Jamaican leg-spinner discards selectors claim of lack of leg spinners in the region

Jamaica right-arm leg-spinner Damion Jacobs took to social media recently to air his disgust at comments made by West Indies lead selector Roger Harper saying that his selection panel is having difficulty locating a leg-spinner in the longer version of the game.

Harper said he would really like to look at a leg-break option for the senior West Indies team, but he cannot think of one for the longer version. The former West Indies off-spinner said that he recognises the potential and the potency of quality leg-spinners in international cricket; however, the region doesn't seem to have anyone in the first-class set-up at the moment, and that is something that Cricket West Indies will try to cultivate.

Those comments did not go down well with Jacobs, who posted on his Facebook page that the statement by Harper is rubbish and he believes the chief selector should find another excuse.

"Utter rubbish, Imran Khan from Trinidad and myself have been the most consistent leg-spinners in the region for last five seasons, but the season when we only play a few matches you are saying none is in the Caribbean. A better you did say we old and done," said Jacobs.

The West Indies selectors bizarrely have opted to take three left-arm spinners on the upcoming tour of Bangladesh. They include last year's leading wicket taker in the West Indies Championship, Veerasammy Permaul, Kavem Hodge and Jomel Warrican, along with off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall.

Jacobs, who now represents the Leeward Island Hurricanes in the West Indies Championship, has claimed 211 wickets in 54 first-class games, while Khan's numbers are even more impressive, with 423 wickets in 104 games.

For Jacobs, he believes the pair can still play a part in West Indies cricket, despite being well into their thirties.

"A selector once told me that getting selected to the West Indies team is a process, but it seems like it's a process for some and straight selection for others. Shane Warne once said that leg-spinners get better with age, and I believe we still have what it takes. I have played 'A' team cricket and I did well, but I have never gotten the chance to move to the next level," said Jacobs.