Recall Dinas to Windies team

The West Indies selectors would have been paying keen attention to performances in the Red Stripe Bowl over the past two weeks with a view to finalising the squad for the tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa. With the batting almost picking itself most of the interest would be on the bowling where nobody seems to be a sure pick.

In the absence of Jermaine Lawson, pacers Merv Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor, Pedro Collins and Darren Powell, along with spinners Dinanath Ramnarine and Dave Mohamed are the front-runners for the six bowling spots this writer has allocated. My first spot goes to Collymore who has proven over the years that he knows how to take wickets. Not the fastest of bowlers, he is brimful of confidence and depends on subtle variations of pace to outfox opponents. This tour could see him emerging as the spearhead of the West Indies attack. I’m also picking Darren Powell. Although he did not look impressive in his brief appearance against Australia, he appears to be back to his best, swinging the ball at good speed in the Red Stripe Bowl. If he realises the potential seen in him by the great Andy Roberts he should become a permanent fixture. Then there is Fidel Edwards. The depth of the Barbados attack has restricted this exciting youngster’s appearance in the Bowl but he impressed enough in his debut Test to warrant a spot on the plane, ahead of the other contender for his spot  Jerome Taylor whose turn will surely come.

A fit Dinanath Ramnarine is still the best spinner in the region and must make the team once he can convince Viv and company that he is fit. His tendency to break down at crucial points must weigh against him, but hopefully those days are behind. An attack consisting of Collymore, Edwards, Powell and Ramnarine is hardly an experienced one however and here is where Dillon and Drakes fit in. Dillon, for all his inconsistencies is a formidable bowler when on song and the fact that he would be the only one with over 100 Test wickets cannot be overlooked. His performance here could decide his future on the team. Drakes, brought back into the team for his vast experience and his knowledge of South African conditions, should prove useful as he returns to the Dark Continent. Had Lawson been available Drakes could have been the one to miss out but gets his chance to leave on a high note.

Among the batsmen, the one to lose out would be Devon Smith. He is the only contender who has done nothing in the RSB to warrant consideration. Daren Ganga and Marlon Samuels, while not being spectacular have held their own. The others Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds, I consider sure picks, while Omari Banks has continued to perform with bat and ball. With no one seriously challenging Ridley Jacobs he holds on to the wicket-keeping spots with Carlton Baugh as his deputy. My squad reads: Wavell Hinds, Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara, Shiv Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Carlton Baugh, Omari Banks, Merv Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Darren Powell, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Dinanath Ramnarine.