debut: 2/16/24
946 runs
Campbell vs Louis:
John Campbell, age 31, 20 tests, 888 runs @ 26 (HS 68 ) 3 fifties
Mikyle Louis, age 24, 9 tests, 358 runs @ 20 (HS 97) 2 fifties
Current first class season - Campbell has over 400 runs (avg 57) with a pair of centuries, whereas Louis is nearing 300 runs (avg 41) with one century.
Athanaze, Carty & Sinclair are all well out of form, despite their obvious talent. They will need to dramatically turn their seasons around to be in with a shout of making the squad to face the Aussies. The highest score between all three of those batsmen during the championship season is currently 39 (Athanaze). That simply is not good enough for your test match middle order.
Hodge has faired slightly better but is still shy of where you would like him to be. His 200 runs have come at an average of 33, with a battling 126 being the only time that he has managed to perform.
Joshua Da Silva has responded well to losing his place in the test side, scoring nearly 400 runs thus far at an average of 75, with his three centuries only matched by teammate Jason Mohammed.
Tevin Imlach has been superb since he stepped behind the stumps in Pakistan. His glovework in that series was exceptional, among the finest I have seen by any keeper for many years. The regional season has seen him match Da Silva in terms of runs scored and he has also registered a pair of centuries.
The manner in which Kevlon Anderson bats looks perfectly suited to test cricket. He always looks calm, composed and generally, plays with decent shot selection. Averaging towards 60 with a pair of centuries, he must be in the conversation at this stage.
It would be nice to see Jangoo kick on and convert one of his starts - three half centuries but a highest of 84. He is, without a doubt, a fine player. A strong finish to the regional season will put him in with a shout of making the squad.
I would like to add several batsmen that were not named in the initial post, namely, the veteran Jason Mohammed who despite his advancing age, has performed better than any batsman in the region (he is over 100 runs ahead of the next batsman in terms of runs scored). Three centuries and an average over 100 at a very good strike rate makes him the exception as far as being overlooked due to age. If you want the best chance to win now, you would probably have to select him today. Another batsman aged over 30 but delivering the goods this season is Jonathan Drakes of Barbados. With over 400 runs and an average nearing 60, two hundreds and a pair of fifties, he has shown good, consistent batting this year.
Before I name the final player on my list, I would give honorable mentions to Evelyn, Cooper, Bowen-Tuckett & another veteran, Hamiliton.
Finally, I come to the one player that probably excites me most of all from this season's regional century makers. That is the youngster Jewel Andrew, who despite only recently turning 18 years of age, has made his maiden first class century and has just under 400 runs for the season (at an average of nearly 50) with three half centuries to go with his ton. After only 13 first class matches, Andrew has nearly 800 runs at an average approaching 40, with a strike rate of 75. With half a dozen fifties to go with his recent century, the young man clearly has both ability and an appetite for batting.
We are often very hesitant to test youth, for fear that they may be harmed by playing against strong opposition or on a difficult surface. Well, sometimes, the chance is worth taking. Personally, I would strongly consider Jewel Andrew at this stage. To have him at least, in the squad and getting a feel for test match cricket and the demands it places upon your concentration, surely will do him good in the long term. If the season ended today and the test squad was to be selected on current form, he would make my squad. The final XI? Probably not yet but that day would likely not be too far away.
If the West Indies select a bunch of wicket-keeper batsmen, as it looks like they should do on current form (Imlach, Da Silva & possibly Jangoo), then so be it. The batting order needs serious work from top to middle. Time for change.
