So what does the future hold for West Indies?

[shivfan]

I would persist with Benn simply because he's been delivering the goods. Personally, I prefer Miller, but I wouldn't complain if Benn is selected ahead of him.

As for the extra bowler, I think we have to be realistic here. Right now, the injured Edwards aside, I don't see any other pacer in the region capable of taking wickets on the dead, slow-turning batting tracks that exist throughout the Caribbean right now.

Now that Gibson is at the helm, I see a long-awaited A team schedule has been arranged, with the WI A team playing Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and England over the next three months. Maybe a good pacer will come from those ranks, but I really don't see the point of taking a place away from Deonarine and giving it to Rampaul.

As for dropping Nash or Shiv, that's just ludicrous, and I don't see the point of discussing that here....

With regards to Caribbean pitches, quite frankly, I just think that Caribbean groundsmen are incompetent, and incapable of preparing competitive pitches.

 

[Flem274*]

I'd like to see Miller ahead of Benn, and is there another allrounder? Fair enough not wanting Ramdin at seven, but Shivfans side does look a bowler short. Fair enough that there might not be any left in the Carribean that are any good, but Roach, Bravo and Taylor in a four man attack is just asking for an injury.

 

[WindieWeathers]

I'd certainly rather drop the (out of form for the past year) Shiv or the (one paced) Nash than go into a test with only two strike bowlers!!, now that's what i call "ludacrous" , btw if the youngsters such as Holder (who i believe will be in the side sooner rather than later) or Gabriel ect don't impress in the A-team there's always Lionel Baker who was on fire in the last domestic season (even had the best figures of 13/90) and he already has international experience,

For me Nikita Miller just doesn't look dangerous enough at international level, in Australia he kept it tight but rarely did he look like taking a wicket, he's got an impressive record at Fc level yes but so has lesser names such as Odean Brown, Shane Shillingford etc and they aren't getting a look in at all, imo we've looked at the likes of Miller and Benn for far too long now, it's time to see what Imran Khan (last seasons top wicket taker), Kavesh Kantasingh and Devandre Bishoo can do, those are the new generation of spinners we have coming through,

As for the pitches, well that's just the WICB's incompetence for you, Chris Gayle and Ottis Gibson recently complained about our pitches suiting the opposition after the nightmare start we had against Zimbabwe and that was fixed towards the end when we played on pitches more conducive to our bowling attack.

 

[shivfan]

Here's an option for the future....

Imrain Khan is a spinning allrounder who led the wicket-taking stakes this domestic season. But he's probably not ready to be thrown into Test cricket just yet. Gibson has selected him for the three A team series against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, and England, and if he does well, maybe he can come in for Benn, allowing room for another pacer.

But I don't think he'll have had enough FC matches under his belt for a series against South Africa. And it's one thing to take wickets against domestic Caribbean batsmen, who are not great players of spin, and quite another thing to take wickets against international teams....

Let's see how he does on the A team tours.

For Trinidad, Imran took 41 wickets with his leggies at an average of 16, while with the bat he made 221 runs at an average of 20, including two half-centuries. The 25-year old has played 19 FC matches, and has a record of one century and four 50s to his name so far, and an overall batting average of 26. If he works on his batting, he could very well come in at six, ahead of Bravo and Ramdin.

Who knows....

 

[shivfan]

I'd certainly rather drop the (out of form for the past year) Shiv or the (one paced) Nash than go into a test with only two strike bowlers!!, now that's what i call "ludacrous" , btw if the youngsters such as Holder (who i believe will be in the side sooner rather than later) or Gabriel ect don't impress in the A-team there's always Lionel Baker who was on fire in the last domestic season (even had the best figures of 13/90) and he already has international experience,

For me Nikita Miller just doesn't look dangerous enough at international level, in Australia he kept it tight but rarely did he look like taking a wicket, he's got an impressive record at Fc level yes but so has lesser names such as Odean Brown, Shane Shillingford etc and they aren't getting a look in at all, imo we've looked at the likes of Miller and Benn for far too long now, it's time to see what Imran Khan (last seasons top wicket taker), Kavesh Kantasingh and Devandre Bishoo can do, those are the new generation of spinners we have coming through,

As for the pitches, well that's just the WICB's incompetence for you, Chris Gayle and Ottis Gibson recently complained about our pitches suiting the opposition after the nightmare start we had against Zimbabwe and that was fixed towards the end when we played on pitches more conducive to our bowling attack.

