Shillingford
Tony Becca, Senior Sport Editor
THE WEST Indies Cricket Board recently changed the rule governing the eligibility of players for selection to the West Indies team and according to its directors, as explained by chief executive officer Gregory Shillingford before his recent and far from surprising resignation, the hope is that it will lead to a stronger West Indies team.
The previous rule barred players who were not available for all matches in the regional four-day and limited-overs competitions from selection to the West Indies, the new rule states that a player is eligible for selection when he makes himself available for selection to his national team in a competition immediately preceding the selection of a West Indies team, and according to Shillingford, the Board hopes that the new rule "will lead to the creation of better opportunities all around and ensure that our cricket once more returns to a position of strength".
That, however, is wishful thinking. In fact, apart from the confusion that it promises to create, it could hurt West Indies cricket and make it weaker rather than stronger.
When the rule was adopted years ago, the idea was to protect West Indies cricket - to ensure that the region's best players participate in the regional competitions.
Although the sponsors wanted it so, the reason was not to satisfy them. The reason for the rule was simply to ensure high quality competitions that would offer the kind of quality contests that would prepare the top players for Test cricket and assist in the proper development of talented, young players.
It was also to allow the selectors the opportunity to see all the players in action while competing against each other in the same conditions and to offer equal opportunities for selection to all the players.
By stating that a player must make himself available for selection to his national team in order to be eligible, the Board has at least insisted that the players participate, and by doing so the sponsors should be satisfied, the selectors will be able to see all the players in action against each other in the same conditions, and all the players will have an equal opportunity for selection.
There is, however, one problem - a big one at that, and one that will lead to confusion.
According to the new rule, a player does not have to participate in both the four-day and the limited-overs to be eligible for selection. According to the rule, if a player makes himself available for selection to his national team for one of the two competitions he is eligible for selection after that competition.
In other words, if a player makes himself available for the Busta Cup he is eligible for selection to the West Indies team after that, if a player makes himself available for the Red Stripe Bowl he is eligible for selection after that, and if a player makes himself available for selection for one but not for the other, he will be eligible after one but not after the other.
While that seems OK on the surface, the West Indies team will be involved in limited-overs and Test matches after regional limited-overs competitions - as is the case this time with the Champions Trophy to be followed by Test series in India and Bangladesh, it will be involved in limited-overs and Test matches after regional four-day competitions, and the Board, the same Board that talks about the differences between Test matches and limited-overs matches, the same Board that encourages the selection of players for Test matches and for limited-over matches based on their different skills, should answer these questions.
Question one: if a player makes himself available for selection to his national team for the limited-overs competition only, will he only be eligible for selection to the West Indies team for limited-overs competitions only or will he also be eligible for the Test team?
Question two: if the answer is no, what will be his fate if he performs so brilliantly that he deserves to be selected to the Test team?
Question three: what will be the fate of a player who makes himself available for his national team in the limited-overs competition, wins selection to the West Indies team, performs brilliantly in the matches - limited-overs and/or Tests, and then does not make himself available for the four-day competition?
Will he be brushed aside or will the rules be changed to accommodate him?
It is good that although it wanted to, the Board did not go all the way, did not change the rule entirely and thus did not allow players who are not available for any of the two regional competitions to be eligible for selection. Hopefully, however, it took into consideration the confusion that lies ahead and the problems that will face the selectors.
Chances are it did, chances are it will further change the rules - as it wanted to do, and regardless of what president Wes Hall and company believes, in the long run that will make West Indies cricket weaker rather than stronger.
Any player who wishes to play Test cricket should play in his country's domestic competitions. It happens in every other Test-playing country, it should happen in the West Indies, and the reasons why are so fundamental that it should never ever even be questioned.
If the top players do not play at home the young, talented players will not develop properly; if the top players who do not play at home are selected eventually none of the top players will play at home; and if those who do not play at home are selected and those who play at home are not, those who play at home will have no motivation to dedicate themselves to the game - to train and practice in order to develop their skills.
