By Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Rose
FORMER WEST Indies pacer Frankyln Rose along with four newcomers, schoolboy pacer Jerome Taylor, leg-spinner Odean Brown, batsmen Donovan Pagon and Maurice Kepple, were yesterday named in Jamaica's 16-man squad for the regional first class cricket tournament, which starts on January 31.
Also returning to the national senior squad is off-spinner Nehemiah Perry, who missed last season's Busta Cup and Red Stripe Bowl tournaments due to a knee injury.
Completing the 16-man squad, from which the final 13 will be chosen ahead of Jamaica's opening match against The Leeward Island at Ronald Webster Park in Anguilla, are Robert Samuels (captain), Leon Garrick, Brenton Parchment, Mario Ventura, David Bernard Jr., Keith Hibbert, Daren Powell, Ryan Cunningham, Matthew Sinclair and Audley Sanson.
Jamaica's leading wicket-taker in last year's tournament, Gareth Breese, was not named but will join the squad as soon as he recuperates from a knee injury.
The Jamaica Cricket Association also announced that the eight Under-23 players named to the squad- Parchment, Pagon, Bernard Jr., Hibbert, Taylor, Kepple, Sinclair and Brown - have been placed on a 'protected' list, meaning they will not be available for selection to the West Indies 'B' team, which also plays in the tournament.
However, batsman Shawn Findlay, fast bowler Andrew Richardson, left-arm spinner Lorenzo Ingram and wicketkeeper/batsman Carlton Baugh Jr. have been put forward for possible selection to the West Indies 'B' team.
Rose, 30, who has been out of regional and domestic cricket for the past two season, playing professional cricket between South Africa (Gauteng) and England (Northamp-tonshire), said he was happy to be back in the Jamaica team.
"I had a serious knee injury and I thought my career was over," Rose said.
"I am so glad to be back because I haven't played for Jamaica for the past two years and right now I am very disappointed not to be in the West Indies team. Every one can see that I am good enough to represent the West Indies."
Meanwhile, newcomer Taylor, who bagged 10 wickets (two five-wicket hauls in four innings), has been praised by Jamaica's senior coach, Robert Haynes, and former West Indies, captain Courtney Walsh.
Both believe the St. Elizabeth Technical fast bowler is good enough to play first class cricket this season.
"I think he is ready for first class cricket," Haynes said Saturday on the eve of yesterday's announcement.
"When you look at the batsmen he got out in the practice matches and knowing that they played first class cricket... he is fast, he is bowling well and that's the person I want to have around.
"He is not someone I want just for this season, but someone I want around all the time," the coach added.
Right-hander Pagon, 20, who played six first class matches for the West Indies 'B' and 'A' teams last year, gained selection after hitting a big century and three 50s in matches played.
"It's always a great feeling to represent your country," said Pagon. "I am very glad I got this opportunity. Although I played first class cricket before, it wasn't for Jamaica".
Coach Haynes said he was pleased with the 16 players chosen by the selection panel of chairman Ruddy Williams, Lyndel Wright, Courtney Daley and captain Robert Samuels.
"I think it's a very good balance," the coach said. "I honestly believe that when you get back the calibre players like Rose and Perry in a squad with Matthew Sinclair as the reserve wickekeeper, it is a very good squad.
"With youngster like Kepple, Taylor, Brown and Pagon it's good and with the experienced Samuels, Sanson and others, I think this is the best squad the selectors could have come up with and I know it's a winning team."
In yesterday's final practice match, Shawn Findlay shone with an unbeaten half century, his second in the match.
Replying to Perry's XI 462, in which Garrick, 124, Kepple, 78, and Ventura, 69, got most runs against Taylor (5-87), Samuels' XI were dismissed for 234 with Findlay, 67, and Pagon, 80, standing against Brown (3-29) and Sanson (3-42).
Forced to follow-on, Samuels' XI reached 114 for five as only Findlay, 60 not out, was able to hold off Bernard Jr. (3-42).
