So what does the future hold for West Indies?

[WindieWeathers]

Yeah we hear you WW, we have the same problem with our bowlers. People just want to put down the quality of the opposition in an effort to put down our bowlers performance.

Really? you mean someone had the nerve to claim "Dougy isn't the second coming of Dale Steyn"? i can't believe it, especially after his wonderful performances against giants like NZ, Pakistan and WI reserves recently.

 

[Athlai]

Hardly WI reserves.

 

[Beamer]

Hardly WI reserves.

Ok, how about a severely weakened West Indies lineup? More to your liking? I hope so because that is certainly what it was.

 

[Athlai]

Ok, how about a severely weakened West Indies lineup? More to your liking? I hope so because that is certainly what it was.

How was the batting severely weakened?

Bollingers wickets
Gayle x2
Barath
Dowlin
Sarwan
Chanderpaul
Nash
Bravo
Ramdin
Sammy
Roach x2
Tonge

Tonge, Sammy and Dowlin the only true 'reserves'.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

The future doesn't hold anything for the West Indies other than sitting back and telling themselves that cricket goes in cycles and it'll be their turn again soon

 

[Craig]

Ok, how about a severely weakened West Indies lineup? More to your liking? I hope so because that is certainly what it was.

The team that played Bangladesh during the strike was what I would call a reserve team. The WI batting was near enough full strength, but the bowling was weakened with the absence of Taylor (mid way through Brisbane) and Edwards. I don't see how that can qualify as the WI reserves, because it contained several first choice players.

 

[WindieWeathers]

At one point or another we lost Chanders, Sarwan and Barath, when you add in Taylor and Edwards then that's pretty much half the team, also i wasn't just talking about the Tests, did you see our line-up for the ODI's? that was our reserves without doubt lads.

 

[andyc]

At one point or another we lost Chanders, Sarwan and Barath, when you add in Taylor and Edwards then that's pretty much half the team, also i wasn't just talking about the Tests, did you see our line-up for the ODI's? that was our reserves without doubt lads.

See Athlai's post:

How was the batting severely weakened?

Bollingers wickets
Gayle x2
Barath
Dowlin
Sarwan
Chanderpaul
Nash
Bravo
Ramdin
Sammy
Roach x2
Tonge

Tonge, Sammy and Dowlin the only true 'reserves'.

 

[WindieWeathers]

See Athlai's post:

Dowlin isn't a first choice though!! , and Ramdin can't be considered a batter either, he's hopeless.

 

[Furball]

Dowlin isn't a first choice though!! , and Ramdin can't be considered a batter either, he's hopeless.

Athlai referred to Dowlin as a reserve.

 

[Athlai]

Moderators advice - see Athlai

 

[shivfan]

That's fantastic to hear.

Good to know it's true....

|| Digicel Cricket ||

"West Indies squad: Chris Gayle (Captain), Sulieman Benn, Dwayne Bravo, Shiv Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Andre Fletcher, Wavell Hinds, Nikita Miller, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jerome Taylor
In addition to Barath, Darren Bravo and Simmons other players also missing out are David Bernard Jr, Carlton Baugh, Runako Morton and Dwayne Smith."

 

[Beamer]

The A team to play Zimbabwe has been announced and I am not at all pleased with it. What have the selectors been smoking? The ones I have real issues with are in bold.

Brandon Bess, Kraigg Brathwaite, Travis Dowlin, Shane Dowrich, Kirk Edwards, Assad Fudadin, Shannon Gabriel, Justin Guillen, Jason Haynes, Jason Holder, Imran Khan, Nelon Pascal, Shane Shillingford.

Dowlin is a known quantity now, why waste an A team pick on someone like him? Assad Fudadin and Jason Haynes have done absolutely nothing to deserve an A team pick. They are extremely mediocre cricketers. Fudadin never scores any runs but bats without a helmet quite often. Maybe that has got the dinosaurs interested? It can't be anything else thats for sure.

At least they have decided to give some of our raw but talented faster bowlers a go. It's also nice to see Imran Khan and Shillingford get recognition for years of consistent performances. The only worry with him is his action as it has been called into question before. Obviously I am delighted to see the 3 Bajan youths in, I hope they take the chance with both hands.

So my guess at the A team XI:

Braithwaite
Guillen
Dowlin (c)
Edwards
Fuddadin
Dowrich (wk)
Khan
Holder
Shillingford
Pascal
Bess/Gabriel

 

[vic_orthdox]

Looking in from the outside, I don't think that the selection of Dowlin is too bad at all. I think that, even with an "A" squad with a huge developmental view, such as this one, there is a definite role for someone with recent Test experience. No other players there really fill that spot, and I think that Dowlin being there would add quite a bit to that "A" side, in terms of displaying the habits expected of a senior cricketer in the Caribbean.

