THE non-inclusion of Trinidad and Tobago off-spinner Bryan Charles from the three-team Headley-Weekes triangular series to crown off the CWI regional four-day tournament has drawn a furious reaction from local cricket officials.

Five TT players - Joshua Da Silva, Anderson Phillip, Darren Bravo, Joshua James and Keagan Simmons - were named in the squads for the tournament, which gets under way from April 19 to May 6, at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) in Antigua.

Red Force coach David Furlonge said, 'It is disappointing to say the least. There is no justifiable reason why Bryan Charles was not considered, especially after his consistent performance during the recent season where he picked up 21 wickets and finished fourth in the averages.'

He said the 27 year old who plays for Queen's Park Cricket Club should have an automatic selection having been a regular in the West Indies 'A' team set-up last year when he played against Bangladesh.

Instead Barbadian Chaim Holder, 29, with 18 scalps for Barbados including nine wickets in one match, appears to have been given the nod ahead of the Trinidadian by chief selector Desmond Haynes, and his compatriot Roland Butcher.

Furlonge on Wednesday said the selection policy was not consistent with the stated objective of the Headley-Weekes teams being picked 'from the leading performers in the 2023 West Indies Championship and those deemed to be on the fringe of the Test team.'

He said Charles had done everything to finish among the leading wicket-takers throughout the four-day tournament but for an inexplicable reason has been snubbed and denied a window of opportunity at the West Indies level.

Furlonge said it also rings hollow that the CWI was serious in naming the teams 'to provide further first-class opportunities for the best performers from the West Indies Championship in a competitive and intense setting, as well as opportunities for players whom the selectors believe would benefit from playing red-ball cricket.'

Also chiming in on the non-selection of Charles was Parasram Singh, the third vice-president of the TTCB who demanded Haynes and company explain their decision.

'The omission of Bryan Charles, an extremely talented player, will only serve to dampen his aspirations as the West Indies prepare for the upcoming 'A' Team tour of Bangladesh, and the two-Test Series against India at home,' said Singh.

'If West Indies cricket is to progress under the new administration at the top, the selectors must demonstrate to the players that their selection will be based on merit and not on a whim and fancy,' said Singh.

FULL SQUADS

Team Headley: Joshua Da Silva (captain), Sunil Ambris, Darren Bravo, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Chaim Holder, Akeem Jordan, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kieran Powell, Tevyn Walcott.

Team Weekes: Alick Athanaze (captain), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Keacy Carty, Dominic Drakes, Jahmar Hamilton, Brandon King, Jair McAllister, Zachary McCaskie, Veerasammy Permaul, Raymon Reifer, K