These growing feathers plucked from Lara’s wing Will make him fly an ordinary pitch. Who else would soar above the view of batsmen And keep them all in servile fearfulness? Dear Mr Scyld Berry, Beriberi, on the slave ships that sailed to the Caribbean, was not very kind to our …
Read More »Dear Editor: The problem with the IPL; and how it affects teams like the West Indies
“[…] When the IPL started back in 2008, it was a six-week tournament. The BCCI has since increased the official time span to eight weeks, but the true time is closer to 10 to 12 weeks. “[…] Despite all of that, the compensation package for the player’s home board has …
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 »T20WC 24: Shamar, Hetmyer and Chase make WI squad; Mayers, Evin miss out
West Indies coach Daren Sammy listed 24-year-old fast bowler Shamar Joseph in his squad today as he announced the 15-man team that will represent the Maroon Men at the 2024 T20 World Cup. Joseph burst into the limelight with a Man of the Series performance in a drawn series against …
Read More »Vaneisa: The solitary silence of words, and launching Son of Grace
Writing is a solitary experience. It’s you and your thoughts—all the chatter is internal. I do not quiver at the notion of solitude; I’m quite happy to be ensconced within my brain. When I finished with the book I had been working on for five or six years, Son of …
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 »Best: Berry wide of mark for praising WI style, yet blasting Lara
History, we West Indians are acutely aware, is written for the most part by the victors. So, although the West Indies have only beaten England seven times in the last 11 series since the end of 2000, in mid-April, British cricket writer Scyld Berry brought the late Tony Cozier to …
Read More »Chase heads WI ‘A’ team for Nepal T20s; Evin rules himself out
West Indies white-ball head coach Daren Sammy hopes to use a tour of Nepal to refine his options for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, as Cricket West Indies announced a 15-man A team squad today. The excursion marks the first time that West Indies will travel to Nepal …
Read More »Vaneisa: Following Frank; the story of the Son of Grace
Over the years that I spent researching and writing the biography of Sir Frank Worrell, I often referred to him—sharing snippets and soliciting information—through this column. The book, Son of Grace, was published six months ago, and I found myself curiously unable to mention its existence, feeling awkward to say …
Read More »Dear Editor: Good knock, Jumbo; QPCC and TTFA should honour him
“[…] Perhaps, Cricket West Indies (CWI), Queen’s Park Oval and the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) can name something, somewhere on either facility to keep his presence alive. “Not saying we should build a statue or rename a stand but [maybe] something small such as a cafeteria or a …
Read More »Dear Editor: How to silence a whistleblower—a TTCB case study
“[…] They are usually someone who purports to possess some high moral or ethical standing (red flag number one)… It is usually good to ignore them—they typically run out of breath. “However, when they go public that’s when the whistleblower becomes a problem. They have no business telling the board …
Read More »Vaneisa: Spirits of the game; West Indies’ friendly ghosts at the Gabba
“In our eras of greatness, when West Indies took the field, ghostly presences walked with the players, representing commitment to a higher cause, loyalty to the proudest of traditions and attachment to a long line of heroes—and the twelfth man in the team always answered to the name of courage.” …
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