Will local cricket selectors bite the bullet?

Local cricket selectors have called up thirty four players for a possible selection of the senior team for this year’s Windwards tournament set for Dominica in September.

But among the persons called are many of the same faces who have been around for years.{{more}}

Selectors Carlos Veira, Stanley Hinds, Selwyn Allen and Chairman Clarence Thomas, only found places for five new faces. The newcomers are Lanceford Weekes, T’Ron Harper, Sunil Ambris, Kesrick Williams and Marvin Small.

Finding themselves between a rock and a hard place, the quartet of selectors had to go on past experience, potential rather than current form. This has been occasioned by the pedestrian pace of the current local cricket competition.

Many of the players have returned below mediocre performances, yet have been included.

The training squad also shows players who have gone the distance. Among them are Orlanzo Jackson, Deighton Butler, Roland Wilkinson and Rommel Currency.

They, along with Miles Bascombe, Donwell Hector, Salvan Browne, Hyron Shallow, Lynden James, and Kenroy Peters, have earned caps at the senior Windwards level.

Others with senior national experience are Donson Andrews, Lauron Francois, Mc Leon Williams, Hezron Lawrence, Dyke Cato, Mahlon John, Dawnley Grant, Dellorn Johnson, Norlan Williams and the temperamental Harley Skerritt.

A surprise inclusion, Skerritt was the cheer leader during the local team’s despicable conduct at the Presentation Ceremony of the Windwards tournament, last October, held at Murray’s Heights.

Recalled are Kenroy Martin and Delroy Johnson. Martin was out of the state last year when the team was selected for the Windwards tournament that was staged here. Martin is also among the tried and tested, who also earned caps for the Windwards at the regional four day tournament.

Johnson was inexplicably left out from last year’s training squad. A burly, pugnacious opener, Johnson had some good returns with bat, but could not find favour with the selectors.

Johnson, Atticus Browne, Seon Sween, Wayne Harper, Keiron Cottoy, Javed Harry and Drumo Toney, although in previous training squads, have never represented this country at the senior level.

Cottoy was part of last year’s final seventeen, but was not included in the final eleven, while Toney can be considered unfortunate not be part of the 20/20 set up earlier this year.

The selectors may also revert to naming a captain based on who have done it already, instead of starting from scratch. Cato, considered by many as the best captain, does not command a place in the team. Furthermore, the selectors may also take into consideration that he does not captain his club, ECGC Radcliffe.

It is expected that coaches Irvin Warrican, Ian Allen, Bertram Stapleton, Ortis Jack and Nixon Mc Lean will take the training squad through their paces.

Last year, St. Vincent and the Grenadines finished second in the league and last in the Limited over competition.