“World Cup isn’t relevant anymore,” a 30-year-old sports editor colleague told me a few years ago. “[Uefa] Champions League is the most important event in football; it’s what everybody wants to see—where all the top players are.” That’s Bobby, pronouncing, now that the Qatar 2022 groups have been more or …
Read More »Early Bird: Sobers sightings; a grateful graduate seeks to give the great Sir Garry his due
March 2022. The Apex Second Test in Barbados. Garfield St Aubrun Sobers sat, as he has long sat, beside his queen atop the Kensington pavilion, monarch of all he surveyed. But frail-, fragile-, feeble-looking even. I felt for him. I feared for him. Through my mind flashed an image of …
Read More »Early Bird: Absence of malice, presence of mind and our women’s false sense of security
Fo’daymorning. There are three of them, walking side-by-side. From 30 or 40 yards away as I stride southwards along my street, I see them going west towards the park. I pay no particular attention. My mind is far. Moments before leaving home at 5.30am, I saw an overnight WhatsApp question: …
Read More »Early Bird: Covid, Blaxx, our glee and why we walk on mornings
At 5.15am on this day the Lord has made, Marie Howe’s name tops my inbox. She’s a poet, a completely unfamiliar name. Below hers is Bobby’s. He’s my vaccinated bosom pal with whom I take my fo’daymorning walks. ‘M2 was a secondary contact,’ his brief email says, ‘and now I …
Read More »Early Bird: Lyricsing in Parliament; how Rodney Charles’ Mia Mottley remark resurrected Explainer
“Have you seen the ad everybody on Facebook seems to be talking about?” “Yuh want to spoil my morning!” Bobby grumbled, making a long face behind his mask. “Too early to be talking about Facebook, bro! And anyway, I’m not on Facebook! “And I want to talk about serious business. …
Read More »Early Bird: Caribbean cricket’s reality check; today’s WI can’t afford to change a team that didn’t lose
Its impact on the Third Apex Test against England starting on Thursday in Grenada isn’t guaranteed to be significant. Nor is its impact guaranteed to be obvious when the West Indies next take the field in the Netherlands in May. But there appears to be a shift in selectoral policy …
Read More »Early Bird: Football’s human face; the lowdown on Garrincha and Pelé from a picoplat
In my life, there are two men—your mind’s in the gutter, wretch!—whose knowledge of football is encyclopaedic. One is Wired868 Editor Lasana Liburd. From him, I got an unsolicited lecturette on Marcelo Bielsa’s family history. In five minutes, I learned more about the just fired Leeds coach than I know …
Read More »Early Bird: Bonner sparks memory of Larry Gomes, as Haynes’ ‘Adaptables’ spread wings
With Roger Harper now history, adaptability is the new West Indies selection watchword. No more specialists, new lead selector Desmond Haynes has said. Show me your motion and I’ll find the right band for you. Already, Shamarh Brooks and Kyle Mayers have got a look-in in the white ball set-up. …
Read More »Early Bird: Root’s record plus weak West Indies bowling put Lara’s record under threat
Sonny Ramadhin’s recent death reminded us that more than once MCC tinkered with the rules. The changes may have helped England in 1957 but they certainly haven’t really helped them do all that well in the Caribbean at any time. Their last away series win in the 20th Century came …
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