Give young players a chance

THE EDITOR: If there are two things I have come to understand about the game of cricket besides the basics, is there are a lot of surprises and every team goes through a dry spell at some point of time. However, I find the West Indies current poor run of form inexcusable, not to mention a total embarrassment to the entire Caribbean. Although they were badly beaten in the two previous matches, I kept telling myself they would rebound and win the two remaining games to level the series. So you could imagine the disappointment and disgust I am presently feeling.

What really upset me the most about the loss is the selection of Darren Ganga. I really don’t know what on earth the selectors were thinking when they included him in the team to cover for the injured Devon Smith. You mean to say even with the entire Caribbean at our disposal he is the only player the selectors could have found to replace Smith? To say besides Ganga there was not another suitable opener to select is a poor excuse, not to mention an insult to the younger players. I could bet my last bottom dollar had Xavier Marshall, Tishan Maraj, or even Donavon Pagan played in that match, they would have done a far better job than Ganga. 

Excuse me for my blatant language, but Ganga is the worst West Indian opener I have ever seen since former Barbados opening batsman Adrian Griffith. It’s no wonder the West Indies is currently struggling, every time they take a step forward, they take two steps back. It’s high time the selectors start introducing new faces into the team and stop treating these players as if they are indispensable, and I’m not referring to Darren Ganga alone. The Caribbean is presently filled with an enormous amount of young talented players who are eager for a chance to show their worth, so I don’t see the logic in the continuous recycling of the same players.

The selectors need to understand by doing so they themselves are allowing indiscipline to creep in the team. These players have gotten to the point where they believe no matter what they do they would not be dropped and their approach towards the game clearly demonstrated that. If the WICB wants to save the future of West Indies cricket they need to take a firm stand against indiscipline and lacklustre performances by these players. As far as Ridley Jacobs is concerned, after the fourth and final test match, which is to be played in his hometown, he ought to resign with immediate effect. It’s obvious he is past his best, therefore he should pass on the mantle to one of the younger guys. I guess his immediate replacement would be the diminutive Carlton Baugh, but I would rather go with West Indies Under-19 captain Dinesh Ramdin. With the selection of Ramdin, you would not only get an excellent wicketkeeper, but also a competent batsman and a future captain, but hey, it’s not my call.

TERRY COX
Tacarigua