“Giving cricket credit where credit is due”

Dec 19, 2010 Sports

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Colin E. H. Croft
Whence they are this 2010 Christmas season, Clive Lloyd, former West Indies captain, Deryck Murray, his long-time deputy, and on-and-off-the-field ambassador, and prominent Trinidad & Tobago attorney, past T&T Attorney General, Wayne Smart, must be smiling, as they have had very belated cricket gifts.
The news that the West Indies Cricket Board have handed out retainer contracts to six women of the W I Women’s cricket team was very pleasing for most of us who know of the struggles that these ladies have had; music to very many Caribbean ears.
Congratulations should be given to Dr. Ernest Hilaire and the rest of WICB for its foresight and appreciation.  Without much fanfare, these ladies have kept West Indies cricket’s visibility, our flag flying, over the recent past, when the men have floundered.
The founding fathers of West Indies Players Association, Lloyd and Murray, with the legal papers drawn up by Smart, must take great credit too for this situation.  Back in 1977, these three set out to change the landscape and overview of West Indies cricket.
One irony of 30 years ago was that Joel Garner and me, while making our international Test debuts, against Pakistan, were two of the first three members of the then new WIPA.  The other immediate member was our ‘fast bowling father’, Andy Roberts.  We still are!
It was also not co-incidental that this paralleled the revamp of cricket world-wide, with Kerry Packer’s 1977 World Series Cricket.  It was a time of seismic change for cricket.
Two months ago, Murray was still hoping that one of the edicts of the original WIPA, that not only would all of our international representative men and women be granted retainer contracts, but that each player who represents his or her individual country would be allowed the same, would be realized.  With this announcement, he must be chuffed!
There is still much to do to achieve this massive dream, but this is a great opener for the ladies.  For especially the women’s West Indies teams, the glass is now at least half full!
I sometimes wonder if any of the present day West Indies cricketers even know any of the history of their representative body.  Sadly, some do not even know the histories of the game itself, much less that of former cricketers or the organisation that represents them.  WIPA and West Indies player representation have come a very long way indeed.
Dinanath Ramnarine, the present CEO of WIPA, and its erstwhile Board, have reiterated and intimated that their purview is to have all representative players, at every age group, properly educated, and funded for effort.
They also have the responsibility of ensuring that West Indies cricket is represented properly by either sex internationally.
President of Trinidad & Tobago’s Cricket Board, Azim Bassarath last week intimated that he too is extremely pleased that T&T Women was now incorporated – ‘married’ – with Men’s cricket, allowing smooth meshing of abilities, ideas and objectives.
Like everyone who played regional and international cricket in 1970’s and 1980’s, I know the personal sacrifices, outside of training and practice, that had to be made to try to play the game, much less to be in a representative team.  It was very tough indeed.
Having spoken to and interviewed WI Women’s team captain, Merissa Aguilleira, and one of her players, Stacy-Ann King, both of Trinidad & Tobago, many times, I know that they too have suffered similarly, as late as preparing for the ICC WT-20 here this year.
The ladies complained bitterly that they were not getting the support that they needed to prepare properly, and that they have had to absorb their own expenses to be involved.
Aguilleira even had to fund her own transportation, from Southern Trinidad, where she lives, to travel to Port of Spain, in order to get necessary scheduled treatment for a knee injury that she had earlier this year.  At least for now, that kind of stress is over!
I know that Aguilleira, King, Jamaica’s Shanel Daley and Stephanie Taylor, Barbadian Deandra Dottin and Trinidad & Tobago’s Anisa Mohammed, like the rest of the WI Women’s cricketers, have worked very diligently to be ready to represent the region.
They knew that they would have had to fight for recognition.  Now, they have won that!
It has also been published that Chetram Singh, the President of Guyana’s Cricket Board, will not be seeking re-election next year, after being in that position for 19 years.  Regardless of one’s opinion of the man, he has given yeoman cricket service to Guyana. Much has happened in Guyana’s cricket during that time.  They have won many regional competitions, in every age group, have hosted several regional tournaments and even had a new stadium commissioned for ICC WC 2007.  They are also defending T-20 champs.
However, the strains of running his private business and the cricket scenario had taken serious medical toll on Singh.  Perhaps he needs a rest for his really herculean efforts.
That Singh was not made President of WICB was attributed to the fact that he owns and runs an off-tract betting business.  How really hypocritical we all are!
Soon, I will be lost for bragging rights too.  I had boasted often that the little village of Unity-Lancaster, with a population of no more than perhaps 3,000, has produced at least four fairly significant persons – Chetram Singh, West Indies cricketers Shiv Chanderpaul and yours truly, and the current President of Republic of Guyana, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.
I am very pleased to be including in such exalted company, but soon, at least three of us will have been permanently retired, since the news has been around for months that the President of Guyana will also not be seeking re-election when elections come around.
I am a-political, so, ‘no comment’ on that, but, under Dr. Jagdeo’s tenure, Guyana’s sporting fraternity have had tremendous improvement and visibility world-wide, might it have been squash, cricket, football, and others.
England v Australia and India v South Africa:  We should note the professionalism that consumes the best four world cricketing entities.  It is no co-incidence.
England’s coach, Andy Flower, a tough cookie, emerged from the toughest cricketing school anywhere – politically scarred Zimbabwe.  That he managed to be one of their best cricketers, and one-time No. 1 rated batsman in the world, shows his determination to succeed, despite the severe external stimuli.  He has done exceptionally well.
Mickey Arthur is no longer South Africa’s Coach, but he and SA’s captain, Graeme Smith, have molded a team that could compete.  India is already finding them tough.
Another irony is that India is coached by a South African.  Gary Kirsten has brought his 101 Test career to bear to allow India to become cricket’s No. 1.  It could not have been easy for Kirsten to be accepted, but he has done an excellent job of guiding sometimes volatile players to becoming a great unit.
Australia, like 1990’s West Indies, is like a dying elephant.  It knows that it is desperately, fatally, injured, but occasionally, it will muster enough strength to trample careless antagonists.
Ricky Ponting, and Australia, will not give up the Ashes, again, without a great, final almighty, death-roll fight!  Enjoy!

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