Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Darren Bravo and Andre Russell to make debut

It is customary when teams embark on tours that include Test matches to have the players earmarked to appear in the first Test participate in the final warm-up game. If the tour is a short one, as is prevalent of late, then that game could be the only one prior - thus making it imperative that the players for the first Test get a knock unless injuries or IPL (read Gayle and Bravo) prevent them.

Therefore the inclusion of Darren Bravo in the only warm-up match in Sri Lanka is a clear indication that the 21 year-old left-hander will make his debut come November 15.
It also appears that he will occupy the pivotal number three position, a huge task for one so young not only in years but in experience. He is yet to top 100 first-class runs but promises much more and, with Ramnaresh Sarwan out of the way for now, has the opportunity to not only cement his place in the team but at number three.

Me? I’m not yet sold on him. He certainly shows flashes of brilliance but a first-class average of 36.72 is not exactly the stuff legends are made of. That said I would really like for him to make a believer of me because I get the impression he can be a real dominant force if he gets it right. Good luck to the lad. And good luck to Sarwan as he works to recapture his place.

The young Bravo’s inclusion settles one of two spots I saw as uncertain going into the opening game. It was him or Devon Smith who I thought would have been given the nod as the last chance to justify Butts and company’s faith in him.

The other spot in contention is the one to decide who partners Kemar Roach with the new ball. Playing 12 players per side in the warm-up afford the selectors to have the proposed first Test side get a good run and at the same time size up Nelon Pascal and Andre Russell, the contenders.

Pascal brings a lot more experience to the table, and a bit more pace, but Russell’s strike-rate tells me he is better wicket-taker. His average of 26.39 also tells me he does not give away a lot of runs taking those wickets. The fact that he is a lower-order batsman capable of scoring a first-class century is enough for me to give him his debut come November 15.

My team therefore, in batting order, would be: Christopher Gayle, Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Brendan Nash, Dwayne Bravo, Carlton Baugh, Daren Sammy, Andre Russell, Shane Shillingford and Kemar Roach. 

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