…as Champions Trophy looms
RIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – New West Indies team manager Lance Gibbs has invoked the memories of the legendary 1960-61, Tied Test tour, in defending the under-strength regional team which will contest this month’s Champions Trophy.
With the top players ruled out of the tour because of a bitter contracts dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board, veteran Barbadian batsman Floyd Reifer will lead a makeshift squad to the September 22 to October 5 tournament in South Africa.
The 14-man squad comprises several players with little or no international experience but Gibbs said he had drawn hope from Sir Frank’s side which were beaten 2-1 by Australia after the historic first Test at Brisbane finished in a tie.
“In 1960-61 [Sir] Frank Worrell had an unheralded West Indies side that went into Australia and we came out with full credit [and] the Australians accepted us,” said Gibbs, who has been appointed to oversee this tour.
“I’m saying that this team is hungry, eager and willing to stamp their authority on the game and I don’t want to hear them being called a second [string] team. It’s a West Indian team, that’s what the selectors had to select from.”
The side comprises much of the same players who contested the Bangladesh series when the first choice players made themselves available. They were whitewashed in the two Tests and the three One-Day Internationals.
Faced with the likes of Australia, India and Pakistan in the Champions Trophy group stages, Gibbs again came to the defence of his fledgling side.
“You know sport and know how it can change from day to day. As I said, the guys are keen, eager and willing to go and they are going to surprise [everyone],” said Gibbs, who grabbed 309 wickets from 79 Tests to become the region’s greatest ever spinner.
“I went to Australia in 1960-61, personal friends of mine asked me ‘what they send you there for, they have [Sonny Ramadhin] and [Alf Valentine]’. I never looked back since then. You must have strength, and heart and courage to know that you can go out there and fight.”
The squad went through a rigorous training camp here this week and will leave for Johannesburg tomorrow to continue their preparations for the tournament.
Gibbs said what the squad lacked in experience, they had made up for in courage and had already shown excellent commitment so far in training.
“We have selected a side and from all indications and what I’ve seen so far, these fellows are hungry and willing and eager to go,” he noted.
“I was particularly impressed with the camp we’ve had here. They have really done a lot. They’ve been training hard. It is a West Indies cricket team and it is the best team that was selected at this period of time because of what has happened.”
