As unpalatable as it is, Carl Hooper spoke the undeniable truth onFriday
Tony Cozier06-May-2001As unpalatable as it is, Carl Hooper spoke the undeniable truth onFriday.Asked whether there would be changes in the West Indies team in theback-to-back One-Day Internationals in Grenada over the weekend, hereplied: We’d like to rotate but I don’t think we have the qualityplayers to do that. We have to have the best 11 players on the field.It is a situation that has clearly confounded the selectors, of whomHooper is the most recent, in their choice of teams for theabbreviated game over the past year or so. As of yesterday’s match,they had used 26 players in the 20 One-Day Internationals since the2000 West Indies season. Included in the shuffling have been 16different pairs of opening batsmen and ten separate new-ball bowlers.Often, selections have been baffling, not least for the presentseries.Kerry Jeremy was sent home prior to the Carlton Series in Australiapresumably because it was felt that his medium-pace bowling was not upto it, in spite of his youth and the benefit he would have gained fromthe experience. Yet he was recalled and played in the Cable & Wirelessopener at Sabina Park where Hooper was prepared to offer him only fiveunimpressive overs.He has not been seen in the two subsequent matches, not even given thechance at the ARG in his native Antigua, but has remained in thesquad. He must be as confused as everyone else.Nixon McLean was dropped after the first two Tests, specificallybecause of his inability to maintain reasonable control of length andline, the very attributes demanded of the limited-overs game. But backhe came for the One-Day series.It was hardly surprising that he sent down the same long-hops andhalf-volleys that cost him his Test place. The upshot was 25 runs offhis first two overs that gave the South African innings an instantkick-start towards its winning target.Then there is the story of Leon Garrick.The little opener was rushed into the side for the final Test thenight before the match and then retained for the One-DayInternationals. He was ready for neither and by yesterday was watchingfrom the dressing room.The questions the selectors will understandably respond with is, ifnot Jeremy and if not McLean, then who?The answer was provided by Hooper on Friday. The West Indies simply dohave enough quality players at present, more specifically bowlers.Reon King, Franklyn Rose, Corey Collymore, Colin Stuart and MarlonBlack are all fast bowlers used in the past year in whom the selectorsappear to have lost faith.Merv Dillon has settled into the Test team over the past couple ofseries but his inconsistency has again surfaced in the One-Day game tosuch an extent that Hooper has been unable to use him for his allottedten overs in any of the three matches here.It means that the only one Hooper can feel confident won’t offer uprubbish is the rejuvenated Cameron Cuffy, now 31, and seven yearsafter he first wore the West Indian maroon colours.So while Shaun Pollock can say with certain conviction that at leasteight of his players will be in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, noWest Indian, Hooper and Brian Lara not necessarily excluded, can besure he’ll be there, given the recent juggling.What is needed now is more settled selection. No player can establishhimself if he can’t be sure of his role in the team.Wavell Hinds goes from match to match not knowing where he will bat,if he plays at all. Marlon Samuels finds himself at No.3 one day, No.6the other. Ricardo Powell seems unsure just how he should play whenthere is only one way he can.All are young and inexperienced and can’t master the game at thehighest level overnight. They undeniably have talent and will getbetter the more they play. But they have to be assured of their roles.Such security alone won’t suddenly make the West Indies World Cupfavourites. There are other areas, namely batting, bowling andfielding, that need urgent attention. But it would establishcontinuity that is essential in developing any team.
