The Morton Mystery
Thu, Sep 14, '06
Runako Morton must be wondering what it takes to get into a West Indies final eleven, be it for test matches, or the one-day version of the game.
His continued exclusion from the West Indies recent test and one-day teams cannot be attributed to performance or potential. Call it a cause for concern, and that would be a mild way of putting it.
It is a mystery that neither the selectors nor the skipper has been able to explain. Not that any of them has bothered to offer any explanation anyway. And neither has West Indies cricket over the last decade been immune to mystery, not the least matters relating to team selection.
The dropping of Morton has now become incomprehensible, particularly since the West Indies are still searching for a more permanent combination, despite winning their last two one-day series against Zimbabwe and India at home.
Evidence of this is the fact they have recently been experimenting with various opening combinations (Morton himself, Marlon Samuels and now Shivnarine Chanderpaul again, who should have been allowed to continue opening in the one-days from the time he started).
The wicket keeping has inexplicably switched back and forth between Carlton Baugh and Denesh Ramdin. Baugh averages a mere 20.85 compared to Ramdin's 33, with the latter having a higher strike rate anyway. And just in case there was any question, the better man in front of the stumps is also superior behind them.
Further, the bowling combinations have not been consistent, quite apart from the fact some of the fast (or should I say farce) bowlers have had some injuries.
Morton's last series of one-day of scores have been 23 and 1 (opening the batting) and 0 (number 3) against India in the West Indies. Prior to that, his last two innings in the Zimbabwe series were 79 and 109.
Bear in mind that these two home series against Zimbabwe and India followed the West Indies tour of New Zealand, a difficult one by any imagination, when Morton was his team's best batsman on display in both the test and one-day series.
Morton in fact scored his maiden one-day hundred in that series, and would have probably gotten his first test century as well, had it not been for rain curtailing the final test, when he was left on 70 not out. In 20 one-day matches, he averages 36.44, and in four tests, 32.16.
The Nevisian's cricket career had appeared to be over when he was expelled from the West Indian cricket academy in July 2001 for several breaches. But he refused to give up, and continued to score heavily in the regional tournaments.
In February 2002, Morton was called up in a West Indian squad to replace Samuels. But he wasted his opportunity when he pulled out of the ICC Champions Trophy in September 2002, after lying about the death of his grandmother.
Morton's career plunged down again when he was arrested in January 2004 for investigation into a stabbing incident involving a relative. In May 2005, he got another call-up to the one-day squad to face South Africa, although he ended up not playing.
He was then picked in an under-strength team for the tour to Sri Lanka in 2005, when many of the more established players refused to sign their contracts. Sportsman of the Year in 2004 in Nevis, he has now relocated to Trinidad and Tobago, where his wife is from.
The bottom line is that Morton has put those difficult years behind him, and by all means seems to be a more settled character, determined to fulfill the potential he has shown since his days in youth cricket.
More importantly, he has now showed his worth in both forms of the game at the highest level, but somehow cannot seem to get a place in the final eleven under Brian Lara's third dispensation.
Whether or not his exclusion lends credibility to the notion that players from some of smaller islands do not get as many chances to cement their place in the side as others is another issue altogether.
Compare the number of matches he has been allowed to play, and even those of someone like Devon Smith, with Samuels, Wavell Hinds, or Darren Ganga, and that notion becomes even stronger.
Morton has been on the upsurge in his cricket career for the past two years. But he has met an unlikely obstacle he may not have catered for ?? the West Indies selectors, including head coach Benneth King and captain Lara, who both have great influence in the final eleven.
For how long this Morton mystery will continue is anyone's guess. It is hoped, however, that it does not dampen his resolve.