Young cricketers must prove their quality (29 June 1999)

29 June 1999

Young cricketers must prove their quality

Tony Becca

The West Indies performance at the World Cup was neither a disgrace nor an embarrassment as so many have described it. It was, however, disappointing, and following the many calls for changes, when the next squad is selected later this year, there should be a few changes.

Whatever changes are made, however, should not be for the sake of making changes. They should be to make the team stronger - or as strong as it can be.

According to some illustrious past players, a number of cricket writers, and a host of fans around the region, the time has come to clean house, and they are right. There are players, some of whom were in South Africa, some of whom played in the World Cup, who should not be even considered when next the selectors meet.

Those players should be out, not only because they are lacking in technique, but as the former stars have said, also because, apart from Phil Simmons, they fall short when it comes to commitment, to pride in performance, team spirit, and the appreciation of their responsibility as representatives of the West Indies at the highest level.

In replacing those players, however, the selectors must ensure that they do not make matters worse - that they do not, for example, send a message that West Indies cricket is only for the young, and the very young at that.

Test cricket is the highest level of the sport, it is the stage on which the best players compete against the best players, and all other things considered, including commitment, pride, and team spirit, the best players should be selected.

Ever since Viv Richards said that if he had his way a number of the players would have to go, however, there has been talk in Jamaica about putting in young players into the team. So much so that during the first limited-over Youth trial match at Melbourne Oval on Friday, there were fans talking about which of the players on show should be in the Jamaica team next time around, and that the West Indies selectors should look at the Nortel Youth tournament in Barbados next month and put a few of them into the West Indies team.

That, however, would not be wise. If young players are good enough, they should be selected. They should not, however, be selected simply because they are young. They should be selected on the basis of talent and skill - and a level of performance which suggests that they can perform at the higher level.

To select players simply because they are young and can play a cover drive or spin a ball would embarrass West Indies cricket, and while it is hardly likely that the West Indies selectors will select players on that basis, the fans need to appreciate a few things.

As far as the Jamaica team is concerned, there is no need to panic and to select players simply because they are young - not only because Jamaica should be represented by the best, not only because the young players are not the best players in the country and therefore do not deserve to represent the country at both the senior and junior levels, not only because they all play club cricket against more experienced players and should also perform there to be considered, but for the simple reason that with players like batsmen Leon Garrick, Wavell Hinds, Christopher Gayle, Ricardo Powell, Gareth Breese, and Carl Wright, wicketkeepers Matthew Sinclair and Andre Coley, fast bowler Dwight Mais, and left-arm spinner Ryan Cunningham, Jamaica's cricket boasts a few teenagers and a number who are just beyond that age.

When it comes to West Indies cricket, it would be foolish to select players from the Youth tournament who have either not played in the Busta Cup or who have not performed at that level.

What West Indies cricket needs are not young players, but young players, especially young batsmen, who are committed and dedicated, who perform when competing against their peers, who perform in club cricket, and who, when afforded the opportunity, perform in the senior regional competitions.

On top of that, it also needs its past players to assist, as they used to do, in the development of young players, for young players to listen to those who have been there, and for the selectors to look at young players, assess their quality, and when they find those with something special, offer them the opportunity to parade their skills.

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