take the initiative to dispense advice to the captain as in when he insisted on placing Carl Hooper precisely at a wide mid on where Lance Klusener obligingly hit the next ball to be caught during the tense final overs against South Africa. Drakes also fielded well, making the World Cup highlight reel with an over head diving one handed catch on the boundary to dismiss John Davison.
Had the West Indies one more bowler with Vasbert Drakes' guts and commitment, undoubtedly this tale would have ended much differently. The West Indies selectors need to rethink the policy of only playing Drakes in the ODI?s and add him to the test attack, as his experience and savvy would greatly benefit the team.
GRADE: A
MERV DILLON
Dillon again was a huge disappointment in this competition. His reluctance to bowl at the death meant that with the 7-3-1 format that was used, they were hamstrung without many options if they needed to use Drakes in the middle overs to put the brakes on batsmen. It also left Hooper with no choice but to use Gayle at the end, in one instance, or Collins in another, both with disastrous effect.
Dillon also seemed to be bowling well within himself and did not provide the type of burst that a Lawson may have provided were he afforded an earlier opportunity. If Dillon is to continue spearheading the West Indies attack, he has to prove that he is willing to wear the mantle of main bowler, and be willing to bowl at the crucial periods. On a side note, please Mr. Dillon, in the middle of a game, never announce that you hope not to bat, and be prepared to play all facets of the game until you win.
GRADE: D
PEDRO COLLINS
Collins just isn't an ODI bowler. He was picked to lend variety to the attack but struggled badly and bowled costly extras in the form of no balls and needless wides, as in the bouncer that he bowled as the last ball in the Sri Lanka game. A wide was called and the resulting do-over was dispatched to the boundary. In addition to the inability to bowl with any penetration or economically, Collins committed the faux pas of the tournament when he took two needless steps backward against South Africa and carried the catch of a rampant Lance Klusener off Gayle over the boundary for a six. He did recover to bowl a good penultimate over, but had the South Africans not been docked one over for their slow over rate, this mistake could well have cost us the match. Had a fine run out of Attapatu in the Sri Lanka game but his last over shenanigans cost him.
GRADE: F
NIXON McLEAN
He should consider himself extremely lucky to be selected, and exceedingly blessed if he ever plays any type of representative cricket for the West Indies again. McLean was one of the two bowlers picked because of his South African experience, the other being Drakes, but I?m sure any another bowler having never heard of South Africa, could not have performed any worse, bowling his six overs against New Zealand at a cost of 38 runs. In addition to bowling horribly, his fielding was abysmal. One wonders what it was the selectors missed in the previous iteration of McLean?s career that they thought he would be an asset to this team.
GRADE: F
COREY COLLYMORE
Selected for the rained curtailed game against Bangladesh, Collymore did not get a chance to bowl of bat.
GRADE: Incomplete
JERMAINE LAWSON
His performance in the meaningless game left many West Indians shaking their heads across the region and wondering 'what if'. This is a bowler who came off a tour of the subcontinent where his undeniable pace helped the West Indies beat India in a seven-game ODI series. In addition he had a 6 wickets for 3 runs burst that announced his arrival on the international scene. Why then one is left to wonder, why wasn?t Lawson unleashed when it mattered? Surely he would have been a far better alternative to Collins and McLean. His penetrative bowling could have made an impact against Sri Lanka especially. The overriding theme throughout this entire tournament was the West Indian penchant to be cautious to the point of losing whatever initiative they had gained after winning the opening match against South Africa. Likewise in the handling of Jermaine Lawson who is a genuine speedster.
GRADE: Incomplete