Hayden Walsh Jr came to the wicket with the West Indies, in pursuit of 238 for a long-awaited series win, in trouble at 148 for 7. When Sheldon Cottrell smashed Mark Adair for six over extra-cover to give Kieron Pollard’s soldiers a narrow one-wicket win with one ball left in …
Read More »Sir Frank’s lessons for Pollard; time for WI to have a word with Hetmyer
Until Tuesday, my cricketing new year was going reasonably well. Early in the day, Virat Kohli’s India had whipped Sri Lanka in the 1st T20I. But Ben Stokes’ bowling boots had, not for the first time, trampled all over my dream of a hard-earned draw for Faf Du Plessis’ men. …
Read More »Best: WI cyar find a West Indian batting coach? Ting really so bad in cricket?
Since taking over the Cricket West Indies reins last March, new boss Ricky Skerritt has added real value to the West Indies brand. So far, he has talked good West Indies talk and walked the West Indies walk. However, the long-hoped-for turnaround remains elusive—and I am not merely talking about …
Read More »Noble: The media and public expectations; why public figures require more scrutiny
I am very grateful to both Earl Best and Cliff Bertrand for their extensive comments on my earlier piece. Because their input raises important points, and because I am indeed a passionate democrat (as Earl described me), it is befitting that some response be provided. It is also important to …
Read More »Media Monitor: A comment on communication, commas and a couple of clangers
Friends, Trinis, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come out not to bury our media but to improve them. The Express of Thursday 28 November carried a headline that said, “STOP IT GARY.” It drove me to the edge. I had made a solemn promise to myself that I was …
Read More »Media Monitor: Is it reporters or media managers who manufacture facts and opinions about Gary Griffith?
“Long live the media!” Thus does unapologetic democrat Noble Philip sign off his latest piece, which appeared in Wired868 last Thursday. Essentially, the column sets out to defend media cockroaches against unwarranted attacks from Gary ‘Motor Mouth’ Griffith. I’m not sure it quite achieves that goal. Having over the years …
Read More »Best review: Can Wallace unite fractured TTFA; or will only half the pack follow his lead?
The Wired868 headline leapt out at me. DJW dethroned after one term in office, it said. I couldn’t help myself. I’ve been fascinated by language and language-related matters since I was that high. So, dethroned hit me right between the eyes. To my trusty dictionary I went. According to the …
Read More »From ‘kaisoca’ to ‘shittykyahkyah soccer’; Best muses on TTFA elections and Nov 19
At 11pm last night, I turned my TV off. Honduras 4, T&T 0. I had had enough. Despite the importance of the game, we had fielded nothing like our best team. The travel papers of some of the key players were not in order. But, it seems, we had only …
Read More »Hip, hip, hip, who raid? Three cheers for Gary Griffith and a suit for Ralph Maraj?
The commissioner of police has a problem; in fact, he has more than one. You are probably thinking crime, but you’re wrong; crime is not his problem, it’s ours! The problems to which I want to call attention are not communal but personal. And they could cost him his job, …
Read More »Dear Editor: Phase Two steals Big Five night; should we add a Lil One for the foreigners?
The following letter, designed to ‘offer a few thoughts on the recent Big Five pan concert, staged at the Queen’s Park Savannah last Saturday evening’, was submitted to Wired868 by Earl Best, who asked that we stress that pan music is emphatically NOT one of the several areas in which …
Read More »CPL 19: How Shoaib makes the Warriors click; young West Indians praise senior Pakistani statesman
Both as batsman and as captain, Shoaib Malik eschews extravagance and unapologetically espouses a policy of risk reduction. It is a choice which, so far in 2019, has paid rich dividends. Additionally, swimming steadfastly against the regional tide, he has often opted for finesse over force, for six singles rather …
Read More »MEDIA MONITOR: CPL cricket maths matter, mea culpa, ad nausea and missing Machel
People living in glass houses, we have heard over and over, have to careful bout pelting stone. As a long-time Wired868 contributor, I have made it a major mission of mine to monitor the media’s many mistakes. And my parents, teachers and multiple mentors—God rest all their souls—have made me …
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