WHAT SHOULD BE THE ATTACK AGAINST NZ?

[AFRO]

Rampaul: is out of the picture for now

Sammy: should/will be out of the picture aswell hopefully

Roach: has been injured

Shilly= injured right now and might be too soon after ban!!

SO WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS?

PACERS

Jason Holder= may not have tore up dungheap this season but to be fair he didn't bowl a lot of overs due to Benn and Nurse hogging the ball..i think he deserves a shot

Delorn Johnson= has served his time with the A-team and has done very well this season for Winwards...also his left-arm action gives us a different dimension

Nelon Pascal= has been one of the leading pacers this season and in truth has done well over the last three or four years at this level. He made his test debut in 2010 and was due to play Sri-lanka only for the game to be rained off

Carlos Brathwaite= has done well with both bat and ball..not sure he's as good a bowler as the top two though

Shannon Gabriel= really messed up badly in India and NZ..and i thought he was finished but to my surprise he's come back strong for Trinidad this season...some say he looks a different bowler and is starting to move it both ways...not sure i truth him though.

Sheldon Cotterrell= only played one test vs India after coming back from injury..think he needs more time in the A-team personally

Jerome Taylor= great to see him back and he's gone through the season ok thus far..but has he taken as many wickets as we would expect? not sure...also after a hard season the test series might be too much too soon for him.

Miguel Cummings= Not had the best of seasons but he has shown for the A-team that he's got the goods to make the step up

SPINNERS

Permaul= was ridiculed by many after the India and NZ series but the boy has been forced to play his tests outside the caribbean which is not easy at all..and STILL he's not gone an innings at that level without taking a wicket..on home soil i'd expect him to be a different animal..

Bishoo= was poor early in the season but his 15 wickets in the last game has risen a few eyebrows!!..not sure i'd bring him back yet though..i'd like to see him do it at A-team level first.

Miller= well he keeps chipping away but imo his form has gone down this season from what we've been used to seeing.

Nurse= another decent season from him and his batting has been great too..might be a dark horse.

For me it all depends on Roach's fitness...word is he could be back in two weeks...but the thing is he needs match practice so hopefully there will be some warm up games/A-team games scheduled soon that he could play in...certainly the waarm up games vs NZ will be an option..

I think i'd go..

Holder
Roach/Johnson
Narine
Permaul

[mikesiva]

Rampaul: is out of the picture for now

Sammy: should/will be out of the picture aswell hopefully

Roach: has been injured

Shilly= injured right now and might be too soon after ban!!

SO WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS?

PACERS

Jason Holder= may not have tore up dungheap this season but to be fair he didn't bowl a lot of overs due to Benn and Nurse hogging the ball..i think he deserves a shot

Delorn Johnson= has served his time with the A-team and has done very well this season for Winwards...also his left-arm action gives us a different dimension

Nelon Pascal= has been one of the leading pacers this season and in truth has done well over the last three or four years at this level. He made his test debut in 2010 and was due to play Sri-lanka only for the game to be rained off

Carlos Brathwaite= has done well with both bat and ball..not sure he's as good a bowler as the top two though

Shannon Gabriel[/b= really messed up badly in India and NZ..and i thought he was finished but to my surprise he's come back strong for Trinidad this season...some say he looks a different bowler and is starting to move it both ways...not sure i truth him though.

Sheldon Cotterrell= only played one test vs India after coming back from injury..think he needs more time in the A-team personally

Jerome Taylor= great to see him back and he's gone through the season ok thus far..but has he taken as many wickets as we would expect? not sure...also after a hard season the test series might be too much too soon for him.

Miguel Cummings= Not had the best of seasons but he has shown for the A-team that he's got the goods to make the step up

SPINNERS

Permaul= was ridiculed by many after the India and NZ series but the boy has been forced to play his tests outside the caribbean which is not easy at all..and STILL he's not gone an innings at that level without taking a wicket..on home soil i'd expect him to be a different animal..

