Cricket West Indies’ Regional First-Class tournament has ended with Barbados Pride retaining their title while, individually, some players have staked claims for Test call ups.
Bangladesh are set to tour the Caribbean for two Tests later this month and that series would provide the perfect opportunity for the West Indies selectors to blood a few deserving players.
At the top of the list of contenders sits Tagenarine Chanderpaul.
The 26-year-old left-handed opener showed his worth this season with 439 runs at an average of 73. He smashed two centuries including a personal best of 184 and has soaked up 1099 balls in eight innings.
This is a vast improvement from his last season (2020) where he scored 315 runs at an average of 24 from 15 innings.
His statistics are second only to West Indies Test captain, Kraigg Brathwaite.
If given the opportunity, Chanderpaul and Brathwaite could open together at the Test level making it a difficult combination for opposing bowlers seeking an early breakthrough.
Brathwaite was the only other player with more than one century. He scored three amassing 584 runs at a staggering average of 83.4 along the way.
Other contenders for the opening spot such as Kieran Powell and John Campbell did well with Powell scoring 405 runs and Campbell 398.
However, given their previous failures at the Test level, this could be the perfect time to introduce Chanderpaul.
His father Shivnarine has been a dependable servant of West Indies cricket during his career and Tagenarine should be no different if he is a chip off the old block.
Another player who deserves another look is Raymon Reifer. Reifer seems to have a knack for being on winning teams. He was on the Guyana team which won the championship five consecutive times and then was drafted by the Barbados Pride, his country of birth, where he lifted the title once again.
The 31-year-old’s efforts has been instrumental to both teams’ success and he is ripe for a Test recall following his 2017 debut.
The left-hander finished sixth among batsmen with 345 runs from seven innings at an average of 49.2. He scored three half centuries.
The left-arm seamer also grabbed nine wickets at an average of 14.4 and a match best of 7-29.
Along with Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers, Reifer would not only strengthen the batting, but would provide variation with his left-arm swing bowling.
Gudakesh Motie has continued his growth.
Having made his T20I debut for the West Indies, he now could be in line for a Test debut.
The left-arm spinner bagged 17 wickets at an average of 24.7 and a best of 4-62. While Rahkeem Cornwall topped the bowling charts with 23 wickets, trailed by Keemo Paul (20 wickets), Veerasammy Permaul (19 wickets) and Jeremiah Louis (18 wickets), Motie provided further evidence of his all-round ability by scoring his maiden century. He ended with 225 runs at an average of 45.
Other players who have put their hands up are Devon Thomas with 414 runs at an average of 59 including one century and four fifties and Jamie Merchant with 241 runs at an average of 34.4 and 10 wickets including a best of 5-72.
