PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Former chairman of selectors Dudnath Ramkessoon has been returned to the post and will have his panel increased to five, an increase of two members over the former Deryck Murray-led administration.

Ramkessoon, who previously served in the role for a protracted period, had been replaced two years ago by Narine Bideshi but has been reappointed following the election of new Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board president Azim Bassarath.

He will have with him Bideshi, along with former Test all-rounder Bernard Julien, ex-Windies off-spinner Rangy Nanan and national cricketer Alec Burns.

Bassarath on Monday defended his decision to increase the numbers on the selection panel.

“We don’t want our selectors only depending on statistics, we want them going around and visiting the national league games,” he told CMC Sports.

“By having five men on the panel we can have guys actually looking at the matches.”

The decision was taken during a two-day retreat where the recently-elected TTCB executive also confirmed Baldath Mahabir and Dr. Allen Sammy as the West Indies Cricket Board directors from T&T.

A 100-day plan was also rolled out which will see the TTCB instituting coaching programmes, insurance coverage for all players and a facility for clubs where they can access $5 000 loans to assist with their development.