Bishoo= was poor early in the season but his 15 wickets in the last game has risen a few eyebrows!!..not sure i'd bring him back yet though..i'd like to see him do it at A-team level first.

Miller= well he keeps chipping away but imo his form has gone down this season from what we've been used to seeing.

Nurse= another decent season from him and his batting has been great too..might be a dark horse.

For me it all depends on Roach's fitness...word is he could be back in two weeks...but the thing is he needs match practice so hopefully there will be some warm up games/A-team games scheduled soon that he could play in...certainly the waarm up games vs NZ will be an option..

I think i'd go..

Holder
Roach/Johnson
Narine
Permaul

PACERS

Jason Holder= definitely did not tear up dungheap this season so he doesn't deserve a shot. He clearly didn't impress his captain as much as Taylor did, since Lambert trusted Taylor with the ball more than Kraigg trusted Holder

Delorn Johnson= has served his time with the A-team and has done very well this season for Winwards...also his left-arm action gives us a different dimension - agree

Nelon Pascal= has been one of the leading pacers this season and in truth has done well over the last three or four years at this level. He made his test debut in 2010 and was due to play Sri-lanka only for the game to be rained off- agree

Carlos Brathwaite= has done mediocre with both bat and ball..not sure he's as good a bowler as the top two though - he's been inconsistent outside of one good innings with the bat, and he trails the other contenders with the ball - A team for me

Shannon Gabriel[/b= really messed up badly in India and NZ..and i thought he was finished but to my surprise he's come back strong for Trinidad this season...some say he looks a different bowler and is starting to move it both ways...not sure i truth him though. - true, but our fast bowling reserves are so poor that there's not many options

Sheldon Cotterrell= only played one test vs India after coming back from injury..think he needs more time in the A-team personally - agree

Jerome Taylor= Taylor has done more than okay. He's bowled more overs than any other pacer in dung heap, and deserves a recall to the Test side, especially in the absence of Roach and Rampaul

Miguel Cummings= He's had a terrible season, and needs to go back to the drawing board.

SPINNERS

Permaul= was ridiculed by many after the India and NZ series but the boy has been forced to play his tests outside the caribbean which is not easy at all..and STILL he's not gone an innings at that level without taking a wicket..on home soil i'd expect him to be a different animal - possible, but I'd say it's A team for him. If you're going to talk dung heap stats, Benn has done better than Permaul this season.

Bishoo= was poor early in the season but his 15 wickets in the last game has risen a few eyebrows!!..not sure i'd bring him back yet though..i'd like to see him do it at A-team level first.

Miller= well he keeps chipping away but imo his form has gone down this season from what we've been used to seeing - true, but deserves a shot at Test cricket this season to see what he's got.

Nurse= another decent season from him and his batting has been great too..might be a dark horse. - agree, and I'd pick him in the A team.

With regards to Roach, the fact that he's still not fit enough to play for Bim means that he should play A team cricket to prove his fitness before we even think about him playing Tests. And until an A team tour is announced, then I think Roach should be left on the back burner.

I think i'd go..

Taylor
Johnson/Gabriel
Narine
Miller

But the reality is that the selectors are still in love with Sammy, so, despite your predictions, Afro, I'm sure we'll still see him playing Test cricket this summer....

[AFRO]

Jason Holder= definitely did not tear up dungheap this season so he doesn't deserve a shot. He clearly didn't impress his captain as much as Taylor did, since Lambert trusted Taylor with the ball more than Kraigg trusted Holder

LOL that's pure crap Mike and you know it!! ...Kraigg's decisions WON THEM THE TITLE!!..what did Lambert gain by "trusting" Taylor? THREE BEAT DOWNS!!

true, but deserves a shot at Test cricket this season to see what he's got.

No old boy he doesn't "deserve" anything...he's currently being outperformed by a guy playing his first games in Dungheap!!..it's not good enough.

possible, but I'd say it's A team for him. If you're going to talk dung heap stats, Benn has done better than Permaul this season.