Nash was the second most prolific runscorer for the West Indies on the last Test tour of Australia, behind Gayle....

He has earned his place in the side.

Now, Shiv hasn't been his usual prolific self recently, but he has so much class and his record is so good that he should be played in the Test series against South Africa. If he fails in that series, we can revisit this discussion again.

This is a pointless discussion, because I'm willing to bet large quantities of money that there's no way Gibson will drop either Shiv or Nash for the first Test against South Africa!

Are there any takers?

 

[Uppercut]

I'm confident after half of the Aussie line-up retires due to old age there's gonna be a new dawn in test cricket, with WI right in the mix.

Lolno. Australia have an obscene amount of depth. West Indies have none.

 

[WindieWeathers]

is there another allrounder?.

Our latest spinner causing a buzz who i've already talked about named Imran Khan is actually an allrounder, in fact he was labled a "batting allrounder" when he first made his debut for Trinidad a few years ago but as his bowling has just gone to another level now people tend to think he's a normal spinner, that's why i hope he pulls up trees for the A-team in the next few months because he's more than capable of batting at 7 and being a Swann like figure down the order for us.

 

[Craig]

Lolno. Australia have an obscene amount of depth. West Indies have none.

When the likes of David Hussey will never wear the Baggy Green FFS. With the exception of India, and I guess South Africa too, he would be a walk in every other team. Same goes with Chris Rogers as well, and I think it will be doubtful if Phil Jaques plays another Test again, certainly not for a long time unless there are a crap load of injuries.

 

[Craig]

Our latest spinner causing a buzz who i've already talked about named Imran Khan is actually an allrounder, in fact he was labled a "batting allrounder" when he first made his debut for Trinidad a few years ago but as his bowling has just gone to another level now people tend to think he's a normal spinner, that's why i hope he pulls up trees for the A-team in the next few months because he's more than capable of batting at 7 and being a Swann like figure down the order for us.

Fix'd.

 

[GotSpin]

Can you make sure the WI get really good so I have an excuse to visit the Caribbean next time Australia tour there

 

[WindieWeathers]

Nash was the second most prolific runscorer for the West Indies on the last Test tour of Australia, behind Gayle....

He has earned his place in the side.

Now, Shiv hasn't been his usual prolific self recently, but he has so much class and his record is so good that he should be played in the Test series against South Africa. If he fails in that series, we can revisit this discussion again.

This is a pointless discussion, because I'm willing to bet large quantities of money that there's no way Gibson will drop either Shiv or Nash for the first Test against South Africa!

Are there any takers?

And i'm absolutely certain that Deonarine will be in the side come May, so either way someone is gonna miss out, as he's worked with Deo already and has seen what he can do firsthand while Nash has been sat at home twiddling his thumbs i wouldn't be so confident that he'll just walk back in man, it's Gibson's team now, the Australia test is in the past, and him being a bowling man i simply cannot see him going into the tests with just two strike bowlers, it just won't happen.

Shiv was dropped (or "rested" lol) for the last Odi vs Zimbabwe so you never can tell what might happen!! .

 

[WindieWeathers]

Lolno. Australia have an obscene amount of depth. West Indies have none.

Will they be the same quality as those who will be retiring soon though? i very much doubt it, WI have loads of young talent coming through who have a real chance of going places and i'm hopeful that the gap will close between the two sides within the next three years.

 

[GotSpin]

Will they be the same quality as those who will be retiring soon though? i very much doubt it, WI have loads of young talent coming through who have a real chance of going places and i'm hopeful that the gap will close between the two sides within the next three years.

If you look at the talent being kept out of the Test team in Australia...

 

[shivfan]

If Taylor is unfit, this would be my XI for the First Test....

1) Chris Gayle
2) Adrian Barath
3) Ramnaresh Sarwan
4) Shiv Chanderpaul
5) Brendan Nash
6) Narsing Deonarine
7) Dwayne Bravo
8) Denesh Ramdin
9) Suleimann Benn
10) Pedro Collins
11) Kemar Roach

I think Collins has earned a recall by virtue of being the leading wicket-taker among the pacers this domestic season, and that's nothing to be sneezed at, because these pitches don't help pacers these days. He's a leftie, as well all know, so he offers something a litte different. The only other pacer to be among the leading wicket-taking stakes was Lionel Baker, so I would have him as my reserve.

