THE EDITOR: The present tour of the Australian cricketers to the West Indies is already off to a bad and frustrating start for the West Indies. This is so because of the inept umpiring of the ICC-appointed pair of umpires of South Africa’s Rudi Koertzen and Sri Lanka’s Asoka de Silva.
Mr Rudi Koertzen started the ball rolling, when he gave young Devon Smith lbw to a ball from Brett Lee which got a thick inside edge and sent the young Grenadian walking back to the pavilion for 3, on his debut test. As if this was not enough, the Sri Lankan then joined in with a number of bad decisions, which clearly hurt the West Indies or put them in a hole. He seemed to be trying to do like our own Steve Bucknor of Jamaica, who hesitates a while and gets it correct, this is so because I believe that Mr Bucknor seems to possess a photographic memory and gets his decisions spot on, but Mr de Silva just seems to stand there, before giving his decision which is not good for the game at the highest level.
Victims of Asoka de Silva’s work were Brian Lara lbw to Bichel for 26, when the Trinidadian was on the go, Shivnarine Chanderpaul lbw to Bichel for 100, Mervyn Dillon lbw to MacGill for 20 and Wavell Hinds lbw to MacGill for 7 in the second innings of that Bourda test. The ICC should try to put its house in order. It is not easy to just simply look on at good batsmen being given bad decisions, which alter or change the direction of the game, particularly when you are up against a strong team like Australia.
HUGH CUFFEY
Cascade
THE EDITOR: West Indies test cricket is a microcosm of the region. As our cricket goes, so does our hope for nationalism and unity in the region with CSME as the ultimate casualty.
The booing of Brian Lara during the WI/Australia test match in Bourda, Guyana speaks volumes. Did anyone stop to ask if Donald Bradman in his heyday would have been booed in any part of Australia. Even if his choice as captain of the Australian cricket team was unpopular in any province in Australia? Don Bradman like Lara was the top batsman of his era. But unlike Lara, he was well liked, respected and revered by the Australians and cricket enthusiasts all over the world, even up to this day. Although his record, if not his stats, paled in comparison to that of Brian Lara, who broke the longstanding record held by the best all round cricketer to ever play the game, the illustrious Sir Garfield Sobers; which was enhanced considerably by the utterance of the best Pakistani bowler who remarked that Lara was the most difficult batsman to bowl to even including Tendulkar the top Indian batsman purported to be the best batsman in the world. These accolades were not enough to save Brian Lara from an unprecedented booing at Bourda, during the West Indies first test with Australia – because of the displacement of Hooper.
Two West Indies cricket greats, Sir Garfield Sobers and Everton Weekes blamed the failure in West Indies cricket today on the nonchalance of the players even though they are better paid, with enormous facilities and undeserving social status. Except for a few, who will remain nameless, the vast majority of the members of our WI cricket team continue to treat their primary job, which happens to be cricket, as a part-time job and as if that was not enough they show no love for, or interest in, the game of cricket. The spectators should not be left free from some degree of blame with their unmitigated preference for a “good lime” instead of being conscientious cheerleaders for their team.
After all is said and done the true villain can well be partiality to regional representation — Guyana is all for a Guyanese captain and the same can be said of Antigua and Jamaica. The least nationalistic of all the islands when it comes to cricket is TT. We make a habit of nailing our best batsman to the cross if he “slips or slides”. I am referring to Brian Lara. We seem preoccupied with his penchant for having a good time around the carnival season and his choice of women (which is none of our business) than we are with his acumen as a top class batsman in the pantheon of cricket.
We in the region have more than our share of indifference and myopia to go around, which impacts most negatively on our international cricket in the region. There is no job-enrichment to entice our coaches or managers to hold on to their jobs and no potential for growth or improvement to attract quality coaches. It seems apparent that the lack of enthusiasm the players bring to the game is passed on to the spectators. Thus the reason for the potpourri in the sport, in the region, with our politics not far behind.
Bad habits are extremely difficult to break. I have set out to illustrate that our international cricket, like our politics, is formed and fashioned by identical social forces: During the period when Federation was the hue and cry of everyone in the region, Barbados and Jamaica got locked into a heated debate as to which island was most worthy of being the Federation headquarters. TT on the other hand was burdened with the financial responsibilities but not in the running as the site for the headquarters.
