**** Full Strength Team for SA !! ****

Whatever you think of the recent Indiagate episode or not it is good to see the trail of tit for tat has discontinued resulting in  a 'full strength' team being sent to South Africa.

I will not point blame at Bravo because as Captain, you invariably have to take the lead. There is astrong case to be made taht the tour shoudl have continued and resolved teh issues after but I can see a more convincing argument to have supported teh players actions.

That is principlally due to the WICB's history of deceit and this MoU/ CBA epitomised bullying and deceit and it was time teh WICB were taken to task.

However my observations on the team are.

1. Not sure why no Narine!

2. Holder has not developed, as a bowler although his batting has come on leaps and bounds. For me he is not a test bowler and should be allowed to play a few more ODIs. His pace has not increased, he is not accurate enough to compensate for the lack of pace and he has proven very ineffective.

3. Cotterrell looks far to top heavy for me, very unfit and lacks control. However giving him a chance would see how well he develops but the better prospect for me is Johnson or even Beaton as a future possibility.

4. Leon Johnson will struggle due to an unrefined technique but he deserves his spot.

5. The man to look out for is Blackwood as I am hoping this tour see some big runs from him.

6. Shiv has to stop being scared oif getting out as playing with his pads, as he ahs been doing recently, will cause him no end of problems. However I wish him well as he enters the twilight of his career.

7. Looking forward to Brathwaite's effectiveness against genuinely fast bowlers. For me he has very poor technique by closing teh face of the bat far to prematurely and he will get leading edges.

The squad is as follows:
Denesh Ramdin – Captain
Sulieman Benn
Jermaine Blackwood
Kraigg Braithwaite
Darren Bravo
Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Sheldon Cottrell
Shannon Gabriel
Christopher Gayle
Jason Holder
Leon Johnson
Kemar Roach
Marlon Samuels
Jerome Taylor
Chadwick Walton

I cant help but wonder what the vibes will be like in the dressing room and at training following what was obvious split amongst players regarding the decision to pull out of the Indian tour.  I am hoping that men will be men and put the job to be done before their own personal differences.

I like Clive Lloyds words on Cotrell, it reminds me of his own views on Michael Holding. I hope Cotrell doesn't disappoint.

I saw holding in his very early days and I find Lloyd's comparison quite unfounded.


Firstly his run up was always very fluent etc.


Cotterell is bulky and seems more awkward than the fellow bulk Wayne Daniel!

I don't think there will be any dressing room issues.

Samuels is a strange character and I guess he will continue with his strangeness.

Remember that when the tour to India was called off it was the ODI team there not the test team.

Boqui,


I totally agre,me specially on Samuels.


I do understand this squad is contingent on the tour contract being signed by the 11th and since I am unaware that the MoU/ CBA have been renegotiated, this Indiangate fiasco is far from over.


I am not sure why Walton is there as I think Dornoch is better but if I had to take a punt, I would include Pooran as I think he is capable of being a genuine batsman and a very good keeper.

I am quite sure the players will sign their contracts.

South Africa should win the series quite comfortably but you never know.

I was so sure India would do very well in England and look what happened

Ha ha ha.


Yes we mullerd india and they looked out of their depth.


I think they have plummeted to 6 th in the ICC test rankings.


What do you think of this squad Boqui?


Now if the players sign a contract with similar condition to that of the Indian tour, their stance would have been futile!

The squad is ok in that I cannot think of anyone who has been omitted staking a great claim to be selected.

I really hope that Ambrose is retained to work with the bowlers - he seemed to be doing good things with them in India.

Even though WI lost a couple of matches that was no fault of the bowlers and in fact the bowlers pegged India back when they were well set (if I remember correctly).

WRT the pay I think the situation is a little more complicated. First I have no idea how the pay for this tour compares with what was on offer for the tests in India. Most of the test players have not played many tests so I am sure they will be glad of anything on offer from the WICB.

But without a detailed breakdown of who gets what it's hard to say whether some are signing for far less than before.

Boqui,


I agree with respect to Ambrose.


I am surprised Narine is not in the squad but not sure about him being tested etc.