 

[Beamer]

Looking in from the outside, I don't think that the selection of Dowlin is too bad at all. I think that, even with an "A" squad with a huge developmental view, such as this one, there is a definite role for someone with recent Test experience. No other players there really fill that spot, and I think that Dowlin being there would add quite a bit to that "A" side, in terms of displaying the habits expected of a senior cricketer in the Caribbean.

Yeah having had more time to digest the news I think you are right. Dowlin can be the one experienced player there to captain the side. Tbh, I am more comfortable with his selection than that of Fudadin and Haynes who are simply not good enough to even merit consideration for A team selection.

 

[WindieWeathers]

The A team to play Zimbabwe has been announced and I am not at all pleased with it. What have the selectors been smoking? The ones I have real issues with are in bold.

Brandon Bess, Kraigg Brathwaite, Travis Dowlin, Shane Dowrich, Kirk Edwards, Assad Fudadin, Shannon Gabriel, Justin Guillen, Jason Haynes, Jason Holder, Imran Khan, Nelon Pascal, Shane Shillingford.

Dowlin is a known quantity now, why waste an A team pick on someone like him? Assad Fudadin and Jason Haynes have done absolutely nothing to deserve an A team pick. They are extremely mediocre cricketers. Fudadin never scores any runs but bats without a helmet quite often. Maybe that has got the dinosaurs interested? It can't be anything else thats for sure.

At least they have decided to give some of our raw but talented faster bowlers a go. It's also nice to see Imran Khan and Shillingford get recognition for years of consistent performances. The only worry with him is his action as it has been called into question before. Obviously I am delighted to see the 3 Bajan youths in, I hope they take the chance with both hands.

So my guess at the A team XI:

Braithwaite
Guillen
Dowlin (c)
Edwards
Fuddadin
Dowrich (wk)
Khan
Holder
Shillingford
Pascal
Bess/Gabriel

I agree about Fudadin and Haynes, also miffed at why they chose Dowlin as the "experienced head", if they don't deliver than i'd hope Kiaren Powell gets a call for next game, and maybe Horace Miller, delighed with most others though, Kirk Edwards looks like an interesting middle order batsman, Brathwaite is gonna be massive, Holder's making headlines already and Imran Khan will hopefully show is potential, not happy Kantasingh missed out though, he was better than Shillingford last season imo, and Jahmah Hamilton is very unlucky not to be included too, but i guess Dowrich is more high profile right now.

 

[Craig]

As an outsider, would it be fair to say that Dowrich has done more to get ahead in the pecking order?

 

[shivfan]

To be fair, Jason Haynes was the fourth-highest run-scorer in the domestic four-day competition, with 432 runs this season - only Devon Smith, Dale Richards and Ryan Hinds scored more. If there is a criticism to be leveled at Haynes, it's that he didn't convert any of his five half-centuries into three figures. Maybe an A team tour will teach him how to do that....

As for Fudadin, his returns were relatively disappointing this season, but aside from Omar Phillips, which other young batsman scored more runs than him this season? Personally, I would've gone for Phillips, but Fudadin should get the nod ahead of the others, including Kieran Powell, based upon returns this season, IMHO.

I would also go for Kantasingh over Shillingford, who has a questionable action, IMHO. We have so many spinners in regional cricket, so I don't see why we're giving a chance to a player who may be called for throwing....

To me, it's a tossup between DOwrich and Hamilton. I happy with either being given a run in the A team.

As for Dowlin, I can only justify his inclusion in the A team if he's made captain. That hasn't been announced yet. He's 32 now, and he's taking up a place that could've been given to a youngster, so if he's not made captain, I won't be best pleased....

 

[Craig]

Does Dowlin have much captaincy experience or is it given to him on the basis he has more experience?

 

[WindieWeathers]

As an outsider, would it be fair to say that Dowrich has done more to get ahead in the pecking order?

Well i guess at the u19's world cup recently he made headlines because he was our second or third best batter, and looking at his technique he really does know how to bat, he made his debut for Barabdos recently and though he never set the place on fire with the bat he was very tidy behind the stumps, he's one of a few young wicketkeepers we've got coming through, the other being Jahmar Hamilton who we've already debated, i thought Hamilton deserved a place in the A-team more to be honest but i'm ok with Dowrich too.