Former Guyana and West Indies middle-order batsman Joe Solomon has slammed the West Indies Cricket Board's selection panel for dropping Shivnarine Chanderpaul from the team for the fourth Cable and Wireless test against England which stars at the Antigua Recreation ground tomorrow.
Solomon called the decision to drop the dependable middle-order batsman, one of only two players in the team averaging over 40 in test cricket, as a slap in the batsman's face.
"I was surprised that they singled out him to be dropped. I can't see the reason. Everybody failed. No one played better than him. It's a slap in the man's face," Solomon, who played 27 test matches for the West Indies said. According to a statement released by the West Indies cricket board Chanderpaul appeared tired and lethargic during the test match and was advised to see a member of the WICB's medical panel.
But Solomon said the entire team, with one exception looked tired.
"The body language of all the players except Best (Tino) showed they were tired and jaded probably because of the manner of the team's defeat," he reasoned.
Chanderpaul's score of 50 in the team's first innings was the second highest score of the match.
Only England's Graham Thorpe with his invaluable first innings century scored more runs in one innings than Chanderpaul.
Solomon feels that Chanderpaul should have been given another chance especially on the Antigua Recreation ground pitch which he said was slower and more conducive to batting than the previous pitches.
"The Antigua wicket is slow everyone will do well. I predict a drawn match unless of course the West Indies batsmen again do not bat properly."