What more must Bramble do to gain ‘A’ selection asks Sean Devers Top bowler Permaul also ignored
Jan 26, 2018 , https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...ermaul-also-ignored/
The Windies selection panel headed by Barbadian Courtney Browne which also includes former Guyana and West Indies batsman Travis Dowlin has named five Guyanese in the preparatory squad for Windies ‘A’ team and World Cup qualifiers duties.
The Guyanese selected are Shimron Hetymer and Davindra Bishoo (Camps for World Cup) along with Raymond Reifer, Vishaul Singh and Keon Joseph ‘A’ duties but Guyana Jaguars wicket-keeper batsman Anthony Bramble continues to be ignored despite his outstanding showing at the Regional level which they claimed would be used for Windies selection.
Unlike the 36-year-old Devon Smith, who continues to smash Regional batting records; scoring the most runs and centuries this season and the soon to be 33 year-old Denish Ramdin, who scored three hundreds and the second most runs to Smith but is no longer keeping wicket for Trinidad and Tobago, Bramble turned 27 last month and should at least be rewarded with an ‘A’ team call-up.
Bramble, who hails from Skeldon in Upper Corentyne but now plays for Albion, made his First-Class debut in 2003 against CCC at Providence and since has played 48 games at that level. He has 182 dismissals including 160 catches and 22 stumpings and for the last three First-Class seasons has ended with the most dismissals by a Keeper.
Arguably the best Wicket-Keeper in the region after Ramdin, Bramble has 32 catches and six stumpings from 28 Regional One-Day matches. It was reported that the selectors felt that Bramble needed to produce more with the bat and he did just that this season; scoring 616 runs including an unbeaten 196, four runs short of joining Grenadian Junior Murray, whose 218 against Guyana at the Tanteen ground in Grenada in 1997 is the only time a Keeper has scored a double century in Regional cricket.
Bramble, who one century and nine fifties at First-Class level, 45 dismissals this season and was awarded USD$1,500 and the Deryck Murray trophy for being best Wicket-Wicket of the season. What more must Bramble do at a least earn selection in a Windies ‘A’ team?
Another Guyanese, Veerasammy Permaul captured 50 wickets this season, the most by any bowler but the left-arm spinner who has 18 wickets from six Tests was also not selected for any Regional team despite meeting the criteria of outstanding performance during a Regional season as set by CWI.
Permaul is among an elite few with 400 Regional First-Class wickets and was awarded the Courtney Walsh trophy and USD$1,500 for taking 50 scalps as the Jaguars roared to their fourth consecutive title.