The Barbados Cricket Association last week belatedly announced the appointment of Dwayne Smith and Shamarh Brooks as captain and vice-captain of the Barbados team for the upcoming Caribbean Twenty20 competition.
With first-time manager Hartley Reid appointed well in advance, it means the only positions left to be filled are the coach and assistant.
Just like the issue of captaincy, this has presented some problems over the years and clearly needs to be sorted out in reasonable time so the entire team can start to gel from the word go.
It makes no sense hurrying to pick trial squads, and then the entire management squad is chosen long after.
There had been whispers that the board was divided on who should lead Barbados in the Twenty20.
It was interesting to read that Smith was finally given the nod, after he was given the cold shoulder for comments made four years ago after defeat to rivals Trinidad and Tobago in the 2008 Stanford 20/20 semi-final in Antigua.
So much for the prelude, the question is can Barbados win the only regional trophy that has eluded them since the advent of the Twenty20 format in the Caribbean in 2006 with the Stanford tournament?
Their best opportunity came in 2010 in Trinidad when they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against Guyana.
Barbados reached the semi-final last year but lost to their nemesis Trinidad and Tobago on home soil after they had put themselves in an excellent position to push for a win.
A look at the squad shows it has the balance necessary to challenge for the trophy. The headache will come when the selectors have to pick the final XI as the right combinations can make the difference between reaching the final four or being also-rans.
Unlike the last couple of years when the competition was divided into two zones, the tournament will be contested on a round-robin basis, leading to a minimum of six matches per side.
It provides the perfect chance for a lot more of the type of cricket the world over has come to love.
The added incentive is a place of the Champions League.
Smith, Jonathan Carter, Sulieman Benn and the fast bowling pair of Fidel Edwards and Tino Best hold the key to Barbados’ success.
Smith’s role at the top of the order is pivotal to getting Barbados off to a good start. The increased responsibility of captain should enhance his credentials.
He had a fine 2012 series, scoring 165 runs, including a majestic 86 off 57 balls against Jamaica. In an extended season his experience is required more than ever.
Carter might not have set the stage on fire last year but he is such a talented all-round player.
His batting, which is his forte, is needed in the middle. He has the ability to change the course of the match with bat, ball or with his sure-handedness anywhere in the field.
Benn is a forgotten man in West Indies cricket but the left-arm spinner still holds a stingy economy rate and will want to remind the selectors that he still has what it takes to compete at the international level.
It was refreshing to see the way Best and Edwards performed in last year’s tournament in Antigua and Barbados. They not only bowled with fire but accuracy and often picked up early wickets, which is always welcomed as it can restrict teams at the start.
Barbados will again look to this pair to create a stir despite the tournament being played at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad, and Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia, where the pitches are expected to be slow.
The boys have been hard at work daily at Kensington Oval, fine-tuning their skills.
Let’s hope before they depart they can have a couple of matches against meaningful opposition.
