Opportunity knocks for WI hopefuls (19 February 1999)

19 February 1999

Opportunity knocks for WI hopefuls

Tony Becca

The 13-man squad from which the West Indies Board XI will be selected to oppose the touring Australians must have left many fans wondering what has happened to West Indies cricket - including players like former Jamaica batsman Cleveland Davidson and former Leeward Islands representative Ralston Otto.

Davidson, who played some memorable innings for Jamaica including an impressive double century against the Leeward Islands, never even had the satisfaction of being selected on a President's XI. Otto, who scored many centuries in the regional competition and once, with 576 runs in 1984, held the record for most runs in a season, finished his career without even once being selected to the West Indies team and they both must be wondering if they were born at the wrong time.

There is no question about that. In their day, the West Indies team was the best in the world, there were a number of quality players around and performing and as promising as they may have been, young players, but for the very few who were considered specially gifted, had to perform to win places in representative West Indies teams.

Today, however, the West Indies team is not performing, those who should be next in line are also not performing and that is why, with the need to find players with potential and pedigree, the selectors have been forced to call in young players - even though some have played in only two or three first-class matches and some have played only one innings of note or taken a few wickets.

Although a number of the players selected have not performed as well as many in the past who never enjoyed such recognition, these are different times, different circumstances and the selectors have to do whatever they can to find quality players.

According to a release from the board, "the emphasis will be placed on exposing young talented, committed and disciplined players who appear to have the potential to serve the best long-term interest of West Indies cricket".

There is no question that among the young players selected for the Board XI are some with potential, some who are worth looking at and developing and remembering that players like Sonny Ramadhin and Alfred Valentine, Wes Hall and Malcolm Marshall were thrown in at the deep end without much experience or performance and became great, there may be one or two, three or four of this group who may grab the opportunity presented them and become great.

What is important, however, is that those leading West Indies cricket remember the strength of West Indies cricket depends on the foundation, that there is no quick fix and that cricket in the schools and the clubs needs their assistance - financially and otherwise, now more than ever.

Source :: The Jamaica Gleaner (https://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/)