High stakes in hosting World Cup 2007

According to ex-West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, “the journey seemed so far away a few years ago but it is almost complete.”

Lloyd, the most successful WI captain ever, was delivering the feature address at the Golden Anniversary celebrations of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) at the Dr Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence, Macoya, Tunapuna, on Wednesday night.

He posed the question: “Are we ready to rumble? It is our challenge to transform a logistical nightmare into a dream. Failure is not an option.

“As we undertake this exciting venture the stakes are high. If the short-term gain of a successful Cricket World Cup 2007 will be a massive financial windfall for the Caribbean, then the long term benefit for the region and West Indies cricket takes on even greater proportions.”

Lloyd who played a significant part in the performance of the West Indies team reaching the finals in India at the World Cup, flew from Pakistan to London and then to Trinidad via BWIA, to address the gathering.

He is due to return to Pakistan to be with the WI team now engaged in a three Test series and five-one day matches.

Lloyd congratulated the TTCB for their persistence and vision in running an efficient organisation and said for the 40 years or so that he was involved in cricket in Guyana, he was always impressed with the thrust of the board and its enlightened leadership “it provided for not only Trinidad and Tobago but the entire Caribbean.”

He also spoke of some of the stalwarts who served cricket in Trinidad and Tobago, Learie Constantine, Jeffrey and Victor Stollmeyer, Gerry Gomez, Andy Ganteaume, Nyron Asgarali, Willie Rodriguez, the Furlonge brothers, Alvin Corneal, Joey Carew, Pascall Roberts, Leo John, Inshan Ali, Richard de Souza, Charran Singh, Jack Noreiga, Brian and Charlie Davis, Bernard Julien, Deryck Murray, Rangy Nanan, Augustine Logie, Phil Simmons, David Williams, Larry Gomes, and those of more recent vintage, Brian Lara, Dwayne Bravo, Daren Ganga, and Denesh Ramdin, and said that “those are just a fraction that represented these twin islands with distinction.”

He commended Ken Gordon, for his “leadership qualities and testicular fortitude” as president of the WICB.

As a director of the WICB, Lloyd said that the “challenges in West Indies Cricket today are formidable and the struggle to ameliorate the current conditions is keen and unremitting at times.”

He noted West Indies cricket had begun to show “significant improvement” under Gordon’s term of office.

At the ceremony, 11 awards were handed out including one to the Queen’s Park Cricket Club for their contribution to the growth and development of cricket.

Others receiving awards were, Rangy Nanan, Larry Gomes, Prince Bartholomew, Joey Carew, Deryck Murray, Daren Ganga, Gus Logie, Brian Lara, Alloy Lequay, was unable to attend and the late Ralph Gosine.