Orville Higgins | Planning ahead for the World Cup

The mission has been accomplished. The West Indies team has qualified for the 2019 World Cup. There were times when the tendency to self-destruct was again in full display, but I think the fact that we ended up topping the table in the Super Sixes was no fluke. Generally speaking, the West Indies had the best team and deserved to finish on top . We can by no means sit on our laurels, however, if we hope to go to the World Cup and compete as opposed to just honouring the fixtures. As Ian Bishop keeps mentioning, this is a team still under construction.

A lot has been said about the ageing veterans Marlon Samuels and Chris Gayle and whether they still serve a useful purpose. The answer is a resounding yes. Chris Gayle started with a hundred and ended with a first-ball-duck, after having some indifferent form in between. The bowlers bowled brilliantly at him throughout. He wasn't just gifting his wicket. If he works on his fitness, then he should not be denied his last hurrah at the next World Cup. Marlon Samuels frustrates us all with his seeming inability to start quickly, but the truth is that when he is close to his best, he is probably still our best white ball player.

Wicketkeeping issues

The wicketkeeping position is not tied up. Shai Hope was disappointing with the gloves. Not only did he drop a few catches, but he is much too reserved. I like my keepers to be 'vibes men', constantly chirping at fielders to keep the standards up. I would still keep Hope as a batsman. He is technically one of our best players, but I would want to look at maybe Chadwick Walton for the wicketkeeping slot. Chadwick's record at the international level is not special but he has been so brilliant in white-ball cricket of late. He deserves another shot.

I am hoping that by the World Cup, the selectors will have convinced themselves that Rahkeem Cornwall deserves a spot in our limited overs team, maybe at the expense of Ashley Nurse. Nurse is a decent off-spinner, but there isn't a lot to separate him from Cornwall in that regard. However, Cornwall is much the better batsman, and if they can get him fit so he can move better in the field, then Cornwall may well be better value for money.

Chase for One Day

All other things being equal, Roston Chase should be included in our One Day set-up. He is a certainty in the Test batting line-up because of his ability and temperament. His form in ODI cricket for West Indies has been scratchy, but his form in this year's Super 50, where he was the top run-scorer, shows he is clearly among our best batsmen in all forms of cricket once he puts his mind to it.

He is usually quite unruffled, and his calm demeanour stands out in contrast to one like, say, Shimron Hetmeyer, who can still lose his cool and play rash shots when what is needed is a level head and steady nerves. Hetmeyer is one for the future, no doubt, but I would swap his place for Daren Bravo, if only he can sort out himself. I must take the time here to big up Rovman Powell. His big hitting abilities were never in doubt, but he has shown marked improvement in his ability to bat spin and to rotate strike.

Another area of concern for me is Carlos Brathwaite. At times, he doesn't appear to be fish or fowl. He is hardly likely to win a game for you with either bat or ball against the best oppositions. He is one who you can expect to give his all, but that all-rounder position seems to be tailor-made for Andre Russell. Dwayne Bravo has expressed an interest in playing, based on a tweet I saw recently, but I doubt the selectors would look his way again, and I am not sure I would blame them. In any case, if you have Jason Holder and Andre Russell, I am not sure a place could be found for Dwayne Bravo, anyway.

I'm not sure what the selectors have against Nikita Miller. Whenever he plays, he is always steady, if not spectacular, and yet, he keeps getting dropped for no apparent reason. If Sunil Narine is not going to play, then no other spinner in the region should be picked ahead of him. How about this for a World Cup 15 then - Gayle, Lewis, Hope, Samuels, Daren Bravo, Chase, Hetmeyer, Walton, Powell, Holder, Cornwall, Miller, Russell, Roach, and Keemo Paul? That squad, with a little luck, could create some real issues at the World Cup, and who knows? They could go all the way.