Club life in the 1980s & 90s had a unifying Culture -Ex Windies pacer Colin Stuart

Apr 26, 2020 Sports

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By Sean Devers

Of the five Guyanese fast bowlers who played for the West Indies between 1994 to present, Colin Ellsworth Laurie Stuart was arguable the quickest of the lot.

The 46-year-old former Malteenoes, Guyana and West Indies U-19s, Demerara, West Indies ‘A’ and West Indies pacer, is Match Referee, a level 3 Coach and Territorial Development Officer at the Guyana Cricket Board.
Stuart made his Test debut on December 26, 2000 against Australia and took 20 wickets at an average of 31.39 before playing the final of his six Tests on November 21, 2001 against Sri Lanka.
Stuart played the first of his ODIs on January 17, 2001 against Australia, took eight wickets, while in 52 First-Class matches he captured 144 wickets at an average of 30.09. Stuart also has 23 scalps from 20 List ‘A’ cricket.
Stuart is infamous for being a part in the only instance in Test cricket when three bowlers were used in one over.
In the second Test against Sri Lanka in 2001in Sri Lanka, Mervyn Dillon contracted abdominal pains after bowling two balls of the over. Stuart replaced him, only to be banned from bowling for the remainder of Sri Lanka’s innings, after delivering a couple of ‘Beamers’ in his first three balls. Chris Gayle then bowled the final three deliveries of the over.
Stuart was born on September 28, 1973 to the late Senior Superintendent/Traffic Chief, Carl Stuart Senior and Head Teacher at Trinity Methodist School Gwendoline ‘Stella’ Stuart nee Younge.
Stuart lived in lodge for the first months of his life before moving to Section “K” Campbellville, where he has lived for the majority of life and is one of eight siblings which includes five sisters and two brothers.

He attended St. Gabriel’s Primary and later North Georgetown Secondary School which produced First-Class players Andy Jackman, the late Neezam Hafiz and Paul Persaud.
Stuart said he got interested in Cricket due to his love of the game, “My first interest came, when I saw my big brother, Carl jr. playing cricket in our back yard with his friends, so I went down to join the fun. Even up to today, I play small segments of cricket matches in my mind. I just kept playing from the yard, to the neighborhood field in which the Campbellville Lion’s Club is now located.”
Stuart played at Primary school yard (missing a day or two at school) before attending a GDF summer camp at the age of 11, when he was invited by Milton Pydanna’s nephews, who attended his Primary school.
“There I was pulled from the smaller group and put to bowl to the bigger boys. The love for playing cricket continued and at North Georgetown, those who loved the game found each other. We played in the school yard and arranged school matches, including against St. Joseph which on at least one occasion had the promising Reon King in their side.
As the love for the game became overbearing, a few of us from North and St. Joseph joined Malteenoes. However, Malteenoes had decided to build up their ground and practice was halted,” Stuart remembered.
Stuart said Nigel Harding informed him on his selection to MSC’s U16s. At the time, the ground was still undergoing upgrade works and that was his first match.
“Nigel was from my neighborhood, but I first met him at Malteenoes and prior to his visit to invite me to play this match, I had admired his bowling, so without hesitation I in

formed my mom and was ready to go.
I remembered we traveled to Canal in West Demerara and the match that was both humorous and disappointing. During the match, one of our opponents borrowed a jockstrap and placed it outside of his pants. That was funny. Someone had an upset stomach, and without knowledge of the location of the latrine, decided to excuse himself to search for a ball in the bushes. Troy Gobin made 76 and took Malteenoes to the brink of victory but given out near the end of the match, caught on the boundary.
The Umpire went to the spot where the fielder claimed to have taken the catch. We were disappointed, since we felt that the catch was taken beyond the boundary. The Umpire who travelled with us, on our return home remarked something to the extent of “You really think I will signal six at a ground that is behind God’s back.” So that was humorous, since the ground was located down a long country road,” said Stuart.
Stuart made the Guyana U-19 in 1992 against Trinidad at Bourda.
“I remember Coach William Jeffrey indicating to me that it can be the beginning of a great career or it could be the starting of the end.”
Stuart informed that there were a few memorable occasions playing for Guyana but singled out the First Class match against Trinidad at Enmore.
“Captain Carl Hooper called on me during the first innings to bowl to tail-ender Dinanath Ramnarine. I chose to go round the wicket to the left handed batsman, and delivered a No ball, but otherwise terrific delivery….just slightly more full than three quarter length, a ball that seem to move into the batsman and on hitting the pitch, straighten up to hit off stump. The very next delivery, I delivered an identical ball, only this time it was a legal delivery,” explained Stuart.
Stuart said it was a cherished achievement and an amusing one. Even more so was the fact Hooper called on him to repeat the feat to Ramnarine in the second innings. He got the same result with an identical delivery. “That ball ushered in our victory as streams of spectators flooded the ground to congratulate us,” said Stuart.

