Dear Editor,
In my last letter to the press, just prior to commencement of the ICC T20 World Cup, I predicted that the team the Roger Harper-led Selection Panel selected would not win the World Cup, and it came to pass.
In fact, their performance was atrocious and embarrassing, and it is time the West Indies Cricket Board take decisive action to remedy the situation and start the rebuilding process to make the West Indies team great again.
To begin with, when the contract of the Roger Harper-led Selection Panel ends at the end of this year, it must not be renewed; a new Selection Panel must be appointed. I would like to recommend three names: Brian Lara, Sir Curtly Ambrose and Shiv Chanderpaul. I know these men would select the best team available, and would not show favouritism or insularity.
Secondly, it is time to get rid of the old men of West Indies cricket, namely Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russel and Andre Fletcher. Either ask them to announce their retirement like Dwayne Bravo did, or fire them. As for Gayle, the man has no shame, he wants to play in the next World Cup in Australia, although he has been failing for the past five years and will be over 43 years old by then.
Finally, the new selectors must select a young team with an eye on winning the next World Cup in Australia. The captain should be Shimron Hetmyer, with Nicholas Pooran as the vice-captain; and the core of the team should be Evin Lewis, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd, Dominic Drakes, Odean Smith, Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie. The next five players should consist of an off-spinner, leg-spinner, a fast bowler, and two more quality attacking batsmen.
My 15 would not include Roston Chase, Oshane Thomas and Hayden Walsh jnr. It is clear as day that Chase is no T20 player. He should play only Test cricket, while Thomas and Walsh are mediocre bowers who would be punished at the international level.
So, come on, Ricky Skerritt and Kishore Shallow, put West Indies cricket first and fulfill the mandate that you promised cricket fans by making the West Indies team the best in the world.
We, the cricket fans, are waiting and watching to see your next move after the debacle of the last World Cup.
Yours faithfully,
Imtiaz Baccus
