Two West Indies Tour Teams For South Africa? (22 April 1998)

April 22 1998

Two West Indies Tour Teams For South Africa

by Haydn Gill/NATIONSPORT

A MOVE long adopted by other cricket nations to boost their One-Day teams, is almost certain to be used by the West Indies when they tour South Africa later this year.

For the first time ever on an overseas tour, the West Indies selectors will have the option picking specific squads for the five Test matches and seven One-Day Internationals.

When contacted at the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) office in Antigua, executive secretary Andrew Sealy said the tactic would be given consideration but the decision would be left solely up to the selectors.

"The move is in keeping with the policy of a One-Day team format, but it is dependent on what the selectors determine," Sealy told NATIONSPORT on a telephone link-up from St. John's.

"The possibility definitely exists but the selectors may make a determination that they wish to do so or they don't."

On the evidence of their decisions in the just-ended series against England when eight players who did not play in the Tests were summoned during the One-Day matches, the selectors will more than likely make wholesale changes.

Lack of financial resources had previously been identified as the major reason why the West Indies were restricted to the same group of players on previous overseas tours, but Sealy said the additional expenses would be shared between the WICB and the United Cricket Board of South Africa.

The West Indies start the first of five Tests on November 26 and after the five-match Test series which ends on January 15, those not needed for the seven One-Day Internationals starting a week later, would fly back to the Caribbean.

David Holford, a one-time chairman of West Indies selectors, welcomed the move, adding that his panel was somewhat restricted by having to pick the same group of players for both forms of the game.

"It got very complicated trying to pick a team to cover both areas," he said.

"You had to give consideration to a player who may be a good One-Day player as opposed to a player who may be a better Test player."

Holford, who also served as a previous West Indies manager, said the new system offered the selectors more scope.

"I think it is a good move. The selectors will be able to concentrate on picking Test teams without trying to fit in anybody who might be a good One-Day player," he said.

"After that you pick your best One-Day squad. It's a much better system."

Under the old method, Holford said emphasis was placed on selecting teams with priority on the Test matches.

In the recent One-Day series against England, the West Indies selectors called up Phil Simmons, Keith Arthurton, Ridley Jacobs, Rawl Lewis, Carl Tuckett, Laurie Williams and Mervyn Dillon, none of whom played in any of the preceding five Tests.

In contrast, Sherwin Campbell, Jimmy Adams, Roland Holder, David Williams, Dinanath Ramnarine, Ian Bishop and Kenny Benjamin were not required for a single limited-overs match after their part in the Test series.

Chairman of selectors Wes Hall later said it was in keeping with a policy to expose as many One-Day specialists ahead of next year's World Cup in England.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)