Make way ‘keeper Jacobs told

BRIDGETOWN: Former West Indies wicketkeeping great Jeff Dujon has issued a public call for Ridley Jacobs to retire and make way for a younger successor.

In an interview with the Barbados Nation, Dujon says Jacobs’ days as the number one wicket-keeper in the senior side “are numbered” and called on the 36-year-old Jacobs to step aside to allow for the grooming of a younger player. Dujon, who will coach the University of the West Indies (UWI) team in this year’s Red Stripe Bowl, told the newspaper: “It’s common sense and anyone can realise that his (Jacobs’) time in Test cricket, by virtue of his age, are numbered. If we are going to move on, if we are going to be progressive, it would make sense to give the gloves to someone else.” “Ridley has been a fine servant to West Indies and he had an outstanding career, considering that he started rather late, but time marches on and we have now to look towards the future,” Dujon added.

The West Indies selectors identified Carlton Baugh as Jacobs’ understudy during the recent home tours of Australia and Sri Lanka. Baugh, who has two First Class tons to his name, played two Tests against Australia and was solid, if not spectacular, behind the stumps. He also appeared in three ODIs against the mighty Australians. Other contenders for the wicket-keeper slot have been largely absent. Guyanese Vishal Nagamootoo, once a highly touted prospect, has shown poor form in recent years while players like Matthew Sinclair, Keith Hibbert have not proven ready to step up to the next level.

In Barbados and the Windwards, the wicket-keepers for regional tournaments have been limited to Courtney Browne and Junior Murray, two players well past their prime. It is a reality not lost on Dujon. “I have been disappointed with the standard of wicket-keeping in general. We have a far more competitive situation at the international level,” he said. “This is an area we need to work on — the development. We have to have a policy whereby we go and look and find keepers the way we have with fast bowlers. We have to have a policy where we go and look for young keepers and get their batting in order and create competition as we have with the fast bowlers,” Dujon added.