Take 3 spinners, advises Banks

Article by Mike King

TAKE THREE spinners to India

That’s the call from former Leewards Islands and West Indies all-rounder Omari Banks.

Banks, the first and only Anguillian to play Test cricket, told the DAILY NATION, he would like to see mystery spinner Sunil Narine, off-break bowler Shane Shillingford and left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn on the tour of India which starts next month and will consist of five One-Day Internationals (ODIs), one T20 and three Tests.

He thinks that Shillingford still has plenty to offer although he no longer has the doosra in his arsenal having been debarred from bowling it.

Shillingford was suspended in December, during the tour of New Zealand, following tests in Perth which showed both his doosra and conventional offspinner breached the 15-degree limit laid down by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

In March, the tall Dominican was cleared to return to international cricket after remedial work on his bowling action but his doosra remains illegal.

“The doosra was the main weapon in his arsenal and international batsmen were having a problem with it. He is tall, will get bounce and, having played there, I know the pitches will grip,” said Banks.

“Benn is accurate and though he is not a huge spinner of the ball, he has good control and a good arm ball.

“I think we have an attack that can be competitive in India and if they let their guard down, we have bowlers that can do the job,” said Banks.