Consequently TT was forced to “cop-out” from the Federation fiasco, with Dr Eric Williams’ famous remark: “One from ten leaves nought.” The albatross remains around our necks, relentlessly, into the year 2003, in the form of CSME, in our politics and the lack of unanimity in WI international cricket with no resolve. In order to go forward and re-establish ourselves in international cricket as a force to reckon with as we had done in the past, we must all come together as one. With one purpose, to show the world that we can still be the best in the world in our national sport and favourite past time – cricket. We still have the potential; it is just up to us to believe that we still do.
ULRIC GUY
Point Fortin
THE EDITOR: The Government has done well in its support for BWIA. There is no doubt the airline could not be left to flounder, and the realisation that it was partly due to the oversight (undersight or plain blindness) of government (present and past) that damaged the airline’s bottom line. From the 2003 business model to the current government loan stipulations, there seems to be good sense prevailing. Let us wish BWIA and LIAT a bright future. There’s always room to add Air Jamaica too!
WAYNE JAGGERNAUTH
Loughborough University
Leicestershire, UK
WEST INDIES selectors made a grave mistake by going into the second Cable & Wireless Test against Australia which ended on Wednesday with only three bowlers
This was the opinion expressed by Trinidad and Tobago manager Omar Khan yesterday. The Windies were beaten by 118 runs and now Australia enjoy an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series. Khan added: “The Australians scored 814 runs for the loss of only seven wickets and after that the West Indies were batted out of the match. “However I am very happy with the batting of Daren Ganga and skipper Brian Lara. “I noted the tremendous strides made by Ganga during the Carib Beer Series. He is a very matured player and I am happy for him.” Khan said, “Lara has led the way by example and the rest of the younger players have to realise that they need to work harder to fit in at the top level.”
Sports editor of the Newsday, Zaid Mohammed renewed his calls for Jamaican opener Chris Gayle, saying he would provide runs early on in the innings. “The batting is good but they must find a place for Chris Gayle in the next Test. He is also a useful bowler and will be an advantage to the team,” he said. Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control (TTCBC) executive member Patrick Rampersad said: “The result was expected, you cannot go into a Test with that bowling attack and win it. The West Indies selectors need to ring in the changes in the bowling department if we are to compete.”
National coaching director Baldath Mahabir said West Indies must change their mind-set as to the inclusion of spinners in the team. “People may say that we don’t have top quality spinners, but are the fast men top quality,? He asked. “We must change our mind-set and look to include spin into the attack. We must not waste the experience of Mahendra Nagamootoo or the talent of Suliemann Benn. This is the only way we can restrict teams at the moment at least.” The third Test starts on May 2, at Kensington Oval, Barbados.
AUSTRALIA’S all-conquering cricket team, constantly looking for new motivations, are eyeing the possibility of handing West Indies their first whitewash in the Caribbean.
Australia have won the first two Tests of the four-match series by nine wickets and 118 runs without Glenn McGrath, one of the world’s most successful fast bowlers who will return for the third Test in Barbados next week. McGrath, whose wife has been ill, joined the squad in Port-of-Spain on Wednesday and has already been guaranteed his place back.
Australia captain Steve Waugh, contemplating a whitewash, said: “It would certainly be a great achievement, it’s probably in the back of our minds. “We’ve got the best bowler in the world coming back into the side, there’s no reason why we can’t win the last two Test matches. “We want to win the next test and we want to improve. We played excellent cricket and we certainly won’t be letting up in Barbados. “Glenn McGrath will certainly come back into the side, and someone will have to make way, I’m not sure who that is going to be.”
The Australians, who whitewashed West Indies 5-0 at home in 2000-1, came into the tour at the end of a long season which included winning the World Cup. Waugh said that one of the reason’s for Tuesday’s early declaration – which left West Indies four sessions to get 407 – was to give his own team a challenge. So far, however, Waugh has been delighted with his team’s response, with lesser lights such as Darren Lehmann and Stuart MacGill taking the opportunity to shine. Lehmann, never fully established in the Test side, hit his maiden century in Port of Spain while MacGill, playing his 21st Test, passed the 100-wicket mark.
“It was pleasing to see some of the guys who are not high profile like Andy Bichel and Darren Lehmann doing well,” said Waugh. “This is something I like about this team. It’s not just about one or two players. It’s about everyone doing something at different times.” Waugh, who did not bat in either innings in Port- of- Spain, said he was hoping to contribute more in Bridgetown. “I will certainly remember this Test because I got no runs, no wickets and no catches,” he said. “I want to make sure I play well in the next Test, I’m looking forward to getting out in the middle.”
