Former English test player, Roland Butcher, believes that there are several positive signs from the new dispensation of West Indies cricket.
According to the Barbados-born 68-year-old, who appeared on the Mason and Guest radio programme earlier this week, West Indies management needs to identify their best talents and give them the chance over a period of time.
“You are not going to get a top team just like that, throwing guys together, it’s going to take a while but once you have identified your best players you have to back them, give them the opportunity knowing they will fail for a while but back them over a period of time,” he opined.
Butcher, who played three Tests and three One-Day Internationals reasoned, “I think what needs to happen now is when the players get the opportunity to play you need to see some signs that yes, I belong at this level even if they are not hugely successful at the start but you show the signs that with time you will start to develop into a good player and a good team.”
West Indies lost the three-match T20I series against Pakistan recently and prior to that, had a horrid campaign in the T20 World Cup earlier this year. Also, the Caribbean unit lost convincingly to South Africa in the Caribbean.
Nevertheless, Butcher highlighted, “I think there have been some pretty good signs in these couple of matches, I think Shepherd has shaped up pretty well both with bat and ball, Odean Smith as well looks quite a handy batsman lower down the order so if those two guys can build on that…”
He added, “Brandon King needs to be just a bit more consistent, we know he can play for a little while so if he can be consistent and those guys that got the opportunity now can step up, that’s what you are looking for…”
