Letter to Santa
Luke Dunning drops his West Indies wish list to the benevolent Kris Kringle
Dear Santa,
Whilst 2020 has been a shambolic year and there has been much suffering in the world. You know we West Indian fans have had it particularly tough for the best part of 20 years.
Following the latest humbling in New Zealand and snatching defeat from the jaws of parity in England – we don’t think it’s too much to ask you for some gifts this Christmas.
We know you aren’t a miracle worker but please do your best to deliver this year and we will promise to keep supporting our Men in Maroon no matter the emotional pain in 2021.
Kieron Pollard: All format captain
Santa, we acknowledge Jason Holder is a model professional and a big player for the West Indies but we have an experienced, true leader of men to call upon and his name is Kieron Adrian Pollard.
We understand that Pollard has never played Test cricket but if you can turn his head to lead the West Indies in all formats, we promise to get behind him just like we have for the white ball sides.
We whole-heartedly believe in his ability, his FC batting average of 37.71 is better than anyone else in the West Indian test team and although he last played a First Class game in 2015, such is the talent of the man he surely can do no worse than we have seen from some of our batsmen in recent times.
Bring together Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis and Chris Gayle for the T20 World Cup
Did you watch our T20 series in New Zealand, Santa? What did you think of Brandon King? Do you think the Spiceman can lead us into India? When do you think Shimron Hetmyer will start producing the goods for our T20 side?
With only a year to go until the World Cup it is imperative that the top three of Simmons, Lewis and Gayle return to the maroon sooner rather than later.
Simmons may have only played nine T20I games (out of 25) since 2018 but he dominates the CPL every year. Chris Gayle has played even less (three) but the man is still better than anything we have and does it in the IPL every year giving him the knowledge of Indian wickets. He batted at number three in the last IPL and did well so let us just place him there to bring the trophy home.
Evin Lewis vs Brandon King and Andre Fletcher is also a no brainer, you must know this Santa. Give us these three with the underlay of Pooran, Pollard and Russell and the West Indies can truly take on anyone.
Give us some PowerPlay bowlers
While you’re fixing our top three please give us some support for Sheldon Cottrell. Oshane Thomas looked good in New Zealand but maybe you could help him to maintain his fitness and consistency without losing pace.
You have given us the wizard Sunil Narine and the master at the death DJ Bravo but all we ask for is some consistency at the top of the order. Maybe if you take the Test captaincy from Jason Holder, you could replace it with his ability to bowl in the PowerPlay? He did pretty well in the IPL but needs selectors to actually take a punt on him. Cottrell, Holder and Thomas may be the answer – you know what to do, Santa!
Look after the youth
The emergence of Chemar Holder and Joshua da Silva on the New Zealand tour was a huge positive. Nicholas Pooran committing to some A team games on tour was also a welcome sight.
Please help us to look after these players and give them more chances when deserved. Shayne Moseley is waiting in the wings to open in red ball cricket and we hope he has the temperament and we as fans have the show the necessary patience to allow him to develop.
Dowrich and Da Silva is set to be a great battle for the gloves and Chemar Holder has the talent to be a brilliant back up for the quartet of Roach, Gabriel, Joseph and Jason Holder.
The future looks bright but we need guidance for these young players to fulfil their potential because we have seen so many fall way short of expectation in previous years.
Bring back Shai Hope
Last but not least, please bring Shai Hope back to form. We fell in love after his ton in both innings at Headingly in 2017. That love was cemented following his 146* against Bangladesh in Dhaka and 170 against Ireland in Dublin. We believe so much in his talent that it is frustrating not to see him succeed.
At a time when there is so much unfamiliarity around our batting, we ask that Hope finds some form and returns to scoring the big runs he is capable off. He has already started scoring runs back home and we look forward to seeing him earn his spot back in maroon really soon.
So there you go Santa, not much to ask for – we hope you can bring these requests gift-wrapped and ready for 2021.
Yours
Luke
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