When asked how big a difference was First-Class to Test cricket, Stuart said his response may not be as straightforward as one would anticipate, since for him the difference is dependent on the standard of First-Class at that time.
“I was privileged to begin playing first class cricket in 1995/96, when a number of outstanding West Indian and regional players were still playing. They were students of the game and as such were able to give technical and mental support to younger players. I say this, to give an idea as to the caliber and experience of players in the West Indies regional tournament at the time,” said Stuart.
Promising performances during 1996 afforded Stuart the opportunity to play for the President’s XIagainst New Zealand in St. Vincent.
Stuart continued to show promise and was selected to the West Indies squad to play Sri Lanka, who won the 1996 World Cup, in a one off ODI in Trinidad.
“While I did not play that match, at this stage with such a regional exposure, I did not envisage the step up to international cricket to be straightforward.
However, the period 1997-99 saw the absence of a number of experienced players from regional cricket due to retirement and other reasons and Stuart made his Test debut for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
“I had a conscious awareness that this was a different level of the game. There was less margin for error and a high demand for mental focus – a need to know what is required of the team and myself…. focusing on the game ball by ball and staying in the present…. Not thinking too far ahead nor to far back,” added Stuart.
“For me, such a demand to narrow focus came out more at the international level, and where I stayed positive and performed better,” the Guyanese quickie continued.
Stuart informed that his most cherished performance was his 5-44 against Kenya in an ODI and spoke about the different between club cricket in the 90s and now.
“I will say that the difference lies in the existing norms, cooperation and competition opportunities. The latter of which, provided exposure to play various teams on different pitches.
Using Malteenoes as my main point of reference, I would say that there was a club structure governed by norms that were required adherence.
The club provided a friendly but disciplined environment, where for Malteenoes, cricketing and other sport related skills were learnt. There was hockey, table tennis, at times badminton. During the raining season there was physical fitness sessions on the upper flat, generally conducted by executive member Edward Richmond or club captain Neil Barry,” Stuart explained.
Stuart said noticeably, the structural programme stimulated interest, motivation, cooperation and competition. It was competitive since there were a number of senior and junior players vying for limited places on teams.
“In fact, during the 1990 season, I recalled being the seventh U-19 fast bowler to play for Malteenoes that season. The match would have been a final against Albion at DCC. I got the selection nudge from U-19 Captain Sean Devers ahead of left-arm spinner Bevan Butts. The exposure was good and helped to stimulate the interest needed to pursue greater heights,” disclosed Stuart.
According Stuart, Club life then had a unifying culture, where the seniors took shared responsibility in carrying out club duties, including the training activities of the club, which was not always facilitated by an official coach.
“However, during my early club life Rex Collymore was our Coach. The environment was uniquely designed that without being read the rules, you knew it, or you quickly learn it.
From rules related to entering the club, to appropriate cricket clothing, to the required laps for warm up, to the number of pushups for a dropped catch, and depending on your age, to the departure for home, all involved supported the cooperative commitment. Such cooperation went onto the cricketing field with senior players mentoring juniors at varying levels – from practice sessions, to intermediate and first division matches,” continued Stuart.
“What was striking was that senior experienced players placed heavy emphasis on analyzing match situations and opponents. This analytical approach seems to be replaced by a more robotic approach. For example, planning to bowl to an off side field with bowler aiming to deliver on three quarter length, on off stump or a foot outside of off stump, as against seeking to exploit a weakness, for example by analyzing to see whether it worth setting the field to dismiss the batsmen by a Yorker or bouncer,” added Stuart who was invited to do a Coaching course in 2003 by Clyde Butts, the CDO of the GCB.
“I was fortunate, to be a part of a club of talented fast bowlers, where all willingly gave guidance. Barrington Browne, Colwyn Cort, Edward Barker, Nigel Harding, Thompson, Ronald Holder and Soloman.
Garfield Charles was always enthusiastic to add value. I was privileged to get some guidance from Charlie, through to training at GCC. I am an honorary member of the GCC, having also enjoyed the privilege of touring Trinidad with them. This was worthwhile exposure for me, since it built on the supportive competition match opportunities we received from playing at different venues in Demerara, and where there were National competition, across the country,” Stuart noted.