Of course we could say Benn...but again hasn't he played MORE GAMES than Permy? so the difference is the same..and Benn isn't in the picture anymore so there's no point in talking about him..

I think i'd go..

Taylor
Johnson/Gabriel
Narine
Miller

Surprise!!..surprise!!..two JAMAICAN'S have to be there!!

[mikesiva]

Taylor has contributed more to Jamaica's victories than Holder to BIm's victories...Holder has just been a passenger in the Barbados team, and he's not been missed.

It doesn't matter how many games Benn has played...his AVERAGE this season is better than Permaul's. You do know the difference between the two, right?

It is foolish to say that Benn is "not in the picture any more", and reflects clear biases within the selection panel. That is why I prefer stats to the opinions of selectors. I believe players should be selected on performance, not opinions of skunts such as under-achieving cricketers who happen to be selectors. Clyde Butts and Robert Haynes were dung heap bullies who were mediocre at international level - what makes them the authority on who can play international cricket?

I would like to see Miller play Test cricket, but I would understand it if he's kept in the A team, but only if Benn is picked ahead of him for Tests. I would consider it an injustice if Permaul is picked for the Test team, when Benn outperformed him in dung heap this season.

As for Roach, he recently survived this car crash:

http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2014/04/19/ ... -accident/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A head injury is a serious business. I think he should sit out this year, and make sure he's healthy before thinking about playing Test cricket any time soon....

And so what if I push Jamaicans? The Trinis on this site push Trinis, the Guyanese on this site push Guyanese. The real countries are Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana, etc. There is no such country as the West Indies.

I guess that's something that's hard for you to understand....

[AFRO]

Taylor has contributed more to Jamaica's victories than Holder to BIm's victories...Holder has just been a passenger in the Barbados team, and he's not been missed.

Erm you don't say...Taylor bowled about TEN TIMES the amount of overs than Holder did!!..so what on earth do you expect?

It doesn't matter how many games Benn has played...his AVERAGE this season is better than Permaul's. You do know the difference between the two, right?

LOL so when Permy had a BETTER AVERAGE than your husband in the last A-team series "it didn't matter"..now all of a sudden you want to preach about "average"?

It is foolish to say that Benn is "not in the picture any more", and reflects clear biases within the selection panel. That is why I prefer stats to the opinions of selectors. I believe players should be selected on performance, not opinions of skunts such as under-achieving cricketers who happen to be selectors. Clyde Butts and Robert Haynes were dung heap bullies who were mediocre at international level - what makes them the authority on who can play international cricket?

LOL yes old boy..lets potentially destroy the moral of the dressing room just so some guy who averaged OVER 40 in tests can play!!..BRILLIANT IDEA!!

I would like to see Miller play Test cricket, but I would understand it if he's kept in the A team, but only if Benn is picked ahead of him for Tests. I would consider it an injustice if Permaul is picked for the Test team, when Benn outperformed him in dung heap this season.

He had his chance against bang at home and FLOPPED...time to move on..

A head injury is a serious business. I think he should sit out this year, and make sure he's healthy before thinking about playing Test cricket any time soon....

LOL what garbage...the yute just has a scratch!!..nothing life threatening...he's still on course to return in two weeks...then he's got time to make it back for NZ or at the latest the bang series.

And so what if I push Jamaicans? The Trinis on this site push Trinis, the Guyanese on this site push Guyanese. The real countries are Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana, etc. There is no such country as the West Indies.

No all it does is prove you're a BIASED SKUNT!!!..i think about whats BEST for the WI team...nationalities should have nothing to do with it!!

I guess that's something that's hard for you to understand....

Yeah..i also can't understand how someone who is BORN in england, WORKED in england, has spent MOST OF HIS LIFE in england and IS LIVING THERE NOW can turn around and claim he's "jamaican"...

