Tony Becca

The world Twenty20 Championship is scheduled for South Africa next month and the West Indies have named a provisional squad of 30 players. In it is wicketkeeper/batsman Carlton Baugh Jr. Hopefully, that is a sign that the young man has not been forgotten.

Considered a few years ago as one of the most talented young cricketers in the region, Baugh was taken, not out of the Jamaica team but out of the experimental West Indies 'B' team and thrown into the West Indies squad with Ridley Jacobs injured, and after a few appearances here and there, including batting at number six and at number five, he was out.

Surprising omission

Although it was not as surprising as was his inclusion when he was selected over all the other wicketkeepers who were representing their country, including the more experienced Vishal Nagamootoo of Guyana, and Keith Hibbert, the young man who was the reserve wicketkeeper on a fewWest Indies touring teams, and who was Jamaica's number one wicketkeeper at the time, Baugh's omission was surprising - and it had nothing to do with his performance or non-performance.

Having been selected as a 20-year-old without first-class experience as a wicketkeeper, having been selected ahead of one like the experienced 25-year-old Vishal Nagamootoo - himself a former West Indies Youth wicketkeeper - and ahead of Hibbert, a 22-year-old who, apart from being the West Indies reserve at the time, represented Jamaica, the West Indies President's X1 and the West Indies 'A', the feeling, despite the opposition of many who did not believe he was ready, was that he was the one earmarked for the future.

Not so, however.

After five matches Baugh was replaced after one year by Ramdin - another 20-year-old former West Indies Youth wicketkeeper with little first-class experience - an there has been no difference between them behind the stumps they both catch a few and drop a few they both play some fine shots and get out playing some awful shots; one has been sidelined ever since with one always in the team, even so for the World Cup where, to many, Baugh, especially because of his ability to hit the ball, should have been the man behind the stumps.

Right now Ramdin, with 704 runs at an average of 24.27 from 19 Test matches with 49 catches and two stumpings, appears a more reliable bats-man/wicketkeeper than Baugh with 196 runs at an average of 19.60 with four catches and one stumping, there is not much to choose between them and in the interest of West Indies cricket, it may be a good idea, not to shuffle them, but to keep Baugh interested in the game and in representing the West Indies.

Deserves consideration

Trinidad and Tobago's skipper Daren Ganga plays a shot while Jamaica's wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh Jr. looks on, during their Carib Beer Series match at Alpart Sports ground, Nain, St. Elizabeth, earlier his year. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

With a batting performance of 2,895 runs at an average of 35.30 with seven centuries and 13 fifties in 54 matches against Ramdin's 1,728 at 25.79 with three centuries and nine fifties, Baugh deserves consideration and until he proves, if he really is, that he is a better wicketkeeper than Ramdin, he could, for example, be used as the West Indies' one-day wicketkeeper.

Once upon a time, the West Indies, like all the other teams, used to travel with two wicketkeepers. Today, however, and for good reason, they travel with only one and, because of that, the wicketkeeper who is forced to play every match is one of the sure picks on the team.

Whatever the reason, that may well be the reason why wicketkeeping in the West Indies today is weak - much weaker than it was in the 1950s going into the 1960s, in the 1970s and in the 1980s when two like Gerry Alexander and Jackie Hendriks, two like Hendriks and Deryck Murray, and then like David Murray and Jeffrey Dujon used to tour and compete for one spot on the team.

In those days, there was room for two and that gave hope to youngsters who loved being behind the stumps.

There is, however, more to it than that.

In today's world, a cricketer, like every other sportsman and sportswoman, is expected to train hard, to practise as much as possible and the only way he or she can compete is by training and practising. And that means they need a lot of time.

Training and practice

In today's world, business people are hardly committed to allowing members of their staff time off to train and to practise.

Baugh is one of the few who train and practise, but for the hand-picked few, the blessed eight West Indies cricketers only get paid when they are selected on the West Indies team.

Baugh, and so many others, have been out of the West Indies team for some time now, and the question is this: has anyone, in or out of the West Indies Cricket Board, those who cheer and those who criticise, stopped to ask whatis the position with Baugh and the others like him?

In other words, by looking at a second wicketkeeper, West Indies cricket can kill two birds with one stone.

It can set up a competition that can improve the standard of wicketkeeping in the region and it can put some money in another player's pocket so that even if he cannot buy a house and/or a car, he can eat and drink while training and practising.