Light! At last! As I watched an enthusiastic Alzarri Joseph (AJ) throw down short ball after short ball at Bangladesh’s Taskin Ahmed towards the end of Sunday’s post-tea session in the First Test in Antigua, that hard-to-stomach letter to the Wired868 editor came back to me. “I think this has …
Read More »RBCPL24: Ahmad puts pointless Antigua Falcons in a spin, as St Lucia Kings win again
Not even the brilliance of their passionate coach Curtly Ambrose could spare the struggling Antigua and Barbuda Falcons the ignominy of a fourth successive defeat on Tuesday. Led by Noor Ahmad, the St Lucia Kings’ trio of spinners set them up for a seven-wicket loss at the Sir Vivian Richards …
Read More »Vaneisa: Questions of legality and integrity still haunt West Indies cricket
A few days ago at Lord’s, Sir Viv Richards and Sir Curtly Ambrose had a conversation with Machel Hewitt of talkSPORT radio in their capacity as ambassadors of the Antiguan Tourism Authority. Naturally, the talk turned to the state of West Indies cricket, and what they thought could be done …
Read More »Best: Fire in Babylon and fireworks under pressure—we love the way WI play
Bazball brings a broad smile to British faces. It brings back very happy memories, but not from before the last decade. Mention, however, the nameless West Indian brand or Barbados—or Babylon—and what we get is a scowl. Or a furrowed brow. Not easy to erase is the memory of what …
Read More »McWatt: WI Women shine again, WI men batted too slowly but credit to CWI for Academy plans
“[…] West Indies cricket fans all over the world should now be overjoyed with the most wonderful news of Cricket West Indies’ announced intentions to create an Antigua Coolidge Cricket Centre-based Emerging Players Annual Academy. “[…] Many will expect that legends such as Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Vivian Richards, Sir …
Read More »Best: Pooran, Ambrose, big-money IPL contracts and WI; what sweet in goat mouth…
Toute vérité, we’ve been told, n’est pas bonne à dire. Even if is true, yuh doh have to say it… But 26-year-old would-be West Indies white ball captain Nicholas Pooran wouldn’t hesitate to tell you that it’s really sweet when your dreams come true. And 58-year-old former WI pacer Curtly …
Read More »‘Reds’ and McWatt: WI must overhaul white-ball teams, starting with captain, coaches and selectors
“[…] The win-loss results of the Phil Simmons-led coaching staff also suggest they should be immediately replaced. Of the 36 T20 International matches played since Simmons’ October 2019 reinstatement as head coach, West Indies won 14 and lost 17 while five ended as no results! “[…] Our replacement suggestions would …
Read More »Chanderpaul appointed batting consultant for WI U-19s, as junior W/Cup preparations continue
Former West Indies cricket stand-out Shivnarine Chanderpaul will work with the West Indies Under-19 squad as a batting consultant, as the ‘Rising Stars’ continue preparation for the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, which will be hosted in the Caribbean from 4 January. Chanderpaul, who is the most capped player …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Lara’s peculiar choice: is Prince of PoS putting Gayle part before WI whole?
I do NOT know if Mark Nicholas is the racist I believe him to be. It matters not to me today. I do NOT know if Quinton de Kock is the racist I do NOT believe him to be. It matters not to me today. Neither man’s issue matters to …
Read More »Under pressure: Best looks at Viv’s measured approach to Gayle’s ‘Ambi’ swipe
A guilty conscience, those who grew up in Trinidad in the second half of the 20th century would often have heard, needs no accuser. Christopher Henry ‘Scrempy’ Gayle grew up in Kingston, Jamaica in the second half of the second half of the last century. But he probably heard it …
Read More »Dear Editor: Whatever happened to our cricket commentary standards?
“[…] Who selects our commentators? What prerequisites should potential commentators have before qualifying as commentators, and being unleashed on the helpless listeners? Is a facility with the English language one of these prerequisites?” The following Letter to the Editor on the standard of West Indies cricket commentary was submitted to …
Read More »Best: Is repeat of WI World Cup history possible? Will the Australia challenge help?
Kieron Pollard’s star-studded highly favoured white ball unit, some are saying, can make history and retain their T20 World Cup title in India in a few months’ time. No chance, Curtly Ambrose demurs. Not unless the batsmen start using their brains and divest themselves of ‘the foolish notion that T20 …
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