Kissoon is wrong on Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s value to WI cricket

May 31, 2011 Letters

---

Dear Editor,
I write in response to Mr. Freddie Kissoon’s commentary (Kaieteur News May 8) in which he labeled President Jagdeo’s lobbying for the inclusion of Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the West Indies squad to face Pakistan as a “clownish act of desperation”. Kissoon reprimanded Jagdeo and took disparaging pot shots at Shiv, our celebrated sports hero.
Kissoon said the President had no business to intervene in WICB matters, but felt it okay for Forbes Burnham to intervene on behalf of Clive Lloyd. He described the President hoisting a picket sign for “Shiv as stupid and embarrassing”. I disagree with Kissoon, who like in so many other cases is wrong on this one for Chanderpaul.
I, and everyone I spoke with about it, happen to agree with the President’s actions as well as those who held picket signs and rallied on behalf of Shiv.
There is no disagreement among Guyanese on the importance of Shiv to Windies. He is the most reliable player in Windies cricket and deserves to be included in any squad. An examination of stats from the just concluded two tests series showed Shiv, from his lone match, had an average of 63 (the highest) for any player.
Shiv and debutant Devendra Bishoo were primarily responsible for the WI victory in the first test because of their huge partnership that produced the runs to defend to win the test. Like Colin Croft (Kaieteur News May 29), I believe Shiv or Bishoo should have been granted the man-of-match award, not Darren Sammy for whom bowling was made easy on a cracked pitch.
Contrary to what Kissoon penned, regional, national and ethnic politics have long been a part of WI cricket. We must not run from that fact as Kissoon has done.
There has been a history of political leaders applying pressure on WICB (as well as Guyana’s) management to include their favoured or certain players in the team, including some who could not make the cut.
Incidentally, it is well established that Darren Sammy does not make the cut as a player, but he is retained and named as captain.
A careful analysis of his inclusion in the team will reveal that politics (and some say national, regional and ethnic considerations) were behind his inclusion as a player.
On political pressure, I remember as a youngster when Michael Manley demanded the inclusion of Herbert Chang in the WI team. Leaders from the small islands complained their players were not given a fair deal for inclusion in the squad. Forbes Burnham demanded the inclusion of Clive Lloyd in the team even when his performance was below par. Rapheek Juamadeen, the Trinidadian leg spinner, recently reminded a group of Guyanese in NY that at a Shell Shield match between Trinidad and Guyana in Bourda with Guyana on the ropes, Burnham demanded that play be held up for a lengthy period for Lloyd to make it from Timehri to Bourda. Lloyd and Alvin Kalicharran went on to make hundreds. Also, it was Burnham who insisted on Lloyd’s inclusion in the WI team after he was dropped.
So, unlike what Kissoon penned, political intervention does help favoured players. If Burnham had intervened on behalf of Rohan Kanhai, he would not have been sacked as captain in 1974 for the tour to India after just defeating England in the home series.
Similarly, if Burnham had intervened on behalf of Kalicharran, he would have kept his place on the WI squad, instead of being unceremoniously dumped after his dazzling performances. Both Kanhai and Kalicharran went on to score tons of runs in county cricket in England and South Africa. It was Lloyd who said at a Port Mourant rally that Kanhai
was responsible for the WI winning the 1975 world cup because of his experience, tactic, and strategy which Lloyd tapped into to defeat rivals.
Contrary to what Kissoon penned, Chanderpaul is not a loser by joining President Jagdeo to lobby for Shiv’s return to the squad. The fans at Providence loved the move and WI management reacted to the action.
The WI management had decided to exclude Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan from the team. It was partly the petition of Minister Frank Anthony and President Jagdeo that got the two players back in the team.
WI management paid heed to Anthony’s letter and Jagdeo’s picket.
While Sarwan had low scores, Chanderpaul showed why he belongs in the team, argued Colin Croft.
Contrary to what Kissoon may believe, there is political interference in WI cricket. Why would Sammy and some of the other players, who don’t make the cut, are in the team? President Jagdeo’s action on behalf of Shiv is not an act of asininity.
Kissoon derided Chanderpaul’s action saying Jagdeo should put him up on the PPP electoral list for the upcoming election. Shiv is a hero to every Guyanese, except Kissoon, and I am certain will add votes to any party that puts up him up as a candidate.
But he is not interested in politics or Kissoon’s asinine writings. He is interested in rescuing WI as he has on so many occasions.
Kissoon is wrong about Chanderpaul’s value to WI cricket and Jagdeo’s intervention on his behalf.
Vishnu Bisram

---

---