[mapoui2]

Mike talked about trusting stats more than these west indian selectors. he is right. they are the pits.

but there was a time due to the small amount of cricket played when west indian selectors were forced to select by divination..working out the real talent level of players on spec..taking educated guesses.

the were very good at it but not any more.

I as a selector would go back to that in this instance..look for the real talent.

I think Delorn Johnson is real talent...Jason Holder as well..and Shannon Gabriel too.

Shannon Gabriel= really messed up badly in India and NZ..and i thought he was finished but to my surprise he's come back strong for Trinidad this season...some say he looks a different bowler and is starting to move it both ways...not sure i truth him though.

this is where AFRO is wrong. Gabe did not messup in India and Kiwi. Gabe is a work horse. the more he bowls the better he gets. he has never started off like a train coming down the highway. he is of a physique and size that says 'work..I need work. Gabe needs to be bowling a lot before he rounds into form

there was no way Gabe would contribute in Kiwi/India right off the bat..straight from injury lay-off

so it was wrong to bring Gabe to India as replacement. you needed a more immediate type, who gets into his flow quickly.

but this is another example of why not to trust our selectors..they can read what they have..or can they ? they may have understood what I say here about gabe and still sent him. they have demonstrated that they are capable of that kind of sabotage.

but I knew that by the end Gabe would have been looking better if they stuck with him.

and now he is clearly coming back to the guy who took 3-4 wickets on test debut.

Gabe is going to be blasting out some Kiwi batsmen as he rounds into top physical and bowling form. he has proved he is good enough right off the bat in test cricket. there is no need to go much further if Gabe is ready to go

so my 3 would be Gabe, Johnson and Holder..with Taylor in the 15.

what I suspect is that Gibson may go to Taylor given the way he has selected pace in the pace..that is if his motivation was really age and experience... and sticking with Best and Fidel was not just a bajan thing.

for the spin Benn has always been my man. none of the kids are better..neither is Miller.

Miller represents a lil problem for me. I see he has been the least of them in this dung heap and at 32 that is not a good thing. he has been hard done-by in his career but I am verging on time as a reason to leave him out..which means he would have lost his final chance. but he has not had a good dung heap.

without Benn and Shilly Narine is number 1 in the spin. and I suppose that Permaul has won the second position if they are gong to play 2 spin. but I say this truthfully looking heartfully at Benn on the outside

the Pace is not great and with only Narine as our only real attacking bowler the attack looks threadbare. that establishes a solid case for Benn. he is one of only 2 top bowlers we have. and he can provide the perfect left handed classy foil for narine. Permaul has a ways to go yet

[Gils]

Why no Kenroy Peters, or Ryan Austin.

[bossman19TT]

Benn
Narine
Johnson
Taylor/Holder

Very difficult to see any more than 1 new bowler imo...de way de selectors operate it will be same ol same ol, wit Taylor likely to get de call as WI selectors reminisce about ol times

[mapoui2]

Why no Kenroy Peters, or Ryan Austin.

around a long time Austin..only to buck up on the current plenitude of spin. he wont beat Shilly and Narine from the offside..and he is not better than Permaul and Benn, Miller, even that Martin fella up the Leakies who has been sterling for his territory over some years now.

and Martin has played for the west indies with good results already. in all the talk about Miller and Benn we tend to forget him. MARTIN HAS NEVER LET DOWN ANY ONE

Kenroy Peters..a good year. there is always the A team to look forward to

[Gils]

Ryan Austin's R4D stats exceed Antony Martins, comfortably.
Antony Martin has previously been tried at international level, and picked up 11 wickets in 9 innings.

Austin has outdone Benn, Miller and Permaul this season, any scenario that isn't fluid enough to accomordate this occurrence is about as usefull to west indian cricket as the current selection process.
Shillingford is injured and spinners work best in pairs, which leaves him and Narine.

BTW, are you suggesting that being around a while disqualifies him.