BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — Although acknowledging the exceptional performance of fellow Guyanese Veersammy Permaul, chairman of the Cricket West Indies (CWI) selection panel Roger Harper explained there was just no room for him in the England Test tour squad, given the structure of the team.

The non-selection of the left-arm spinner/right-handed batsman for the 25-man contingent that left the region earlier this week ahead of the three-Test series scheduled for next month, prompted harsh criticism from the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) and the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) which both demanded an explanation.

Harper told the Mason & Guest cricket radio show on Tuesday night he was not surprised at the outcry, given “the sort of performance that Permaul has had this season and over the years”.

Permaul picked up 42 wickets in the 2018-19 campaign, 50 wickets in the 2017 season, and claimed 41 scalps in the 2016 first-class tournament.

“Permaul has been performing exceptionally well over the last few years…But if you look at the structure of the team, the Test squad and the reserves, you realise that there aren’t a lot of spinners in the party,” the chief selector explained.

“We looked at the conditions you are likely to face [in England] and the sort of bowlers that we’ll need in the squad and [Rahkeem] Cornwall was selected as a spinner in the Test squad from his performance in his last Test match.

“And looking at the reserves we thought we’d look at replacements for positions in the team, and we picked one spinner as a direct replacement and the panel went for the incumbent who was on the last tour,” Harper added.

Jomel Warrican was chosen as the sole left-arm spinner in the squad.

When CWI named the 14-man team and 11 reserves for the historic biosecure Test series without the 30-year-old Permaul on the list, BCB President Hilbert Foster condemned it as “sickening treatment” of the leading bowler in this year’s Regional Four-Day tournament.

Permaul, who plays domestically for the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club, has taken 290 wickets at the senior Four-Day level at an average of 16.90 and has recorded 18 five-wicket hauls, and seven 10-wicket hauls in a match.

The GCB said it was bewildered and disturbed by his omission and had therefore written to CWI’s chief executive Johnny Grave requesting “a logical explanation”.

Permaul has taken 18 wickets from six Tests but played the last of those matches five years ago, and has been repeatedly overlooked ever since, despite outstanding performances each season. Overall, he boasts 536 first-class wickets at an average of 20.

Fellow Guyanese Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul were offered places in the Test squad but declined because of concerns about the novel coronavirus pandemic which has significantly affected England, where more than 41,000 lives have been lost.

The main squad on tour is captained by Jason Holder and includes Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich, Chemar Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer, and Kemar Roach.

The reserves are Sunil Ambris, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Keon Harding, Kyle Mayers, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Shane Moseley, Anderson Phillip, Oshane Thomas, and Jomel Warrican.