Jamaica’s middle order batsman Jermaine Blackwood who played his first Test match in New Zealand and scored a stylish 63 at the Queens’s Park in Trinidad was omitted from the final 11 at Kensington in Barbados for the third and final Test. Shannon Gabriel, the medium fast bowl from Trinidad & Tobago, who bowled appreciably well in the Test in Port of Spain at the Queens Park was also omitted from the final 11 in Bridgetown, Barbados.
The West Indies won this Test match by 10 wickets in a remarkable comeback after losing the first Test in Jamaica. It was unnecessary to omit these two players. Head Coach Ottis Gibson made a major error in leaving out Blackwood and Gabriel. The West Indies team was bowled out for 317 runs in the first innings of the third Test match after New Zealand scored 293. Blackwood seems to be the type of player that fits uniquely in the middle order.
SEVEN SPECIALIST BATSMEN NEEDED FOR TEST
The 11 players of a Test must be balanced with four specialist bowlers and seven specialist batsmen. With Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Blackwood, and Denesh Ramdin respectively coming in at fifth, sixth and seventh in that order should serve the team well.
SULIEMAN BENN OVER BOWLED
West Indies Test Captain Denesh Ramdin over used the left arm spinner Sulieman Benn. Regardless of how good a bowler performs in a Test, the other bowlers must each share the responsibility of easing the pressure on the rest of the bowlers.
RAMDIN MUST BOOST HIS ROLE
West Indies Captain Denesh Ramdin must boost this game behind the stumps and he must improve in his field placing, particularly three slips and a gully for the fast bowlers. It is rather surprising that Ramdin should not have the correct slip corridor in place after playing so much cricket. This flaw has occurred in every Test Ramdin has captained. It is hoped that he would take steps to avoid such a thing reoccurring. He received maximum criticism on the three-slip fielder’s issue.
