Presidents of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) and Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) Anil Beharry and Alfred Mentore are calling for Rajindra Chandrika to play in the final Test match which begins tomorrow at Sabina Park, Jamaica.
Both Beharry and Mentore are former players with Mentore representing Guyana at the U19 level.
For the first test in Dominica which the West Indies lost inside three days, Chandrika, along with wicket-keeper/batsman Shane Dowrich were both selected but Chandrika, who is a specialist opening batsman was not named in the final eleven despite him being the only other opener in the team. The move by the West Indies camp to leave out Chandrika and to allow Shai Hope to open the batting has raised a few eyebrows.
“I would go with Chandrika as the specialist opener. He, for sure, knows to makes runs and make runs against Australia. Similarly to Shane Dowrich who made two half-centuries before against them. It’s only fair that Chandrika is given an opportunity,” said Mentore. Mentore said Chandrika should replace batsman Shai Hope in the team for the second test.
“Chandrika was selected as an opening batsman while Shai Hope is a number three but most number three batsmen are capable of opening.
Hope would have played as an opener in youth cricket so it’s nothing new, but he was given four opportunities and he averages about 10 it is about time he is dropped. We we are losing wickets early and there is no partnership with him and Kraigg Braithwaite,” Mentore added.
Beharry, the former Berbice all-rounder argued that while the youngsters have been performing well, the Guyanese should definitely be considered for the Jamaica Test after he proved that he is capable of scoring freely against the Aussie new ball bowlers.
“I think he should have opened especially if a man played all his career as an opener so if he was selected he should have been played. Shai Hope was asked to open after not to my knowledge opening in his first class career and with the form Chandrika is in it is only fitting that he should get the nod. I also think the West Indies should play both
Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul in the next match because they bowl well in tandem,” he added.
Chandrika earned his West Indies call up after slamming five half-centuries in last season’s Regional four-day competition. He was also selected for the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) President’s XI that played against the Aussies in the tour match, and scored 74 in the first innings.
Meanwhile, two cricket fans from the village of Enmore had mixed views on Chandrika’s position in the team as well as discarded senior batsman,
Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
“Personally I think Chandrika should have played as the specialist batsman because Shane Dowrich played as a specialist wicket-keeper/batsman so I think Chandrika should have opened the batting and let Shai Hope bat down the order,” said Naresh Warlakhan while the other, M.S Yassin declared:” I don’t think Chandrika should play in the second match, let him rest in the team. It is better for him because if he fails he could be dropped so let him rest for now. I also think that Chanderpaul (Shivnarine) should be recalled for the second Test match and have a good farewell.”
