It has been a most interesting first week start to the 2022 New Year for West Indies cricket. The first days of 2022 have produced some exciting appointments to the West Indies Selections Panel, ongoing fitness concerns surrounding at least one key player, as well as a few very enlightening comments from head coach Phil Simmons.Most West Indies cricket fans would have been excited by Cricket West Indies’ successive announcements of the appointments of the Rt. Hon. Desmond Haynes and Ramnaresh Sarwan, as the Selection Chairman and Member replacements for the recently deposed Roger Harper and Miles Bascombe. The reputations of both Haynes and Sarwan, within both the region and the wider cricketing world, as very well respected, knowledgeable, high calibre former West Indies players are undeniably solid.The announcements of their respective appointments would have created a sense of optimism that some of the bizarre selection choices that were far too often characteristic of the previous panel, would now not be repeated. With the West Indies about to begin its all-important quest for qualification at two forthcoming World Cups, this year’s T20 as well as the 2023 50 Overs, wisdom-guided selection of the best possible teams will be of immeasurable value.