Stuart said he supports the CWI development programmes, though I believe that it could be refined or de-refined over time. Significant efforts have been placed on coaching education which is satisfactorily ever evolving.
Of great importance is the professional structure of our regional teams for which CWI and the territorial boards must be commended. It provides regional players with an opportunity to focus solely on developing their art, while being paid decent wages; does not demand that they must play for West Indies to earn favorably.
This creates a good foundation to strengthen our regional tournament. However, our players have an obligation to demonstrate that CWI’s investment is worth it – by continuing to make use of the privilege afforded them. It should be remembered that there was a debate in the public, surrounding “Performance then paid – for instance, favorable salaries or pay then get a good product.” CWI has done the latter, and without question we have seen the growth of our national team – the Guyana Jaguars – this is resounding!
The evidence speak for itself, the CWI annual contract assignment for regional players, coupled with the GCB’s Academy investment has facilitated a professional training structure that has allowed us –the Guyana Jaguars to be successful and in so doing consistently field replacements who are high performers,” noted the Jaguars’ Manager.
“However, this speaks to a formal structure and while this is good and should continue to blossom, it is our informal structure that needs resuscitating. That is, the resurgence of mentorship roles played in the past by former players as volunteers, at the club, County, National and Regional level. I see it as an invaluable asset that should not be overlooked. It provides for the transfer of knowledge through our West Indian legends and other outstanding players.
This knowledge transfer does not have to be through formal coaching, but from either their active involvement in cricket training or presence at training sessions and games.
The legends and outstanding players have a valuable asset of “know how” tips which can be passed to today’s players through their observations. Here, there is no need for these experienced players to be placed in a class room setting to recap all salient points at one time, but instead to be given an opportunity to provide purposeful advice and feedback to players.
For me, our history indicates this occurred during our winning era. I myself have benefitted from senior experienced players being involved at different levels of cricket development and administration. Some players transferred knowledge through matches, some at practice sessions and definitely in the club house there is the occasional cricket tip from admirable former players.
Apart from the transfer of knowledge, our history also informs of our apparent core values during our winning era – an unwavering commitment, pride and a never say die attitude, at least that is what I saw. So I would say that while modern structures of IPL, CPL, our own regional set up promotes unity and oneness, which must be applauded, (and here I speak for myself), “when one gets on the park for West Indies versus an opponent, our history must inform – motivate us.
For if the West Indian legends of yesterday didn’t dig deep, we may not have been seen as the people we are today – our identity would have been different.
So the process, the structured training programmes are good but the core values boost the system. I see these values as an unwavering commitment, pride and never die attitudes, which surmount the structured process by intrinsically motivating players.
The GBC official spoke on how has the Corona Virus affected the GCB’s Programmes.
“The GCB suspended all cricket programmes following CWI decision to do likewise for an unspecified period. With the government implementing COVID 19 guidelines to stem the spread of the virus, we at the cricket board have a responsibility to support the government’s initiative for the betterment of all. This is being done with the readiness to return to the usual structural programmes when such permission is given by the relevant authorities.
In the meanwhile, most of the cricket development work would center around retrospective review and planning which seeks to integrate acceptable growth processes and procedures.
I will encourage the players to stay mentally focus, and be ready to resume structured training when the pandemic subsides and for the Jaguars Franchise and Academy players, continue to be guided by coaching staff, including the virtual fitness activities conducted by the Jaguars’ Physiotherapist/Strength and Conditioner Neil Barry,” Stuart informed.
“Follow the advice given by the Ministry of Public Health, and take ever care to prevent yourself and others from becoming infected with the virus. Let us build our immune systems beforehand and remember it’s not only about us, but that it is also about the health of others who are more susceptible to the virus,” Stuart concluded.

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