WEST INDIES captain Brian Charles Lara seems like a man obsessed with cricket records, and of course the defeat on Wednesday would have hurt him badly.
But the Second Cable & Wireless Test would have ended as a bitter-sweet and yet memorable match for him and all those who saw the enthralling spectacle at the famous Queen’s Park Oval. The toughness of the Aussies seem to bring out the best in Lara who recorded his first ever Test century at the QP Oval, his home ground, when he attempted to lead his team to a highly-improbable victory on Wednesday. The left-handed maestro sparkled and entertained home town supporters with a superlative 122, his 20th Test century.
Among the West Indians greats, he is now third in the leading centurions list behind Sir Gary Sobers 26 and Sir Vivian Richards 24. He edged past Clive Lloyd and Gordon Greenidge with 19 each. When he hammered the belligerent 91 in the first innings in his 46th Tests in the Caribbean, Lara took his home Test runs tally to 4,004 to become the second West Indian batsman to achieve the feat of getting 4,000 or more runs. The 33-year-old had joined his mentor Sobers who had amassed 4,075 in 44 matches for an incredible average of 66.80 in the region. And with his historic 122 on Wednesday, he eclipsed Sobers’ regional Test tally and towers over all-comers with a grand total of 4,126 for an average of 55.01 including nine centuries and 22 fifties. The prolific Lara also achieved another significant milestone in his illustrious international career.
In Guyana, he became the fifth West Indian to have amassed over 2,000 Test runs against Australia and with his impressive 91 and 122 he became the sixth Trinidadian to score a century at their home ground following in the footsteps of Andy Ganteaume, Jeffrey Stollmeyer, Charlie Davis, Larry Gomes and his younger compatriot Daren Ganga (117) who achieved the feat in his first appearance in the first innings. Lara became the second Trinidadian, after Ganga, to get the coveted triple-figure mark against Australia on the home track. Ganga and Lara had joined the elite list of five other West Indians to have scored a century against Australia at the 107-year-old Oval. Sir Clyde Walcott, Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Alvin Kallicharran and Jeffrey Dujon accomplished their feats against earlier touring Tests sides.
He went past Sir Viv Richards 2,266 (34 matches, 54 innings), Desmond Haynes 2,233, Clive Lloyd 2,211 and Richie Richardson 2,175. Ganga and Lara also joined the elite list of five other West Indians to have scored a century against Australia at the 107-year-old Oval. In acknowledging his landmark century before his adoring fans, Lara said: “A hundred is not what I was looking for, I was looking to bat as long as possible, hopefully for the entire day.” Lara has already chalked up eight centuries against the Australians and needs one more to equal Richie Richardson’s nine against the world champions.
FORT DE FRANCE: Martinique grabbed the early advantage in the three-team CONCACAF Caribbean Zone Gold Cup qualifying series when they rallied to stun Trinidad and Tobago 3-2 at Stade Dillon on Wednesday night.
Martinique struck three unanswered goals in the second half to leave the reigning Caribbean champions in a must-win situation for their next game today against Honduras. The top two teams from the series will advance to the July 12-27 CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States and Mexico. Trinidad and Tobago dominated the first half and went ahead in the 15th minute when playmaker Arnold Dwarika converted a penalty.
Prolific goal-scorer Jason Scotland sent TT further ahead with a well taken volley on the stroke of half time. But Martinique, who squeezed into the play-offs with a dramatic come-from-behind 5-4 win over St Lucia in the Group A series last month, drew level with quick second-half goals — three minutes apart — from Jose Goron (66th) and Yann Girier-Dufournier (69th). Dominique Real then sealed the win in the 80th minute for Martinique, the 1993 Caribbean Cup champions. After TT play Honduras today, Martinique and Honduras will face each other in the series finale on Sunday.
The top two teams in the round-robin will advance to this summer’s Gold Cup finals, rounding out the field of 12 countries. Already qualified are defending champion USA, Canada and Mexico from the North Zone; Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador from the Central Zone; Jamaica and Cuba from the Caribbean; and invited teams Brazil and Colombia.
Teams:
MARTINIQUE: Eddy Heurlie, Jude Etienne Vaton, Patrick Percin, Paul Henry Clorus, Yann Girier-Dufournier, Jean Luc Desprol (Sully Billon 73rd), Jose Gordon (Dominique Reyal 78th), Miguel Duragrin, Ludovic Mirande, Daniel Borval (Will Padoly 46th), Laurent Lagrand.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Mikhel Peters, Keyeno Thomas, Reynold Carrington, Marvin Andrews, Brent Sancho, Cyd Gray, Arnold Dwarika, Jason Scotland (Nigel Pierre 72nd), Connell Glenn (Brent Rahim 78th), Ansil Elcock, Silvio Spann (Travis Mulraine 72nd).
