Sammy's spot cannot be justified

By Orville Higgins

Up to a couple of years ago, I was among Darren. Sammy's biggest supporters in media in the region. When others were calling for his head, I supported his inclusion in the team for the simple reason that, although many of us were not impressed by his uncomplicated medium-pace bowling, his returns with the ball definitely warranted him a spot ahead of the other pacers. The facts are there to substantiate this. In 2009, he took 14 test wickets at 22 apiece, and in 2011, he took 30 wickets in Test cricket, at the respectable average of 29. He did have an off year in 2010, but between 2009 and 2011, any call for Sammy to be dropped from the team was due more to emotion than genuine cricket reasons.

Things have changed however. In 2012, he was taking wickets at 49 apiece, and up to the first day of the second Test against India (yesterday) he had taken only one Test wicket in the three games he has been involved in this year. While his batting can be dangerous, he is not seen as a batting all-rounder and, therefore, Sammy's spot on the team cannot be justified. It remains a mystery why they continue to play him. I'm of the belief that Sammy is only there because the West Indies selectors are in a quandary as to who to turn to next to captain the team.

Chris gayle

They wouldn't want to go back to Chris Gayle, who himself is in a slump with the bat and who may have destroyed any chances of being considered for the post again, following that no-holds-barred interview he did on radio a few years ago. Denesh Ramdin, I think, would have been a candidate to be considered, but the incident where he waved that infamous paper against Sir Viv, a few years ago, may have taken him out of the reckoning for good. That plus his up-and-down form. Shiv is on the way out and clearly not being seen as a viable option. Sarwan was earmarked for the post, but he now can't even get into the team. Dwayne Bravo is another being considered, but Bravo could present the same selection problems that Sammy is now presenting. Bravo is not seen as being in the best six batsmen in the West Indies, neither is he seen as being among the four best bowlers. Therefore, his place on this Test team will never be secure.

Front-line options

With the front-line options fast running out, the selectors now may have to be thinking about something a bit more radical, but each name does have question marks. Marlon Samuels? Not quite. He is seen to be as a little too introverted, and not seen as a 'people person'. Darren Bravo? Still struggling to find his feet at the Test level, and is not seen as someone who could really rally the troops around him. Kieran Powell? Nah. Like Bravo, he is still coming to terms with Test cricket, and isn't seen as one who the team will necessarily 'play for'. So, where does all this leave us? One of the fast bowlers? If you exclude Sammy who is not really fast, the only out and out fast bowler to captain West Indies is Courtney Walsh and he was, well, he was Courtney Walsh.

None of the other fast bowlers in the region had the same aura as Courtney and, in any case, maybe except for Roach and Rampaul whenever he is fit, none of them are really automatic selections. Niether Roach or Rampaul are really seen as future West Indies captains. Kurt Edwards? He is one who must be considered, but at this point he can't even make the team, although I think he was treated too harshly.

What of the spinners? Some say Permaul was being groomed for the position, but I don't see Permaul as being an automatic pick, so we are back to square one. Neither Shillingford nor Narine are being considered either. So where do the selectors turn? Do they keep Sammy because there is no obvious alternative? In a crisis like this, should they go for someone completely outside the set-up? Someone who is widely acknowledged as a quality captain, who has earned the respect of the region for his cricket brain, and who may just have the credentials to succeed at the top? Tamar Lambert, anyone?

Orville Higgins is a sports journalist and talk-show host. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.