“Just one week before Christmas 2012, so much sadness, even with so much hope for 2013!”

Dec 16, 2012 Sports

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Colin E. H. Croft

 

This article was supposed to have been about a grand celebration!
Finally, quite positively, West Indies cricket seems to be on that absolutely correct pavement to unearthing new, exciting talent, with its recent re-merger with all of its constituents; civil, political, social.
But great sadness suddenly intervened!
Additionally, there is that extremely refreshing, hopefully productive, alliance with Barbados-based merchant bank ‘Verus International’, to help finance some of our cricket, hopefully to higher standards and better results.   This has been a very long time coming, and is certainly a very welcomed addition.  Every Caribbean youth under 20 years old, who plays cricket at any level, male or female, should be rejoicing fully!
But one cannot just ignore the very obvious!
What is happening in our world; Caribbean and elsewhere; as was experienced in Connecticut, USA, on Friday 14, 2012, that sends a 20 year old youth-man to dismiss and destroy the lives of 27 people, including twenty totally innocent, potentially brilliant minds of children no older than 10?
So many younger folks, almost all quite innocent, are dying in our Caribbean for no real reasons, most killed by their friends and associates for such stupid, inane, worldly things such as sports sneakers or baseball caps, and we lament them mightily.
The statistics everywhere are truly, distressingly, appalling!
How does anyone who is a parent, or grand-parent, or even have no children at all, but could appreciate the presence and potential of kids, handle the carnage of Connecticut and other situations that have become the norm nowadays?  Connecticut was America’s third such major massacre this year alone!
President Barack Obama, like many Americans, other people too, though death circumnavigates the world by tens of thousands, cried publicly last Friday.  If you are a parent, close to any kids that age, I expect that you would have done so too, or at least, hugged your little person, reassuring both bodies!
Fear is no longer the key anywhere.  Nowadays, it really should be anger.  At least, I certainly am angry!   That anger comes from the fact that we have all become so damned blaze; taciturn; that we simply shake our heads, shrug our shoulders and just ‘KBO’ – ‘keep buggering on’ – to quote Sir Winston Churchill.
When exactly is enough simply enough?  When are we, as individuals, small or large societies, simply going to take stands that these episodes should cease, at least in regularity, if not indeed forever?
America has many positives and many attributes that make it a very great nation, but having a law, one that allows anyone, anyone at all, to have guns of their choice – Amendment No. 2:
The right to bear arms – has got to be very wrong.  The time has long gone when that should have been re-amended!
‘POTUS’ has a great amount on his plate for these last four years of his eight year reign, but Barack Obama can no longer stand on the fence for this one, scared of the big lobby.  He must act right now!
So, having vented some anger and frustration on this very recent wastage of such innocent blood, we can KBO unto the cricket and its positive possibilities for 2013.  All that we can hope for now is the best!
I also noticed that Queens Park Cricket Club, with its famed cricket oval of the same name, one of the Caribbean’s and world’s premier cricket venues, has elected former West Indies vice-captain, Deryck Lance Murray, to be its new President.
That really is as good as it gets for Trinidad & Tobago’s cricket!
This appointment, coming so soon after his own father’s, Lance Murray’s death, is the latest manifestation of concentric lives of outstanding cricket service to their nation and the region.
Hardly have two generations given so much to T&T’s and West Indies cricket!
With cousin Colin Murray also appointed “captain’ – whatever that means – this could even be called a massive cricket coup!
I would hasten to hope, as I am everlastingly optimistic, that, one day, I would even be re-invited to the club’s annual events.   Amazingly, I have lived in Trinidad & Tobago since 1992, and have only been officially invited to events at QPCC twice.  I really cannot remember “doing anything” to anyone there!
It is also pleasing that my dentist, Dr. Nigel Camacho, “Trini Posse Man”, and former T&T and West Indies manager Colin Board have been elected to QPCC’s working team, ‘captained’ by Colin Murray.
Knowing how dynamic these three are, and determined too, I expect, like West Indies, even better results there.  But, having recently lost a Wisdom tooth, I wonder if Dr. Nigel would have any time to save the rest!
So, especially, that franchise proposition is like jingle bells to my ears, for few really know the sacrifices that people like me had to make to even think, much less actually play, for West Indies internationally.
I really can only hope that the young players who really deserve assistance, might it be gear, travel, sustenance, even basic dentistry, all taken for granted but necessary for success, get their due!  Enjoy!

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