( L - R ) Santokie, Fowler, Anderson

Nearly two weeks after the new selection panel released its 14-man squad to contest the regional one-day competition, the Manchester Cricket Association president, Patrick Anderson, remains peeved that at least one of its players from the original 18-man squad is not involved.

The grouse raised concerns two players, batsman Zaniffe Fowler and particularly medium pacer Krishmar Santokie.

Fowler, who has shown good form for Manchester in all forms of the game, was invited to the JCB's senior preparation camp for the first time. The former STETHS opener, who represented Jamaica at the Under-15 and Under-19 levels, did not score a century during the practice matches, but tallied the second-highest number of runs scored, including a top score of 97.

Santokie, a former top wicket-taker at the schoolboy level while playing for Glenmuir, was also a star when he represented Jamaica at the Under-19 level. He has been selected at the senior level before, but his form in local cricket has been spectacular since making the transfer from Clarendon to play for Manchester earlier this year.

In fact, in both the two-day and 20/20 cricket format, he has taken far more wickets than anyone. His invitation to the preparation camp appeared a safe bet he would be selected in the final 14.

It is a non-selection which Anderson finds puzzling.

"I mean, every board wants to feel their player deserves to be in, but this time around I find the whole situation puzzling, even insulting, to say the least.

"Whether it is bush cricket, orga-nised 20/20, two-day, you name it, everywhere Santokie goes everyone struggles against him and the players know it, so at the end of the day, by not selecting him you are basically saying his performances count for nothing," Anderson lamented.

"I mean, how do you explain this kind of thing to your board members? Some people may argue you don't want to get the board involved in selection matters, but how does anyone have confidence in selectors in a situation like this ... you tell me," an aggrieved Anderson told The Gleaner.

While he does not feel there is any particular conspiracy against Manchester or its players, he says similar instances have occurred recently as it relates to Andre Dwyer and Donovan Sinclair, two of the parish's players they still feel got a raw deal from national selectors. The board, he feels, is now obliged to act on behalf of the players.

Climate

"We have had it before and you can go back to a Dwyer or even Donovan (Sinclair). He (Santokie) came to us from Clarendon and I mean, you are tempted to think ... don't play for Manchester as no matter what you do you wont get selected. I am not saying that is the case, but one can't help thinking that way. In the present climate, our board may have to take up the matter elsewhere."