Brandon King’s omission shows up flaws in CPL team of the tournament
Published:Wednesday | October 5, 2022 | 12:14 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
CARIBBEAN PREMIER League (CPL) Operations Director Michael Hall admits that Brandon King’s omission from the CPL team of the tournament was an error, and that the selection process is flawed and should be reviewed.
King scored an unbeaten 83 off 50 balls, including 13 fours and two sixes, to help Jamaica Tallawahs beat Barbados Royals in the final in Guyana on Friday.
He was also the tournament top run scorer with 422 from his 13 matches, the batsman with the most fours (45) and one of only three players to score a century in the tournament. He also had two half-centuries.
Hall pointed that it was obvious King’s performance in the latter stages was not a factor when the best 11 players of the tournament were being chosen and he said this should be adjusted for future tournaments.
“The team of the tournament might have been selected prior to the end of the tournament, which is something I think they will probably need to look at.
“I do not think Brandon’s last two innings would have been a part of the mix. Brandon has not missed out on any financial rewards for not being named. Although there is prestige in being named to the team of the tournament.
“I think he, himself, understands what happened but anybody that was watching the tournament knows that he should be in that tournament 11,” Hall commented.
He noted that selecting a team of the tournament before the tournament ends is not customary in any sport, globally, and that some of the CPL commentators, who are responsible for naming the team of the tournament, had eggs on their faces following King’s outstanding conclusion to the competition.
COMMENTARY TEAM
“That is something we may have to look at. Maybe we will ask the commentary team to pick their tournament 11 after the final. They had mentioned it during the broadcast of the final.
“They were actually taking a jab at themselves, saying that is why a team of the tournament should not be named until the tournament is over. So I suspect that you will not see that happen again,” he contends.
“We have done it in the past but nothing like this has ever come back to haunt us. So I am certain that moving forward, whenever you hear a team of the tournament from the CPL, it will not be announced until the final is played.”