Two Wicket-Keepers Named To Barbados Squad (25 Sep 1998)

25 September 1998

Two Wicket-Keepers Named To Barbados Squad

by Haydn Gill

Having had an unusual and uncommon problem with their choice of wicket-keepers for the last year, Barbados' cricket selectors yesterday named both Courtney Browne and Ricky Hoyte in a squad for 14 for next month's Red Stripe Bowl.

Hoyte, first choice since his selection to the West Indies "A" team last season, retains his place in spite the regional selectors' preference of Browne for this season's "A" trip to India and Bangladesh.

Browne, the West Indies Test 'keeper as recently as 15 months ago, earns a recall principally on his outstanding Division 1 performance for Cable & Wireless BET and his earlier selection by the West Indies selectors.

The 27-year-old Browne, who has the experience of 13 Tests and 24 One-Day Internationals, was not surprised by his call-up.

"It's good to be back. I have been working hard and I always give 100 per cent," he told WEEKENDSPORT, who informed him of his selection.

"But, I am not surprised. Being named in the West Indies "A" team, I thought it would have been a straightforward selection. The same thing happened last year with Ricky.

"I expect that anyone who is in any West Indies team would be in their national team."

With fast bowling all-rounders Ottis Gibson and Vasbert Drakes unavailable because of professional contracts in South Africa, there are also recalls for experienced club swing bowler Hendy Broomes and burly fast bowler Patterson Thompson.

Broomes, who is enjoying an impressive season for United Carlton, played for Barbados in regional One-Day tournaments in 1995 and 1996 in which he bowled tightly for the most part.

Thompson's selection, however, maybe seen as somewhat of a surprise in light of his attacking style.

Arm-chair selectors would have gone for either teenaged all-rounder Antonio Mayers, his BET teammates, Ian Bradshaw and Ryan Hurley, or Sports & Games YMPC's Terry Rollock, all of whom are capable of match-winning contributions with either bat or ball.

Another name mentioned was young fast bowler Corey Collymore, who has just returned from a professional contract in England where he was not plagued by back injuries that have twice interrupted his career.

"We always try to select our best possible teams," chairman of selectors Charlie Griffith said.

"We take into condiseration the balace of the squad and the type of cricket we are going to play.

"Our chances are as good as anyone elses, but, as I have been saying, our only drawback is our fielding. That is an area we have to work very hard on next week."

Apart from Gibson and Drakes, the only other player missing from the team which took part in the Commonwealth Games is Horace Waldron, who has not recovered from the shoulder injury he sustained in Malaysia.

Barbados, who failed to advance to the semifinals of last year's inaugural tournament, are in Zone 2 with host country Jamaica, defending champions Leewards Islands and first-timers United States.

Their opening match is against the Leewards on October 8 at Alpart in Manchester, central Jamaica.

The team: Philo Wallace (captain), Sherwin Campbell, Floyd Reifer, Roland Holder, Courtney Browne, Ricky Hoyte, Ryan Hinds, Mark Lavine, Hendy Bryan, Winston Reid, Pedro Collins, Hendy Broomes, Patterson Thompson.

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