BDF trio in trials youth brigade

Three players from the Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme are among a wide-ranging list of 37 invited to trials for next years Busta Cup four-day regional competition.

Wicket-keeper Carlo Morris, opening batsman Alex Bellamy, and medium-pacer Richard Morgan have been drafted in from the relative obscurity of the Intermediate Premier Zone competition.

They are, however, not the first BDF players to make the trials. The pioneer was fast bowler Marlon Blagrove who eventually made his national debut in 1998 against England at Kensington Oval.

Morgan, a tall right-hander, is a product of The St. Michael School and has been in terrific form this season with more than 40 wickets.

This year was his first taste of Intermediate cricket and came after he was enrolled in the Sports Programme on the advice of cricket master Noel Gittens.

A fun-loving 20-year-old, he has the ability to generate pace but his accuracy is his hallmark.

Bellamy, a portly free-scoring 21-year-old, joined the BDF after a brief stint with St. John Cultural after leaving St. George Secondary.

Morris, a tall and agile gloveman, is the best known of the trio, having only last year played for the CHIC Schools North in Division 1.

The former St. Leonards schoolboy is also an attractive strokeplayer and is one of five recognised keepers called to trials.

There are two other surprise inclusions: Banks left-arm spinner Anderson Sealy and Kirk Edwards, a 14-year-old Alexandra student.

Sealy owes his call to his second-innings haul of nine for 52 against CHIC Schools South on Sunday. He has taken 32 wickets for the season.

A slim 17-year-old in only his second year at Division 1 level, he praised Winston Reid, the recently-retired Barbados spinner, for playing a key role in his development.

Reid brought me to Banks earlier this year and he has been showing me a lot, said Sealy, whose brother David played for Banks last year before moving to New York.

He gave me the confidence I needed and kept encouraging me all season. He told me: Keep the right hand high, watch the stumps and make the batsman play.

Edwards played in this years West Indies Under-15 competition and his selection can be seen as an investment for the future.

It must, however, be admitted that he has swiftly bypassed a number of players who have done more and are deserving of a call as well.

The other newcomers in the squad are Kamal Turney of BCL, left-arm pacer Ryan Clarke of United Carlton, and Brian Shepherd of BNB St. Catherine.

Big B Spartan have six players in the list - the most for any team - but the omission of their senior batsman Livy Puckerin is glaring.

Puckerin, at age 30, has been the leading batsman this season with 540 runs in nine matches, but could not find favour with new chairman of selectors Desmond Haynes and his team.

There is also no room for big Patterson Thompson, Barbados new-ball bowler only eight months ago; Raymond Griffith, who was in the Busta Cup squad in February, and Stanton Proverbs, Polices flamboyant all-rounder.

It is ironic that the lawmen, the leaders in the Division 1 competition, have no players at trials.

The accent is on youth, but Banks opener Shawn Armstrong, at age 26, is also unfortunate to miss the boat, as well as Youth team openers Corey Yearwood and Jason Haynes.

The selectors have recalled Dayne Maynard, the 30-year-old fast bowler from St. Catherine who has been fast and lethal and has 52 wickets this season.

Philo Wallace, Sulieman Benn, Wayne Blackman, Dave Marshall, Kerry Lucas, Hattian Graham (Spartan), Corey Glasgow, Pedro Collins, Chris Humphrey, Hendy Bryan, Ian Bradshaw (Wanderers);

Courtney Browne, Floyd Reifer, Antonio Mayers, Corey Collymore (Cable & Wireless BET), Roland Holder, Ricky Hoyte, Shawn Graham (Empire), Ryan Hinds, Callitos Lopez, Kirk Edwards (Schools North);

Horace Waldron, Brian Shepherd, Dayne Maynard (St. Catherine), Alex Bellamy, Richard Morgan, Carlo Morris (BDF Sports), Adrian Griffith, Rondell Yearwood (Pickwick), Kirk Wilkinson, Ryan Austin (Schools South);

Shirley Clarke, Ryan Clarke (Carlton), Kamal Turney (BCL), Ryan Hurley (Maple), Anderson Sealy (Banks), Sherwin Campbell (YMPC)