That said, I think Gibson is likely to omit Deonarine, and have Bravo at six and Ramdin at seven. Personally, I'm not confident that a team like that can stand up to the likes of Dale Steyn....

 

[shivfan]

And i'm absolutely certain that Deonarine will be in the side come May, so either way someone is gonna miss out, as he's worked with Deo already and has seen what he can do firsthand while Nash has been sat at him twiddling his thumbs i wouldn't be so confident that he'll just walk back in man, it's Gibson's team now, the Australia test is in the past, and him being a bowling man i simply cannot see him going into the tests with just two strike bowlers, it just won't happen.

Shiv was dropped (or "rested" lol) for the last Odi vs Zimbabwe so you never can tell what might happen!! .

Put your money where your mouth is, Windie!

I've named the team I would like to see in the first Test. Will you take a punt, and name the team you would like to see for the first Test against the Saffers?

 

[WindieWeathers]

If Taylor is unfit, this would be my XI for the First Test....

1) Chris Gayle
2) Adrian Barath
3) Ramnaresh Sarwan
4) Shiv Chanderpaul
5) Brendan Nash
6) Narsing Deonarine
7) Dwayne Bravo
8) Denesh Ramdin
9) Suleimann Benn
10) Pedro Collins
11) Kemar Roach

I think Collins has earned a recall by virtue of being the leading wicket-taker among the pacers this domestic season, and that's nothing to be sneezed at, because these pitches don't help pacers these days. He's a leftie, as well all know, so he offers something a litte different. The only other pacer to be among the leading wicket-taking stakes was Lionel Baker, so I would have him as my reserve.

That said, I think Gibson is likely to omit Deonarine, and have Bravo at six and Ramdin at seven. Personally, I'm not confident that a team like that can stand up to the likes of Dale Steyn....

I don't think that team is good enough at all which is why i believe it's best that we wait until some of the A-team games are done before we start picking and choosing, what if Brathwaite scores a few 100's? what if Darren Bravo lives up to the "next Lara" tag? what if Holder tears it up like he did yesterday against UWI? what if Khan continues his stunning form? what if Devon Thomas is amazing with both bat and gloves in the T20's? anything can happen between now and the series with South Africa Mike,

As for Collins i told you before that Baker's figures put him to shame last season man, Collins already turned his back on us and i think it's time to embrace the new talent now.

 

[Streetwise]

If you look at the talent being kept out of the Test team in Australia...

Nash for instance.

 

[GotSpin]

Nash for instance.

He wouldn't have been in the top 30 or 40 I imagine.

 

[shivfan]

I don't think that team is good enough at all which is why i believe it's best that we wait until some of the A-team games are done before we start picking and choosing, what if Brathwaite scores a few 100's? what if Darren Bravo lives up to the "next Lara" tag? what if Holder tears it up like he did yesterday against UWI? what if Khan continues his stunning form? what if Devon Thomas is amazing with both bat and gloves in the T20's? anything can happen between now and the series with South Africa Mike,

As for Collins i told you before that Baker's figures put him to shame last season man, Collins already turned his back on us and i think it's time to embrace the new talent now.

That's a cop-out, Windie....

The indications seem to be that the A team squad has been selected for all three tours, which includes England in May. That would mean that A team players would not be available for selection for the main team against South Africa, barring some serious injuries, of course.

The four-day domestic tournament has been completed, and Gibson is already organising a camp in barbados for players he expects to be involved in the world 20/20 champs and the Test tour by South Africa. He already has his Test squad in mind, IMHO....

So, basically you're saying that you're not sure who you want to see in the Test team for the first Test against South Africa?

 

[shivfan]

He wouldn't have been in the top 30 or 40 I imagine.

To be fair, Nash did outperform North with the bat in the recent Test series Down Under....

Though I would like to go into the first Test with the extra batsman, I can't help feeling that GIbson doesn't see it that way. I suspect he's going to persist with Bravo and six and Ramdin at seven, and will omit Deonarine. I think Deonarine will probably be on stand-by in case Sarwan is not fit to play. This is what I suspect his likely XI for the first Test will be....

1) Chris Gayle
2) Adrian Barath
3) Ramnaresh Sarwan
4) Shiv Chanderpaul
5) Brendan Nash
6) Dwayne Bravo
7) Denesh Ramdin
8) Jerome Taylor/Lionel Baker (depending on Taylor's fitness)
9) Suleimann Benn
10) Kemar Roach
11) Pedro Collins