So what does the future hold for West Indies?

[GingerFurball]

From the NZ thread:

Originally Posted by WindieWeathers

I've been warned about talking about WI recently but as you're a mod asking me a question hopefully i'm safe!! ,

Our attack could very well be Roach, Taylor, Bravo, Benn and one of the other fine young bowlers we've got coming through such as Jason Holder, for me that's a very decent attack indeed, lets remember half of those players bowled Australia out for around 160 recently in the tests.

However, you've said you could win a Test starting today, then you're claiming an injured Taylor as part of your attack. That one doesn't quite add up to me. Roach excites me, Holder has proven nothing, and while impressive in the U19 World Cup needs to add a touch more pace to trouble international class batsmen IMO. I don't rate Benn at all.

There's no doubt that with players like Barath, Braithwaite, Holder, Roach etc, there's a lot of promise if you're a passionate West Indian fan. However, IMO, the mistake you often make is to mistake that promise for proven matchwinning talent right now.

[HeathDavisSpeed]

So, anyway, that New Zealand team. What's going on with them, then?

[GingerFurball]

Enough.

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Originally Posted by GingerFurball

Enough.

I know, I know. The limit was 1 post and I shall cease there.

Seriously though, a good number of my all-time favourite cricketers are from the West Indies - Ambrose & Marshall (Malcolm, not Xavier) in particular. Cricket is poorer with a weak West Indies, but the interest seems to be in the shorter form of the game rather than Test cricket as far as I can tell.

[WindieWeathers]

Originally Posted by GingerFurball

From the NZ thread:



However, you've said you could win a Test starting today, then you're claiming an injured Taylor as part of your attack. That one doesn't quite add up to me. Roach excites me, Holder has proven nothing, and while impressive in the U19 World Cup needs to add a touch more pace to trouble international class batsmen IMO. I don't rate Benn at all.

There's no doubt that with players like Barath, Braithwaite, Holder, Roach etc, there's a lot of promise if you're a passionate West Indian fan. However, IMO, the mistake you often make is to mistake that promise for proven matchwinning talent right now.

Let the games begin!! ,

Firstly Jerome Taylor has been back in training for weeks now and was selected in the provisional squad for the T20 world cup a few days ago, he's certainly gonna be in the team when South Africa come to town, secondly i just mentioned Holder as a possibility in our bowling line-up, yesterday he impressed against Lancashire in a t20 and is set to play in the A-team shortly, along with Holder there's also the likes of Branden Bess, Delorn Johnson, Jason Dawes and Shannon Gabriel coming through who all look exciting prospects, and if we were playing a test tomorrow i'm sure Rampaul wouldn't let us down, as i said already even our depleted bowling line-up managed to bowl out Australia for around 160 runs.

I can see why people don't rate Benn, i'm not a massive fan either but he has got 4 and 5 wickets hauls against England and Australia over the past year so he's not that bad, there's new spinners emerging to challenge him though in Imran Khan (just got 41 wickets in the last domestic season) and Kavesh Kantasingh (3rd highest wicket taker).

On the batting side, depending on how fit and confident he is there's a chance our batting line-up might get a boost by the end of the year with Marlon Samuels returning from his ban in May, whilst young prospects such as Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo are waiting in the wings and will also play for the A-team, i know i can talk up our youngsters but i really do believe they will be the real deal within the next few years , i'm just the enthusiastic type, i'm not sure my fellow WI fans are as confident though!! .

[Aritro]

I can't wait to see what Marlon Samuel does on his return. He was doing a pretty good impersonation of a damn fine test batsman during that series against South Africa.

Is there anything to suggest that he's come back from all this a more mature and responsible man?

[Bahnz]

I'd feel more confident about the future of west indies cricket if they had a competent administration. It'll be interesting to see where they are in 4 years. A lot of their younger players are still very much unknown quantities. Still, I'd say in terms of young talent the team is in its strongest position for a long time. Just a question of whether it will be realised, and if it is, I could see the west indies being a quality side within 4 years (and by that I mean mid test-table).

[WindieWeathers]

Originally Posted by Aritro

I can't wait to see what Marlon Samuel does on his return. He was doing a pretty good impersonation of a damn fine test batsman during that series against South Africa.

Is there anything to suggest that he's come back from all this a more mature and responsible man?

In a recent interview he claims he's more mature now, has learned from his mistakes and is determained to get back to the top of his game, i think he'll be a great option for us in the middle order once he's settled down and started playing cricket regularly again.

[Streetwise]

WI are far from being a competent team, they lack leadership and talent. I cant see them changing much in test matches and expect they will be moderately successful in the shorter games but their players dont have the discipline or stamina to play the longer version.

[WindieWeathers]

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.

[Streetwise]

Originally Posted by WindieWeathers

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.

Waiting for the quality of cricket to drop to WI level is not going to happen, Australia have the depth to get even better once some of our players retire.

[WindieWeathers]

No your quality will drop while ours gets better, but anyway we've had this discussion already streetwise and i'm not in the mood to get banned.

[GotSpin]

It's almost a selection policy now to have an older team playing for Australia. Don't see it as a problem.

Marlon Samuels seems really enthusiastic to get back. Will be interesting.

[shivfan]

I'm positive about the future of West Indies cricket, but I'm not getting carried away....

Of course, here I'm talking about Test cricket. We have a pretty decent 20/20 side, but the ODI side is really struggling, unfortunately. But back to the Test side....

Under the days when Lara led the side, the WI were losing Tests left, right and centre. About a year ago, the WI won a home series against England. That represents an improvement. Now, instead of being rooted to eighth place, I see the WI competing with New Zealand and Pakistan in the third tier.

I see India, South Africa and Australia in the first tier, and England and Sri Lanka in the second tier. How the WI perform in the third tier will determine whether the upcoming talent can live up to its potential....

Edwards is out for a year, and while Samuels will be back on May 9, I don't see him walking back into the side. I would like to see him play a full domestic season for Jamaica before we entertain talk of him playing for the WI again.

This would be my XI for the first test against the Saffers in May, injury permitting....

1) Chris Gayle
2) Adrian Barath
3) Ramnaresh Sarwan
4) Shiv Chanderpaul
5) Brendan Nash
6) Narsingh Deonarine
7) Dwayne Bravo
8) Denesh Ramdin
9) Jerome Taylor
10) Suliemann Benn
11) Kemar Roach

I'm not convinced that Taylor is back to his best yet. I would like to see how the promising pacers do in the A team games against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and England, to see who can come in if Taylor doesn't pass a fitness test. I really don't think Rampaul is a Test bowler....

[Athlai]

I really can't see an attack of just Roach, Taylor, Bravo and Benn working. Roach and Taylor will only bowl short spells, Benn is average and Bravo isn't a frontline Test bowler, nor is Gayle a solid alternative option. You are a bowler short IMO.