By Tym Glaser , Associate Editor - Sport
Barbados legends, from left, Desmond Haynes, Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Garfield Sobers, Gordon Greenidge and Joel Garner pose after being selected among that island's top cricketers.
THE LISTS of the West Indies' greatest players in its 75-year Test cricket history has been pared down now and it just remains for Jamaica, 'The Combined Islands' and a jury to round out the final squad from which five will be chosen as the region's best ever flannelled champions.
We Jamaicans doff our caps next Tuesday at a gala night at the Pegasus Hotel but already Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago have chosen their all-time greats.
From the Caribbean cricket nursery of Barbados it comes as no surprise that the world's greatest ever all-rounder Sir Garfield Sobers was the No. 1 pick.
He was followed in no particular order by fast bowling legends the late Malcolm Marshall and 'Big Bird' Joel Garner, the first nominated black captain of the regional side, Sir Frank Worrell, his contemporary Sir Everton Weekes and the world's greatest opening combination of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.
SEVEN PICKS FOR BARBADOS
Barbados had seven picks against the rest of the region's five or four due to the fact that they have supplied proportionately more players than any other cricket playing entity in the region.
The Guyanese chose legendary skipper Clive Lloyd to head their five greatest ahead of superb spinner Lance Gibbs, Rohan Kanhai and latter-day bats Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
The late Roy Fredericks and top-order batsman Alvin Kallicharan may have been a tad unlucky but could still make the final list as the Jubilee Jury still has four wildcard picks. However, it appears to be that young fans' votes are having an affect on the overall tallies.
Just off the mainland territory, to no-one's surprise West Indian skipper and world-record holder for most Test runs and first-class runs in an innings, Brian Lara, was Trinidad and Tobago's top pick over compatriots Ian Bishop, Larry Gomes, Sonny Ramadhin and the late Lord Learie Constantine.
FINAL SELECTION
All of the selected players advance to the final selection of the Scotiabank West Indian Jubilee. The five West Indian Jubilee Cricketers will be revealed at the Jubilee Gala in Birmingham on July 27 during the West Indies tour of England.
It's Jamaica's turn now and it would seem pacemen Michael Holding and Courtney Walsh plus the region's first great batsman, George Headley, must secure three of our five nominated places on the 30-man roster but then what about the incomparable skill with willow of Lawrence Rowe, the guile of spinner Alfred Valentine, the glovework of Jackie Hendriks, Franz Alexander and Jeff Dujon, et al.
Make your choice and vote. Tickets can still be won for the Jamaica leg's gala next Tuesday evening at the Pegasus Hotel - an occasion that shouldn't be missed.
THE NOMINATED GREATS
BARBADOS
Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Frank Worrell, Malcolm Marshall, Sir Everton Weekes, Desmond Haynes, Gordon Greenidge and Joel Garner.
GUYANA
Clive Lloyd, Rohan Kanhai, Carl Hooper, Lance Gibbs and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Brian Lara, Ian Bishop, Larry Gomes, Sonny Ramadhin and Lord Learie Constantine.
