Chairman of Ceramic Merryboys Cricket Club, Patrick Rampersad says Lendl Simmons’ availability for selection gives the West Indies another good player to choose from. Rampersad has been fighting a battle for Simmons for over a year now, as he repeatedly questioned why his young player at Merryboys, was being ignored by the West Indies selectors.
However, last week chairman of selectors Clyde Butts met with Simmons, who reported he felt comfortable after the meeting. Rampersad spoke to Simmons and revealed :”He told me he was given the assurance by Butts, he was again available for selection and this brings to an end a long hard fight. We are indeed gratified at the moment.”
Rampersad added he advised Simmons to continue in the same vein, which is answering the selectors with his bat. Simmons was star of the series at the recently concluded Caribbean T20 championships.
Meanwhile, Rampersad an executive member of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) said he was proud of the way the team played during the tournament. “Looking at this team made me proud indeed. I listened carefully to the comments made by former West Indies player Robert Samuels and he said the team was better organised and prepared than the others and they were the best team to represent the region.
“The local cricket board must take praise for having the team up to a top standard. I would also like to extend my congratulations to the national team preparation committee and also the entire T&TCB for the work they put in with the team in getting them ready for the tournament.
“Being an executive member of the TTCB, I can tell you, the president Azim Bassarath said he wanted the team to have everything they needed to prepare well no matter the cost. This was carried out and the players responded by winning the title.”
