Darren Ganga

[Nostromo]

I know that West Indies cricket team seems to be on the decline (temporarily, I hope), but even making allowance for that, what is a terrible "batsman" like Darren Ganga doing in the team? The guy is not good enough to be part of a respectable club team let alone opening batting for an international Test XI! In his latest farce of an innings he struggled just to reach double figures, one of the few occasions he does so. I am sure that there are other better openers in the Caribbean!

[Aurelius]

And I think Wavell Hinds is one of them. His record might not be great, either, but at least he averages on the right side of 30. Devon Smith looks okay too, but he has to build up his record a lot as well.

On a more positive note, it's really good to see Marlon Samuels finally get his act together. If he keeps it up, then the middle-order of Sarwan, Samuels, Chanderpaul and Bravo is starting to look pretty solid.

[Ninjaman]

Devon Smith, like Ganga, should be consigned to the dustbin of Test cricket.

Both of these guys, however, have dominated at the regional level and any other contenders for their spot have not even shown an ability to even match them in that regard. Thus, the selectors will continue to pick them in the hope they come good rather than other guys who can't even average well at the inferior level.

Both of those guys were highly promising as youngsters and much hope was placed in them from their performances as schoolboys.

But the problem is how to take promising schoolboys and maintain them as cricketers once that crux of being supported by school/parents is removed.

The lack of a professional structure means they are thrust into the big boys game way too early and left to float or sink.

They have both sunk miserably.

Look at Brenton Parchment's totally unspectacular FC career. He stepped up his game for just 1 season (from mediocre to just above mediocre) and gets a slot on the touring party to ZIM/SA.

Does anyone remember Leon Garrick or Xavier Marshall?

In a proper system designed to develop cricketers for the cricketing world of today, Smith and Ganga, who are 26 and 28 respectively, would just be beginning their Test careers or be a few years into it.

They would have had games under the belt and their temperament and technique would have been tested.

Once WICB corrects that, then the Gangas and Smiths will be a thing of the past

[Aurelius]

Well, Hinds is averaging 63 so far in the Carib Beer series, so hopefully he can sustain his form for the rest of it; then maybe the West Indian selectors will see sense.

Encouragingly, Sarwan seems to be back and scoring runs as well. Hopefully he can be back in time for the Windies' next series (which I believe is against Aus. in May?).

Finally, I don't care who the selectors leave out, but they have to play Pedro Collins. If I recall, he was on the tour to South Africa, but couldn't get a game, whereas Fidel Edwards couldn't buy a wicket.

So my ideal team at the moment-

1. Chris Gayle (c)
2. Wavell Hinds
3. Ramnaresh Sarwan
4. Marlon Samuels
5. Shiv Chanderpaul
6. Dwayne Bravo
7. Denesh Ramdin
8. Raul Lewis (or another specialist spinner)
9. Daren Powell
10. Jerome Taylor
11. Pedro Collins

[Ninjaman]

Wavell Hinds has signed on as a Kolpak player in England.

I think Derbyshire.

[Aurelius]

So did Pedro Collins, but he was selected for the South African tour. I hope Hinds' decision won't stay in the way of a recall, but if it does, then I'd go with Sewnarine Chattergoon, who showed some form during the ODIs.

[Ninjaman]

Yes that is true but their contracts had not started then.

By the time Sri Lanka and Australia arrive they will be unavailable as they will be playing or at least in training with their new county sides.

[jrwb]

What's wrong with Darren Ganga getting on the WI team? The standard is so low that my little sister could open the bowling for them, and probably the batting, too...

Poor Ganga! He has been a victim of being surrounded by players who probably can't get on even Newtown Boys' RC School side. What a terrible group he finds himself in - would bet my bottom dollar he'd do better on the Australia side (sorry he's not Aussie).

[Aurelius]

If he's in a terrible group, then he's the most terrible of the lot. After nearly 50 Tests, he doesn't even average 30. As a friend of my Dad's recently said, he hangs around for an hour, scores 10 and gets out. Forget the Australian side- if you can name one Australian state side he could hypothetically get into, I'll be impressed.

As to the rest of the team, there are good players in the side, most of whom are just underperforming. Chanderpaul, Gayle, Sarwan are all terrific batsmen, although the last two need to find more consistency. Dwayne Bravo is the best young allrounder in the world. Taylor has a ton of promise as a fast bowler, and Denesh Ramdin is a very good 'keeper and reliable lower-order bat. So the ability is there- it's just the attitude that needs to change. Let's hope Dyson can sort them out.

[jrwb]

"Dwayne Bravo is the best young allrounder in the world"

And I'm the best fast bowler in the world who bowls at 20 mph, is over 40 and lives in a blue house....

That's the problem with West Indians - always blindly, as opposed to constructively, overrating its sportsmen.