– Baugh recalled
National left-handed middle order batsman and former West Indies under-19 captain Leon Johnson along with Australian-born Jamaican Brendon Nash are the two new faces in the Christopher Gayle-led West Indies 15-man squad that will contest both the International Cricket Council (ICC) trophy in Pakistan as well as the tri-nation tournament in Canada.
The 21-year-old Johnson who led the West Indies to the 2006 Youth World Cup has performed creditably for Guyana in the 2008 Regional Carib Beer series and is at present playing League cricket in England.
Thirty-year-old Nash who was born in Queensland, Australia, returned to the West Indies to make headlines for Jamaica, the home country of his father who was a former Jamaican Olympic swimmer, in the 2007 Regional KFC tournament, where he was adjudged the most valuable player.
Guyana’s middle order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan, who at one time in his career was dubbed the world’s best finisher, will act in the position of deputy to Gayle on the two tours.
Guyana opener Sewnarine Chattergoon will get the opportunity to play in his first ICC Trophy championships and will be vying to see who will partner Gayle with one of eight Jamaicans listed in the squad, Xavier Marshall.
World number one ranked Test batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul is included for the ICC Trophy, but will not travel with the team to Canada for the tri-nation tournament which also involves the host and Bermuda as the other two teams. According to chairman of selectors Clyde Butts, the selectors thought it was best for him to remain in England where he is playing for Durham in the English County Championship.
“We thought it is better for Shiv to stay in England and play for his county Durham who is enjoying a good run in the English county championships at the moment. And besides, he is playing cricket and keeping himself active so there is no need for us to be concerned.”
Energetic all-rounder Dwayne Bravo who is nursing an ankle injury that requires surgery, is a notable omission from the team along with his Trinidad and Tobago team mate, wicketkeeper/batsman Dinesh Ramdin whose place behind the stumps is being taken by Carlton Baugh.
“Dwayne (Bravo) is nursing an ankle injury that requires surgery and would keep him out of action for a period of time, whilst it was decided to walk with Baugh on the tour to Pakistan for the ICC Trophy tournament with two ideas in mind,” stated Butts.
Butts further stated, “Whilst we all acknowledge that Ramdin is the best wicketkeeper/batsman in the Region at the moment, he is a little short on runs, thus we decided to go with Baugh. Barbados’ Patrick Browne was also considered for the tournament in Pakistan, but knowing his vulnerability to spin bowling and with the view of them encountering spinners in Pakistan, Baugh was our first choice seeing also that he is coming off a successful season not only for Jamaica, but also in the warm-up matches against the Australians.”
But the selectors felt that Jamaica’s Shawn Findlay is an adequate replacement for Bravo and along with another energetic fielder in Trinidad and Tobago’s left arm chinaman bowler Dave Mohammed who will be expected to share the bulk of the slow bowling with Nikita Miller.
Fast bowlers Kemar Roach and Fidel Edwards of Barbados along with the Jamaican duo in Darren Powell and Jerome Taylor complement the bowlers.
The team for the ICC Trophy in Pakistan reads:
C. Gayle (captain), R. Sarwan, X. Marshall, S. Chattergoon, S. Chanderpaul, S. Findlay, L. Johnson, B. Nash, C. Baugh, D. Mohammed, N. Miller, K. Roach, F. Edwards, D. Powell and J. Taylor.
Tri-nation in Canada: C. Gayle (captain), R. Sarwan, X. Marshall, S. Chattergoon, S. Findlay, L. Johnson, B. Nash, C. Baugh, D. Mohammed, N. Miller, K. Roach, F. Edwards, D. Powell and J. Taylor.
The West Indies will play their first game in the tri-nation series against Bermuda one week from today, and then confront host Canada two days later with the final slated for 25th August.