The big five (23 February 1999)

23 February 1999

The big five

Tony Becca

When the West Indies team for the first Test against Australia is selected, there should be a few changes from that which lost the series to South Africa. In fact, there is hardly any doubt that there will be.

Following the performance of the opening batsmen in the five-nil defeat, it would be surprising if there are not changes at the top of the order, and there should also be one at number six.

In the interest of West Indies cricket, however, there should be a few more. Even though it is unlikely to happen, even though they would be tarred, feathered and run out of town if they attempted to do it, the selectors should also be looking at Brian Lara, Carl Hooper, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose.

The reason for this suggestion is that none of them have hit a ball or bowled a ball since returning from South Africa, and apart from net sessions, none of them will do so before the first Test against Australia.

The reason? Walsh and Ambrose, like Franklyn Rose, are injured, and so too, according to reports, are Lara, Hooper and Chanderpaul.

In what appears a coincidence, while the other players who were in South Africa are fit enough to play, the senior players, the big five, apart from Hooper who has another reason, are all injured and unavailable to represent their respective territories in the Busta Cup.

Could it be that the ones who have played have done so because, as junior players and apart from wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs, they are not certain to be selected, and that those who have not played have done so because they are senior players and certain to be selected?

Based on their history, that is not the case with Walsh and Ambrose. Apart from the fact that everyone knows that they are genuinely injured, Walsh and Ambrose, like Chanderpaul, have always answered the call to play for Jamaica and the Leeward Islands.

The same is not true of Lara and especially Hooper, however. They seem to be behaving true to form, and if that is so, in the present circumstances they should not be allowed to get away it.

The tour to South Africa was a long one - no question about that, and with all that happened on and off the field, it was also a tough one. The players, however, are professionals, and after the team's poor performance, after some of their own poor performances and with the next opposition being the world's best, Lara, Hooper, and Chanderpaul should have come home and played in the remaining matches of the Busta Cup in an effort to get themselves ready.

They did not, and although they may not even have thought about it, although they may not be able to do anything about it, in the interest of West Indies cricket, the selectors should think about it.

There is no question that Lara, Hooper and Chanderpaul are the best batsmen in the West Indies, and that Walsh and Ambrose are the best bowlers. Form, mental preparedness, and physical fitness, however, are important to performance in international sport, and although stars are sometimes treated differently, although there are times when there will be exceptions, in selecting a cricket team, batsman should at least be in form and mentally prepared and fast bowlers physically fit.

Whatever the reason, justified or not, all five players have been out of action. To select them without knowing if they are fully fit and ready would be taking a gamble. They should prove that they are fit and ready, and the best way for them to do that is to play some cricket.

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