Clyde Butts and his selection panel had a couple of contrasting dilemmas to resolve last week as they sorted out the West Indies squad for the five One-Day Internationals and one Twenty20 in Australia next month.
They had to find a replacement batsman for Marlon Samuels, a linchpin at No.3 or 4 since the transformation inspired by his two year suspension for alleged dealings with an Indian bookie, as well as decide which of the encouraging group of tall, early-20s fast bowlers now coming to the fore to include or, put another way, to leave at home.
One was as tricky as the other. In the end, they went back to the experienced Ramnaresh Sarwan after his 18 troubled months on the outside, and retained the 21-year-old, 6-feet, 7-inches Jason Holder who they first picked late last year for the ODIs in Bangladesh.
Since the heady days when Clive Lloyd could constitute his attack with any four of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Colin Croft, Wayne Daniel and Sylvester Clarke, intimidating giants all, later to be followed by four other towering six-footers, Courtney Walsh, Patrick Patterson, Curtly Ambrose and Ian Bishop there has been a yearning for bowlers of similar pace and height.
Several were tried – Merv Dillon, Marlon Black,
