From right to left

Tony Cozier

May 7, 2002

A few years ago, Sir Garry Sobers berated the West Indies' selectors for what he graphically, but accurately, described as the futility of recycling failures.

It has taken only three Tests of the current Cable & Wireless Series to validate his point.

Wicketkeeper Junior Murray and opener Stuart Williams were both recycled at the start of the series, three years after their previous Tests.

But Murray lasted only two Tests and opener Williams followed him yesterday, replaced by Jamaican left-hander Wavell Hinds for the fourth starting at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St John's on Friday.

It is the only change in the squad of 13.

Chairman of selectors Mike Findlay confirmed yesterday that the powerful 25-year-old Hinds, who has batted in every position from top to No. 7 in his previous 20 Tests, would open with fellow Jamaican, and left-hander Chris Gayle.

Hinds seemed to have booked the No. 3 berth two years ago with a compelling 165 against Pakistan's powerful bowling (Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Abdul Razzaq, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmed) at Kensington Oval in his fifth Test.

He has become a peripheral player, dependent on injury or illness to others for his place. Now, with the middle order well served, he must make his claims as opener, a position he has filled in five of his 20 Tests. The first time, he scored 70 and 46 against Australia in Sydney on the 2000-01 tour.

Hinds' last two Tests were against Pakistan in Sharjah in February when Ramnaresh Sarwan and Brian Lara were absent through injuries.

He earned his recall to his dashing 175 for the Busta XI in the three-day match against the Indians in St Lucia between the second and third Tests.

Right-hander Daren Ganga, Gayle's partner in the seven Tests preceding the series, and the exciting 20-year-old left-hander Devon Smith, both specialist openers, would have been other contenders.

Murray, 34, and Williams, 32, both dropped after the 1998-99 tour of South Africa, regained their places on the strength of their high scoring in the Busta Cup, in spite of moderate Test records.

Murray had 31 Tests before Ridley Jacobs was given his job on the South African tour. He was recalled principally on his four hundreds for the Windward Islands but scores of 0, 0 and 1 led to the selectors' embarrassment of having to bring back Jacobs.

Williams was brought back instead of Ganga after his record 974 runs in eight Busta matches but his average in the three Tests of 22.75 was even short of the inadequate 24.26 he managed from his earlier 28 Tests.

It now seems as if both have played their last Test but, with West Indies' selectors, you never know.

The 13: Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ryan Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Merv Dillon, Dinanath Ramnarine, Adam Sanford, Pedro Collins and Cameron Cuffy.

© The Barbados Nation

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Series/Tournaments

India tour of West Indies