The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Seales a good choice despite his youth

Thu, Jun 10, '21

 

Media Watch

He has played just one first-class game and none at the regional level, but those who watched digital streaming of the recent four-day warm-up West Indies squad game shouldn't be surprised at the inclusion of 19-year-old Jayden Seales in the 13-man squad for the first Test against South Africa.

In my opinion, once top fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, the highly talented Chemar Holder and the pacy Guyanese Nial Smith all fell under the injury cloud during or immediately after the four-day practice match, Seales was an obvious choice.

Cricket watchers will recall that the young Trinidadian was a standout with his pace, skill and control at the Under-19 World Cup just before COVID-19 hit in early 2020.

Big, strong, athletic and well over six-foot-tall, Seales tested all batsmen in the warm-up game with his pace and away movement. His duel with Shai Hope, who made a second-innings century to follow up a first-innings 70-odd, was well worth watching.

He is still some distance away from his 20th birthday, so the selectors may well be hesitant about throwing him in the deep end against South Africa tomorrow. But to my mind, Seales's talent is not in question.

The selectors may well have given thought to the intriguing 25-year-old left-arm, fast-medium swing bowler Preston McSween from Grenada. He had a wonderful first-class season prior to COVID and bowled well in the second innings of the four-day practice match. In the end, chief selector Roger Harper and his team probably felt they needed someone with more zip. Hence, Seales.

Read more at the Jamaica Observer