Harpy Eagles all-rounder Romario Shepherd has been included in both the One Day International (ODI) and T20 sides announced by the Cricket West Indies selection panel yesterday.
However, Shepherd’s teammates Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul and Kevin Sinclair have not found favour with the selection panels in neither the T20 nor the ODI sides.
The 26-year-old Hetmyer, a former West Indies U19 skipper, is considered as one of the best young batting talents in the region.
However, his career has often been beset by some issue of the other.
Last year he was selected for the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia year but failed to make the trip citing flight problems.
He was subsequently dropped from the team by the selectors and replaced by Shamarh Brooks.
Hetmyer, to his credit is widely considered as a valuable member of any cricket side, moreso T20. Last year he played for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League where he scored 314 runs from 15 matches at an average of 44.86 and a strike rate of 153.92.
Earlier this month Hetmyer was a member of the Gulf Giants team which won the inaugural ILT20 tournament in the United Arab Emirates defeating Desert Vipers in the final.
Rutherford, who also plays in the IPL, was a member of the Desert Vipers team which lost to Hetmyer’s Gulf Giants in the final of the Abu Dhabi T20 tournament.
Paul, who returned to form in last year’s regional four-day competition with 21 wickets, is also a capable ODI and T20 player.
He played for Durban Super Giants in the Betway South Africa T20 league which ran from January 10 – February 11 this year while Shepherd played for Jobug Super Kings.
The selectors, though, have recalled veteran fast bowler Shannon Gabriel to the One-Day International side for the first time in almost four years.
Gabriel was named in the 15-man squad for next month’s three-match series against South Africa.
The 34-year-old spearheaded Trinidad and Tobago Red Force’s attack at the Super50 Cup last November, finishing with 15 wickets at 14 runs apiece.
Gabriel is the only noteworthy inclusion as the selectors have kept faith with the core of the squad which featured in the last ODI series against New Zealand in the Caribbean eight months ago.
“We have had some injuries to our fast-bowling pool so therefore we see Gabriel as an ideal fit heading into South Africa, and the surfaces we expect to play on,” said chief selector, the Most Honourable Desmond Haynes.
“It is felt that we need someone to get those early wickets and he is the kind of bowler that can do that. Judging from his performances in the CG United Super50 Cup, he is potentially a wicket-taking option up front.”
Off-spinning all-rounder Roston Chase, who played his last ODI 15 months ago, has secured a place in the squad with 23-year-old Kevin Sinclair, who grabbed five wickets in his three ODIs against New Zealand, omitted after a lean Super50 campaign.
The squad will be led by new ODI skipper Shai Hope with Rovman Powell, the T20 International captain, as his deputy.
Selectors have meanwhile named left-arm seamer Obed McCoy in the 15-man T20 squad, “subject to medical clearance”. The 26-year-old has not featured since West Indies’ failed campaign in the T20 World Cup qualifiers in Australia last October.
Neither fast bowler Jayden Seales nor Anderson Philiip was considered for selection due to their recovery from injury.
“For the T20Is, we have an experienced squad,” Haynes said.
“What we are looking for is to form a cohesive unit and look at the players who we believe can form the nucleus as we build towards doing very well and challenging when we host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June 2024.”
Batting all-rounder Kyle Mayers will serve as Powell’s vice-captain.
West Indies take on South Africa in the ODI series from March 16-21, with the first two matches – day/night affairs – scheduled for East London and the final game set for Potchefstroom.
The T20I series runs from March 25-28 – the first two games carded for Centurion and the final one scheduled for Johannesburg.
SQUADS:
ODI – Shai Hope (captain), Rovman Powell (vice captain), Shamarh Brooks, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith
T20I – Rovman Powell (captain), Kyle Mayers (vice captain), Shamarh Brooks, Yannic Cariah, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Obed McCoy, Nicholas Pooran, Raymon Reifer, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith