The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Holder's West Indies: Faded

Fri, Aug 16, '19

by KRISSANIA YOUNG

Commentary

In this, part two of the three-part series, Holder’s West Indies (which assesses the evolution of the squads assembled in the Holder Era of West Indies Test Cricket), we will be taking a look at former key members of the Jason Holder-led West Indies Test team who aided the formation of the team’s identity, yet could not hold on to their place in the team.

Faded is a bracket of four; opener Kieran Powell, middle-order batsman Jermaine Blackwood, spinner Devendra Bishoo and fast-bowler Miguel Cummins.

Powell

Keiran Powell made his Test debut in July of 2011 against India. He then took a break from cricket in 2015, making his Test come-back against Pakistan two years later at Sabina Park. Powell only managed four half-centuries during his return, including 90 against Zimbabwe, 88 against Sri Lanka and 83 in India. The case of the left-hander is a rather perplexing one: whenever Powell looked in good touch, doing the hard bit to get a start, he would find a way to get out. The 29-year-old’s inability to adapt to the push and pull of power associated with Test match cricket proved to be his undoing. Instead, insisting on showcasing his aggressive nature regardless of the stage of a game.  Therefore, instead of persisting with Powell for a third season, the West Indies moved on to John Campbell.

Blackwood

Jermaine Blackwood made his way into the West Indies Test team in 2014, prior to Holder’s appointment as Test captain. This, after finishing atop the runs’ chart for the Regional Four-Day competition in the 2013-14 season—accumulating 611 runs. Blackwood then went on to make his debut in the second Test of the Kiwis’ tour of the Caribbean. Blackwood’s technique left little to be desired; it was in temperament, however, where the Jamaican fell short. Following a poor patch of form in 2015 where his highest score in nine innings was 28, the Jamaican found himself under immense pressure going into the India series.

The pair he got in the first Test match did not help his cause, but the right-hander was on hand to aid in a memorable match-saving effort in the 2nd Test at Sabina, “chipping” in with scores of 62 and 63. Blackwood also had his say in WINDIES’ famous win at Headingly, with scores of 49 in the first innings and sticking with Shai Hope in his knock of 41 in the second to ensure a WINDIES win. He however, ended the series on a low, with two single digit scores and followed suit in all three of his innings in the following series in Zimbabwe. That was all she wrote for Blackwood in WINDIES white.

Bishoo

Though making headlines at the first-class level since 2008, Devendra Bishoo had to wait until 2011 for his Test debut, which came against Pakistan. The leg spinner took this opportunity and copped nineteen wickets in his first four Test matches. But the “workhorse” role assigned to the Guyanese began to take a toll on his body. He was forced into a three-year hiatus from international cricket. He was once more summoned to the summit in 2015. And while Bishoo helped himself to 68 wickets in eighteen innings under Holder, the inability of the West Indies to come up with a plan ‘B’—aside from asking Bishoo to toil all day—in the field, affected his effectiveness. Now, having been left out of the last two home Test squads, it is to be seen if Bishoo’s new role will solely include trips to the subcontinent.

Cummins

Miguel Cummins first donned WINDIES white back in 2016 against India. He was called up to the West Indies Test squad after claiming 33 wickets at an average just under 21 in the 2015-16 season of the Professional Cricket League. By the summer of 2018, West Indies’ seam bowling attack assumed permanent formation. After watching his counterparts reaping rewards from a good length, Cummins persisted short. Unfortunately for Cummins, there was not much time for him to adjust. Being the weakest link in a seam line-up that included Gabriel, Roach and Holder–especially with the fantastic seam year WINDIES had in 2018, Cummins fell down the pecking order, even with an injury to Alzarri Joseph as Keemo Paul was on the rise.

On Sunday, the final installment of this series—You’ll find them here—will assess Kraigg Brathwaite, Shannon Gabriel and Shane Dowrich who all have more appearances in the Holder Era than Holder himself. As well as Shai Hope, Kemar Roach and Roston Chase who have rarely been absent under Holder. And Alzarri Joseph and Shimron Hetmyer who have become permanent features in the side since their debuts.

 

 

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