Winston Benjamin: Players need time to transition

0
121
Winston Benjamin.
- Advertisement -

By Neto Baptiste

Former West Indies fast bowler, Winston Benjamin, believes young players are not being given enough time to adjust when asked to make the leap to the next level.

Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show recently, Benjamin said selectors are too quick to discard young players who fail to make the transition quickly, a trend he believes must change if there is to be meaningful development.

“You get a game or two and you don’t get a good score so you’re out but young batsmen need time at the crease. They need for the coach and the organisation to say that we are going to invest in Joe-Joe and let’s give Joe-Joe what we consider a good run. After two games Joe-Joe may have maybe 30 runs over all but instead of dropping him there are senior players around, say guys you’ll have to pull the weight because we’re developing, we’re investing and maybe after four games he may have 300 runs so that is what we need to do,” he said.

Benjamin, who claimed 61 wickets in 21 Tests, believes there is not enough opportunity for young players in the longer version of the game. The Antiguan urged authorities within the sub-region to consider a re-introduction of the three day format.

“The people in authority need to say lets us go back to playing three day cricket. I have spoken to them before, I have outlined a format where, if you don’t have the money then what we could do is play home and away so St. Kitts vs. Nevis in home and away, Antigua vs. Montserrat in home and away, Anguilla and St. Martin in home and away and then all the teams will meet in St. Kitts where is the headquarters and in two weeks your tournament is finished because Antigua is not going to pay Montserrat in St. Kitts. They are going to play against teams they have not played so every team coming to that tournament would have played two games before they arrive in St. Kitts,” he said.

Benjamin has also claimed 100 wickets in in 85 One Day International (ODI) matches.

- Advertisement -