There is a standard cricketing adage that "you don't change a winning team."Well, our esteemed selectors Clyde Butts, Courtney Browne and Robert Haynes have completely rewritten the book by not changing the losing team after we were beaten by Pakistan in the second One-Day International in St Lucia.The biggest fraud was exposed in Barbados for the third ODI when Lendl Simmons, a front-line batsman, was cast in the role of wicket-keeper, replacing the incumbent Carlton Baugh.
This juggling act was performed to accommodate the rampant Ravi Rampaul who had been inexplicably dropped for the first two ODIs.Andre Russell replaced the new spin wizard by the name of Anthony Martin, who bowls straight leg-spin. One definite factor that is also contributing to this on-going imbalance in the team is the space occupied by the non-performing captain Darren Sammy.
The selectors, as I know it, are given free rein by the WICB to pick a (winning) team. So far in the ODIs, we have seen consistent failures by Smith, Edwards, Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Roach and captain Sammy.Bravo's performance has been below his normally high standards and questions may arise whether it was too early for him to resume his international career after his horrendous knee injury at the World Cup.Apart from stomaching confusing decisions from this trio of bumbling selectors, West Indian cricket fans are now sleeping away at our regional cricket grounds.
Reza Abasali
El Socorro