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Just saw Sports commentary with Oral Tracy arguing that based on his batting this season (five consecutive half-centuries, a double hundred, a 51+ average) Blackwood should have secured a place in the next Test XI.

How many persons here agree?

Don't agree.

I don't agree with that, he deserves a place in the team but starting eleven automatically no.

In reply to spider

Tracy really has an audience?

In reply to camos

of one!

In reply to XDFIX

Doubt that. And even if that's so he just might say something worth considering

Well he has proven that at least, he should return to the squad. His test average is still higher than many in the current squad and also he has outperformed many in the squad during the recently concluded domestic cricket tournament.

If he was to be selected, who would he replace? There are no openings in the middle order.

In reply to dayne

Hope to open for Paint.

What's this settled WI Test middle order you speak of anyways?

That no one can break in to?

Btw in the last 12 months, WI have only played 3 tests, small sample size, but alas, resume of the incumbents below

Campbell (shaky) but safe Test average of 30 last two years, 32 in FC season
Brathwaite (shaky) Test average of 21.33 last two year, 7.83 in last year, 33.42 in FC with no centuries
Hope (shaky) 20 in tests last two years, 13 in last year, stellar in ODIs, no FC cricket
Brooks (shaky), 34.8 average in last 12 months 18.78 in FC
Hetmyer (shaky) 31 average in last 2 years, 16.8 in last 12 months, no FC, fitness issues
R Chase (shaky) but ..he bowls.24.23 average in the last 2 years in the .14.8 last 12 months no FC cricket.

Blackwood can play for anybody in that shitty middle order

In reply to DIEHARD

As I have said ad infinitum, posters here are acting as if Blackwood were gunning to displace a Richards, a Lara or a Kallicharan. The incumbents are nothing but purveyors of mediocrity and none of them should be made to believe that he has a divine right to a place in the test team.

One joker was even arguing that challengers like Black wood should be forced to wait 3 years- 3 YEARS!!- a lifetime in the limited career of a sportsman - before they should be considered for a place in the team.

A Pack of Jokers - The only sure picks should be Holder and Roach - no one else!

In reply to jacksprat

Who was that, the nomad who calls himself natty_forever?

In reply to Drapsey

Yes. But a guess you all stop reading before the part that says, "there will be exception to every rule".
And I never said wait, I said perform more than one season. Too many one season wonders there right now.

And I am not a nomad. Am jus a Federation Man! United we stand!

JB has the goods. He has to play more cricket (Point's points), score on a consistent basis & stay firing fit (Ricky Ponting)! Selectors/coaches/wicb will have no choice!

In reply to dayne Top order middle order! I say 1 - 4 batsmen should be able to come in & perform! Maybe, coaches should rotate specialist batsmen & see...starting locally.

Some players are sure picks in the Test team, weather fans like it or not, due to their past performances, for example, Bravo, Chase, Kraigg B, Hope, Dowrich, Holder and Roach. Thus in relation to Blackwood he would have to stay consistent in order to jump over other players who are viewed as the future of WI cricket, for example, Hetmyer, Ambris, Pooran,

In reply to dayne

Bravo wasn't in the last Test team..which one of your "sure" picks wil he replace?

Last selectors maybe, these have shown that the only player that will be persisted with is the skipper..for obvious reasons, and i dont think he wil go unchecked as long as Holder did with the ODI team.

Dowrich Holder and Roach are the only sure picks you listed there.

There will be no surprise if Kraiig, Chase and Hope are dropped from the Test XI.. all a have arguments to be retained..Hope's ODI form, Chase's utility with the ball, and Kraigg's decent (by regional standards) FC season, but their past performance..is their Test averages...and by that measure..all should be dropoed

In reply to dayne

The only sure picks for Tests are Holder, Roach and Dowrich

All other spots open..

In reply to anthonyp

The other sure picks that I mentioned are there because there are no better players to replace them.

In reply to spider

Yes, his form deserves recognition.

In reply to spider

Don’t agree.

Must string together several more good scores

In reply to Yamfoot

Next season?

It should not be a question of if it should be a question of when
After being unfairly discarded he has gone away worked on his game and has been putting up the numbers.
If runs are the criteria for selection then he demands to be there
Should he not be selected it will be a gross dereliction of duty on the part of the selectors

any other excuse is sheer stupidity on the part of the selectors.

This is not as if Blackwood is a new kid on the block. He has been around for quite some time and did well earlier.

Now he has made some corrections to his approach and they are paying off. He does not need another season to show anything.

//

In reply to Ewart

WI test top order has been struggling due to inconsistent batting which puts a constant strain on the middle order and tail end batsmen. So there an opportunity for Blackwood to replace any of the struggling top order batsmen and if you check the comparative test averages, there is a strong chance that Blackwood has a higher test average than many incumbents. So I really do not think it’ should be complicated for selectors, considering that insular Browne and his bunch of cronies are no longer selectors and the new Prez promised no insularity, everyone has a fair chance to be selected, all based on performances, and not off-field activities.