Newly appointed Windward Islands Cricket Board senior panel selector Dominican Liam Sebastien is of the view that his experience as a first class cricketer will be beneficial to him as he begins his new role.
Sebastien, who captained the Windward Islands Volcanoes franchise for a number of years, was recently appointed as a member of the WICB selection panel. His appointment was confirmed last week when the WICB held its first face to face meeting at the Bay Gardens Marina Haven in St. Lucia.
According to Sebastien, he accepts this new challenge with humility.
“I am humbled to be a Windward Islands senior selector. It’s a new job and a new position. However, it is a position that I believe that I am able to handle since I have played with most of the players. So I am familiar with their skill sets and performances over the years which give me an ease into the job,” posits Sebastien, who currently serves as the 2nd Vice President of the Dominica Cricket Association with responsibility for cricket operations.
Sebastien who played a total of 85 First Class matches between 2003 and 2017 is of the view that his familiarity with the players is an added advantage which he will take into his new role.
“The familiarity of the players is not new to me. Also, there are guidelines and policies which are set by the Windward Islands Cricket Board that the selectors will follow.
“Having been captained for a number of years, I would have worked with two of the other selectors in the Chairman and Mr. Wilkinson. Also I would have played with Mr. Emanuel. It is a group of selectors that are familiar with each other. This position is something that I am willing and able to handle based on past experience,” Sebastien confidently said as he prepares for his first assignment which will be to select the Windward Islands Volcanoes team for the upcoming regional tournament.
The other members of the panel comprise former Windward Islands middle order batsman Steve Mahorn who was reappointed as chairman and Roland Wilkinson who retained his position on the panel. Sebastien and St. Lucian Craig Emanuel, the other new panel member, replaced Trevor Shillingford and Greg Wilson, who previously served as selectors.
During his playing career, Sebastien scored 2576 runs at an average of 21.28 with a highest score of 143. His runs included two centuries and 13 half centuries.
The all rounder bagged 183 scalps at 25.92 runs a piece with his best figure being seven for 49. He claimed 10 five wicket hauls and one ten wicket haul.
