SULIEMAN?BENN is in trouble again with the cricketing authorities.
Yesterday, chairman of the West Indies senior selectors, Clyde Butts, said the giant Barbadian left-arm spinner’s omission from the team for the Digicel Home Series against Pakistan had to do with incidents at this year’s ICC World Cup in Asia.
“He did not have a very good report from the World Cup and we felt he needed some time to recuperate from that World Cup and all the situations that happened there,” Butts told the media at a Press conference at the National Stadium at Providence yesterday.
Butts said the adverse reports came from team management and were “mostly off-the-field” incidents.
The chief selector said there has been some follow-up with the player.
“He has been spoken to. We have sat with him, the selectors and the coach, for a long time in Barbados when we had the camp and we actually explained everything to him.
”Asked what would be the next step for Benn, Butts replied: “The board is actually supposed to reach Benn and decide how we’re gonna move forward from there.”
Benn’s omission is the latest in a string of disciplinary problems for a player given a central retainer contract by the WICB for 2010-11 after consistent performances last year.
While he took 15 wickets in the three-Test series against South Africa, Benn also earned a one-match Test ban after he entered the South African dressing room after the end of the third Test at Kensington Oval last July and exchanged words with players and management following an on-field confrontation with Dayle Steyn.
A month before, Benn was fined his full match fee by West Indies management after he was ordered from the field during the fourth One-day International against South Africa after failing to follow instructions from then captain Chris Gayle.
And in December 2009, the match referee slapped Benn with a two-match ODI ban after a confrontation with Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and fast bowler Mitchell Johnson.
In big Benn’s absence, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo has filled the void, emerging as the top wicket-taker in the One-Day series against the Pakistanis. Bishoo is the only spinner in the 13-man squad for the first Test, despite concerns last week about his fitness.
Asked whether two spinners had been considered for this opening Test, Butts said: “Of course, the thought was given about playing two spinners at the Providence Stadium knowing the history of the ground. But when we looked at our squad and the combination of it, we felt that one spinner would be suitable at the venue.”
He added: “Bishoo is actually feeling much better than he was two days ago. We have got a contingency plan in place just in case he can’t make it.”
