Between the end of the World Cup in the Caribbean and Ricky Skerritt’s welcome ouster of Dave Cameron in March, I have rarely got excited about the outcome of a West Indies cricket match. I did get genuinely worked up about Darren Sammy’s side’s 2012 T20 World Cup victory and …
Read More »W/Cup addict comments: Amir, Smith, Warner and Roy; different strokes for different ICC folks?
Eight cricketers named Mohammad or Mohammed played in the round robin stage of the 2019 World Cup; none will be in the final. Two Jasons played in the group stage; one will play in Sunday’s Lord’s grand finale. The US$64,000 question is this: should he have been allowed to? At …
Read More »W/Cup addict comments: Whither Windies? When will we write off witless ODI captain Holder?
Call it arrogance if you like; I really could not care less. Whether or not Phil Simmons, Michael “Whispering Death” Holding or anyone else agrees with me, I re-affirm that Jason Holder is not the man to lead West Indies out of the ODI doldrums. I have long been very …
Read More »W/Cup addict comments: Whither Windies: On DJ Bravo, Brathwaite, Holder and the “Universe Boss”
In a letter to the Wired868 editor last week, AJ writes that “the problems go way beyond the on-the-field representatives.” Hard to disagree, no? “Surely,” he ends, “those responsible for developing the strategy and hand-picking the players that produced these excruciating displays must also take responsibility for the resulting pain …
Read More »W/Cup addict comments: Sparrow’s Slave, Brathwaite’s brilliance and fool’s gold
Images drawn from sport populate my sexagenarian head. Of most recent vintage is the one of Carlos Brathwaite in mid-pitch at Old Trafford on Saturday temporarily bent over in a sobbing, regret-filled heap. Trying for the six which would have given Jason Holder’s team a truly incredible, come-from-behind victory by …
Read More »Farewell, Thora Best Andrews: T&T’s first female medalist at major international track meet
Former top Trinidad and Tobago sprinter and hurdler Thora Andrews, nee Best, passed away in Beaumont, Texas, on Saturday. The 73-year-old former national long-jump title-holder was the first Trinidad and Tobago female athlete to win a medal at a major international meet, capturing bronze in the 80-metres hurdles at the …
Read More »Kohli’s mean machine rolls past Pakistan, India virtually into final four
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is that! If you are still unsure which team is going to top the round robin stage and then go on to win the 2019 World Cup, you must have missed today’s game between India and Pakistan. Indians turned up in their numbers in the …
Read More »Aussies too good for Sri Lanka; Afghans too bad to beat South Africa
Australian captain Aaron Finch smashed his way to a tournament-best century against Sri Lanka at the Oval in London earlier today to power his side to the top of the ten-team table. And his opposite number, Dimuth Karunaratne, fell just three runs short of his own century but his side …
Read More »W/Cup addict comments: Captaincy under the microscope; see Jason Holder squirm
It’s Brutus’ dilemma: If Jason Holder is removed as West Indies short-format captain, there is a good chance that he will go nowhere in the One-day game. If Jason Holder continues as West Indies short-format captain, there is a good chance that WI will go nowhere in the One-day game. …
Read More »W/Cup addict comments: Rain reigns but ICC can’t rain on Holding’s parade
West Indies versus England in Southampton today. Carlos Brathwaite swings at Jofra Archer and England appeal for a catch at the wicket. Up goes the dreaded finger from Kumar Dharmasena. Michael Holding, on commentary with Nasser Hussain, remains silent. The replay seems to suggest that the nick was off the batsman’s …
Read More »W/Cup addict comments: Scoreboard pressure does buss pipe; South Africa’s chances down the drain?
Sunday 9 June. India and Australia, their places almost reserved in the final four of the 2019 World Cup, are trying to settle the pecking order. The Indian innings is almost at an end. And already, with six balls still left, Australia are going to have to put together the …
Read More »Holder misleads West Indies and Aussies escape with a win
When the Jason Holder-led West Indians took on Australia in Nottingham yesterday, the five-times World Cup winners emerged victorious by a margin of 15 runs. Recovering from 58 for 4 and then 79 for 5, Aaron Finch’s Aussies went on to post a challenging 288. In reply, the West Indies …
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