Tony BeccaTHE job of the West Indies selectors is some times easy and some times difficult. Right now it is difficult.
Back in the days when West Indies cricket boasted batsmen and bowlers of quality and marched around the world conquering one team after another, it was easy to select the squad and then the final XI. Not so today.
Today, West Indies cricket is short of quality batsmen and bowlers, the performance of the team is disappointing, and it is difficult to even select a squad much more the final XI.
It is because of that background why cricket fans should think once, think twice, and probably think again before criticising a set of selectors who have little in terms of quality from which to choose and who, as West Indians who want to win, must have pondered long and hard before coming up with the squad for the tour of Australia.
Looking at the 16 players selected for the tour, there are a few who probably are lucky to be in and a few who are unlucky to be out. Insular bias aside, however, when you look at the performance and the technique of the players the reality of the situation is that there is not much to choose between some of those who are in and those who are out. It is as simple as that.
There is also one other reason why the fans should think before lambasting the selectors.
Commitment and dedication are important in developing one's skill in order to perform, it is important, especially in team sports, that players be committed and dedicated.
Although a few have got away despite falling short in both areas, some are out, not because they did not perform in England, but according to Michael Findlay, chairman of the selection panel, because they lack the necessary commitment and dedication. Again it is as simple as that.
The selectors, however, probably deserve to be criticised for two things - for the selection of Courtney Browne as one of the wicketkeepers and for the selection of six fast bowlers.
Browne is committed and dedicated - no question about that. He has been there many times before, however, he has often failed under pressure and it is strange that after being in and out so often, he is back and a young, promising wicketkeeper like Vishal Nagamootoo has not yet been given a chance to prove he has the stuff of which champions are made.
Unless one is there as cover for veteran Courtney Walsh, six fast bowlers is one too many and it is strange that in selecting a squad to face a team like Australia that is traditionally suspect against offspin bowling, the selectors did not include Nehemiah Perry - especially as this set of fast bowlers is unlikely to make Australia's batsmen shiver in their boots.
Talking about the fast bowlers, what has happened to Corey Collymore? Remembering it is this same set of selectors who, obviously believing he is specially gifted, selected him for the tour of England even though he was injured and had not played even club for one year, it is strange he is not in the squad.
If Collymore was so promising that he was selected for England in spite of his injury and his inactivity, certainly now that he is physically fit and, at 21, still a young man, he should have been selected for Australia - especially with Curtly Ambrose (retired), Reon King (injured), and Franklyn Rose (dropped), who were also in England, not in the party.
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