James gets the axe?

After being left out by tour management for the Windwards senior team’s last match in the WICB regional match against the Leewards in St. Lucia, Vincentian wicketkeeper-batsman Linden James has been omitted for this weekend’s seventh round match against Jamaica at the Windsor Park in Dominica.{{more}}

Joining him are left-arm orthodox spinner Denis George, opener Miles Bascombe and middle-order batsman and off-spinner Liam Sebastian, who both return to their university studies at the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill, Barbados.

James sat out the Leewards match, with the glove work done by Andre Flectcher.

Sitting in the No.3 spot, the Windwards is on 36 points from five matches, but James’ omission, though, is somewhat inconsistent with the Windwards’ selection ‘policy’.

Picked as a wicketkeeper, who is expected to give some runs down the order, James, in his four outings, has held 17 catches and effected two stumpings. With the bat, his contribution was 52 runs from his six innings. James’ highest score was 24 versus Trinidad and Tobago, and he has an average of 8.67.

Dropped earlier after two matches was top order batsman Gavin Roberts, who had scores of 1, 12 and 3, with an average of 5.33 runs.

But the incongruity of the persistence of Mervyn Matthew in the 13-man team should raise some eyebrows.

Matthew, selected as a front-line bowler, has sent down 76 overs in the four matches he has played.

He has had 210 runs hit off his bowling, with three wickets to his credit, at an average of 70 runs per wicket. More so, Matthew has gone wicket-less in four innings and was not required to bowl in one innings. With the bat, he has scored 84 runs from five innings, with a highest score of 40. His average with the bat is 16.8.

George, who has had limited play, appeared in only two matches, taking a solitary wicket at a cost of 129 runs.

On the other hand, Kevin James, selected as a batsman, has six wickets at a cost of 60 runs, with a healthy average of ten runs per wicket. He has scored 71 runs from six innings, which includes three ducks, at an average of 11.83.

Drafted in for the seventh round match are St. Lucian Keddy Lesporis and out of now where, Grenadian Camilus Alexander, while fast bowler Nellon Pascal returns from injury after missing his team’s matches against Trinidad and Tobago, the Combined Campuses and Colleges and the Leewards.

Also in is Vincentian all-rounder Alston Bobb.

Leading the Windwards’ bowling is Shane Shillingord, who has 22 wickets from five matches, with veteran left-arm fast bowler, Deighton Butler bagging 16 scalps also from five matches.

The full team reads; Rawle Lewis (Captain), Darren Sammy (Vice -Captain) Keddy Lesporis, Johnson Charles, Kevin James, Donwell Hector, Andre Fletcher, Shane Shillingford, Mervyn Matthew, Alston Bobb,, Deighton Butler, Nellon Pascal and Camilus Alexander.

It was Chief Executive Officer of the Windwards Islands Cricket Board of Control Lennox John, in an interview with SEARCHLIGHT recently, who indicated that many of the problems that were plaguing the Windwards’ team were fleshed out and soothed.

With the Windwards having at least another six matches to go, will James get a recall?