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Ragoonath gets the axe

By habit as much as design, the West Indies selectors have yet again changed one of their opening batsmen for the critical Third Test against Australia, starting at Kensington Oval tomorrow morning.

But chairman Mike Findlay acknowledged yesterday that he and his colleagues, Joey Carew, Joel Garner and captain Brian Lara, are still undecided over who will go in first with Sherwin Campbell.

Suruj Ragoonath, who looked out of his depth after he was belatedly given his chance, at 31, in the first two Tests is dropped. He is replaced in the squad of 13, from whom the starting XI will be finalised, by the tall, 27-year-old Barbadian left-hander Adrian Griffith, for whom Kensington is also home for his club team, Pickwick.

Findlay said following the team's net practice at Queen's Park yesterday morning that Griffith was just one of four options being considered as the second opener. The final choice will be made this afternoon.

``We're looking at Griffith, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dave Joseph and Ridley Jacobs and assessing how comfortable they are in the nets before deciding,'' Findlay said.

He did not give any preference but logic dictates it should be neither Chanderpaul nor Jacobs.

The consistent Chanderpaul, returning for the first time in the series after recovering from a shoulder injury, has become the established No.3; wicketkeeper Jacobs made his name on his impressive debut series in South Africa at No.7. It would be folly to shift either.

The absence over the first two Tests of the established Chanderpaul and Carl Hooper left two middle-order positions open, one of which was filled by Joseph. His forthright 50 in the unfamiliar No.3 in his first innings, his sharp close-catching and his positive attitude were those of a seasoned cricketer keen to take whatever opportunity came his way.

It was surprising to learn, from captain Lara, that he asked to be demoted to his accustomed No.5 in the Second Test at Sabina Park. That is the assured place of the returning Hooper so that Joseph can only be retained if he opens and he can only open if he is mentally ready.

Seeing that he has entered at 16 for one, three for one and 17 for three in his three innings to date, there difference is minimal. He certainly seems to have the temperament to cope.

It is just over two years since Griffith played his one and only previous Test, against Australia at Adelaide in January, 1997, when he made 13 and 1. In the interim, eight different openers (Campbell, Ragoonath, Robert Samuels, Stuart Williams, Philo Wallace, Clayton Lambert, Junior Murray and Daren Ganga) have been used in 23 Tests against Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, England and South Africa.

There has been such a frustrating lack of success that the 160 raised by Campbell and Williams against Sri Lanka in Antigua in June, 1997, has been the only first-wicket stand of three figures since. The last seven have been 0, 2, 1, 4, 16, 3 and 4.

Griffith's tour of 1996-97 tour of Australia was something of a disaster (first-class average 12) but he has come back into the reckoning with a couple of steady seasons allied to the continuing dearth of qualified openers. He averages 41.25 in the current season.

How ever many runs he makes with the bat, he will save several in the field where he is one of the best in the West Indies. In spite of the welcome addition of Hooper's well practised off-spin, Findlay indicated that Nehemiah Perry's place is secure following his debut performance in Jamaica where his own off-spin (5/70 in the second innings), his solid batting at No.8 and his fielding were convincing.

It means three fast bowlers and while the likelihood is that they will remain Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose and Pedro Collins, there is not a knowledgeable judge on this island of fast bowling who does not believe that Corey Collymore is not ready for Test cricket right now.

He remains in the 13. It will not be long before he is in the final XI.

The team:

Brian Lara (Capt, Trinidad & Tobago)    61 Tests
Sherwin Campbell (Barbados)             32 Tests
Adrian Griffith (Barbados)               1 Test
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Guyana)         35 Tests
Carl Hooper (Guyana)                    78 Tests
Dave Joseph (Leewards)                   2 Tests
Jimmy Adams (Jamaica)                   35 Tests
Ridley Jacobs (Leewards)                 7 Tests
Nehemiah Perry (Jamaica)                 1 Test
Curtly Ambrose (Leewards)               86 Tests
Pedro Collins (Barbados)                 2 Tests
Courtney Walsh (Jamaica)               108 Tests
Corey Collymore (Barbados)               0 Tests