Towards improvement of WI cricket

THE EDITOR: I wish to congratulate your Editorial staff for continuing their deep interest in sports locally and regionally by publishing what the wider public is interested in — with special reference to discipline in the sporting arena. One cannot fail to recognise the extremely high standards portrayed in your columns by members of the sporting public.

With regard to the specific question of falling standards of WI cricket, congratulations are also due for the interesting series on all aspects of the game by one of your part-time columnists. The public’s widespread acceptance of the series must have inspired the writer Fyzul Hassanali to use his vast experience as player and captain to produce recently Captaincy in Cricket — reported to be a very timely publication by this well known former player and captain.

The book is obviously directed to the development of young cricketers and the training of efficient captains. This handbook as some choose to call it, emphasises the need for discipline, physical fitness, respect, team spirit and above all, thinking the game, as fundamental requisites towards achievement of success, and more specifically how to win matches.

West Indies cricket was never more in need of such a publication as it has been in recent years. One can only hope that the management of West Indies cricket will use this handbook towards improvement of the game in the region. Finally Mr Editor, with specific reference to discipline, is it smart on the part of the management of West Indies cricket:

a) To allow active players or members of the team selection process to comment publicly from the Commentator’s box during matches?

b) To permit active members of the test team to report publicly in the media after games? One wonders whether such privileges are open to question regarding good discipline, team spirit, and ethics?

There is no need to mention the possibility of jealousy among less privileged members and the continuation of the “bug” of insularity — a recipe for indiscipline and failure.

SALER AMEERALI
Chaguanas