FORT DE FRANCE: American Olympic 100-metre champion Maurice Greene is making a Caribbean appearance this weekend when he competes at Martinique’s Conseil General meet.
The 28-year-old Greene, who is also the reigning World 100-metre champion, is set to run the 100 and 200 metres at the IAAF Grand Prix II meeting tomorrow, organisers said on Wednesday. Greene is set to attempt the double at this year’s world championships in Paris. The three-time world 100-metre world champion and former world record holder has made only one appearance so far this season — running 20.16 seconds to win the Mount SAC Relays 200 metres in California last Saturday. His Trinidadian training partner Ato Boldon has pulled out of this weekend’s meet because of a thigh strain he suffered at the Mount SAC Relays.
PHILADELPHIA: Allen Iverson scored 29 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 90-85 win over the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night, to take a 2-0 lead in the first round of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs.
Kenny Thomas added 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Sixers while Derrick Coleman added 12 points and six assists. Game three in the best-of-seven series is tomorrow in New Orleans. Iverson dominated game one, scoring 55 points, but got much more support from the rest of the bench in game two as the Hornets were hampered by injuries to their two top players, Baron Davis and Jamal Mashburn. Davis did not play due to his left knee injury and Mashburn managed just one point after he dislocated his right middle finger in the third quarter.
Mashburn left the game for good with 6.49 left in the final quarter and his status for tomorrow remained uncertain. Keith Van Horn added 11 points for Philadelphia, which got 40 points from their starting frontcourt, compared to just 11 in game one. David Wesley had 24 points to lead the Hornets while Robert Pack added 15 points. Mashburn wound up with 14.
In DALLAS: Steve Nash scored 28 points and had eight assists as the Mavericks edged the Portland Trail Blazers 103-99. Dirk Nowitzki added 25 points and nine rebounds for the Mavericks, who lead the best-of-seven Western Conference series 2-0. Game 3 is in Portland tonight. Michael Finley added 17 points for the Mavericks while Eduardo Najera had 12 points and six rebounds. Bonzi Wells had 45 points for Portland on 16-for-24 shooting. Rasheed Wallace added 18 points.
In AUBURN HILLS: Tracy McGrady scored 46 points but the Detroit Pistons had five players in double-figures as they edged Orlando Magic 89-77. No other Magic player was in double-figures as Detroit tied the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series 1-1. Game three is tonight in Orlando. Richard Hamilton had 30 points for Detroit while Chauncey Billups had 15 and Corliss Williamson added 13. Ben Wallace, selected as the NBA’s defensive player of the year earlier in the day, had 16 rebounds and scored 10 points.
TRINIDAD and Tobago’s senior badminton champions, Anil Seepaul and Sabrina Cassie, face tough challengers in the VIII Peru International Open Championships.
“King” Seepaul and “Queen” Cassie were scheduled to compete among some of the world’s leading players and will be fully tested at this series. It is one of the highest levels of competition, which features the champions from the top-rated badminton nations including the United States, Germany, Wales, Spain, Finland, Switzerland and Iceland.
According to four-time king Seepaul, top players from Brazil, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Peru have also entered and there will be tough passages to the next round. Wales 1998 Commonwealth Games’ champion Kelly Morgan as well as the bronze medallist Richard Vaughn will vie for top honours. Seepaul’s first round opponent is Peru’s Juan Jose Espinoza while nine-time ladies’ champion Cassie will battle with Peru’s Cecilia Jamieno. Should Seepaul win his match, he will have to take on the winner of the Lucas Araujo (Brazil) vs Hector Escovedo (Guatemala) in the next round. Should Cassie prevail over her first round opponent, she will clash with Peru’s number one Lorena Blanco.
Seepaul and Cassie will team up in the mixed doubles and their opponents are Peru’s pair of Dolvalle/Rivero. Cassie will partner United States’ Taff for the women’s doubles competition while Seepaul will join with Peru’s youth sensation Sebastien Salazar in the men’s doubles contest. Both Seepaul and Cassie are in high spirits and are ready to give of the best in the highest level competition the country’s champion twosome will encounter in their badminton career.
