WI local:Right move by Bajan Selectors-Fanfare

On Thursday the Barbados selectors named 26-year-old Ian Bradshaw captain for the 2001 Busta Cup season.

Bradshaw, who made his first class debut against Jamaica during the 1998 regional season when teams competed for the President's Cup, is no stranger to captaincy having led the West Indies Youth team while at Harrison College.

Since his debut at Sabina Park he has played only four more regional first class games for Barbados, three this year, after missing the 1999 season.

Fanfare took to the streets of Bridgetown in an effort to find out if the decision to name Bradshaw as captain was a popular one among the cricket fans.

Carl Davis supported the move as he noted that from early the Wanderers Division 1 captain had showed leadership qualities.

"Technically he should do a good job, providing he gets the players that are capable. I don't see him having a problem as skipper."

Another fan who supported Bradshaw was Winfield Hunte who said that the allrounder was a good guy and deserved the opportunity to skipper the team.

"Philo (Wallace) can't play as captain and bat too, so right now I think that is the best thing they did."

One fan who only gave his name as Bacchus also referred to Bradshaw's stint as West Indies youth captain and added: "It is a very good move by the Barbados selectors."

"He was West Indies youth captain and that same team comprised players who went on to play for the West Indies and I think Barbados is going to do well with him as skipper because he has some experience at the job."

However, while Ralph Collymore had no problems with Bradshaw as captain he felt the left-handed allrounder should not have taken the job. Collymore added he thought Bradshaw was hard done by in the past.

"When he was made West Indies youth captain and when he came back home all the other youngsters that he captained played for their countries and he couldn't get a play for Barbados."

Collymore was of the opinion that Barbados has perennially placed too much emphasis on winning the regional tournament instead of building a team by playing its talented youngsters.

"If it was me, I wouldn't want the captaincy."

Winsmore Belgrave also rooted for the youth and stressed that we must give the youngsters a chance.

"When you start with a youngster and you don't keep on with him he ain't going to get no more encouragement. He is going to just give up. So Ian Bradshaw is a good pick for the captaincy for the Busta Cup."

Terry Edwards felt that it didn't matter who was captain as long as people respect the person who was given the job.

"And still yet, the guys have to go out there and play cricket don't care who is captain. But I still feel Barbados has a good chance; I don't feel it going to be difficult for Bradshaw."