It is a fact. The game that once attracted thousands of fans when our national team played in the regional Shell competition, has now been reduced to nothing.
There is no longer that enthusiasm which gets the man on the street eager to listen to the radio or asking for the latest score.
Some folks do not even know when our own national team is playing at the Oval. As a matter of fact, we no longer have a national team as it usually comprises a player or two from the neighbouring countries.
Believe it or not, the desire to be patriotic towards the success of our national cricket team could hardly ever be described as Trinidad and Tobago.
The methods of organising today’s cricket in the West Indies have closed the record books on performances of the past for a complexed form of statistical data.
For those who have been die-hard fans of the good old days, may well have lost their way of looking to see whether they can understand the character which conventional cricket brought to the field. It was not about
swash-buckling and compulsive hitters, dot ball bowlers or dancing wicket takers.
Where is the line of patrons who take their places in the ques outside of the Queen’s Park Oval from 6.00am on the morning of a Test match or regional contest.
The electrifying environment which attracted the star players when they walked towards the nets at the Oval for a practice session, sometimes find a hero-worship individual who simply wants to bowl a ball at their favorite player. Not even the odd member of the media who headline a knock of forty runs or two wickets and begins to introduce the players as star quality in our national team, has brought recognition of all the national players.
People speak about dismal days on the streets, in the bars or at the corners liming. They often find themselves reminiscing about the good old days.
The shock really struck me recently when I attended the Fatima College Old boys “Hall of achievement” awards ceremony on their 50th Anniversary.
The school’s most treasured individual was as idolised among the former students and invited dignities, in exactly the same way as he is adored, whenever he walks along the streets of London or Mumbai or Sydney and maybe even mars, all because he dazzled through the corridors of the reputable college, across to the Queen’s Park Oval, then onto the mecca grounds of the Caribbean, then to the world at large. Thank you Brian for leaving our people, old or young, with memories of what a great cricketer is all about.
At least, the absolute optimists will hope and pray that more Laras will come along to bring joy and pride to the children of tomorrow.
Will it ever happen? I would love to say yes to the question, but how can anyone realistically say emphatically that another of these gifts from the good Lord in this sport will come to us in the near future.
It is the first time in my sixty years of playing, supporting and appreciating cricket and every other sport, that there are players on our national cricket teams who walk the streets of our country and I do not recognize them.
That amazing imagery which our former superstars present on the streets and everywhere else, is not evident in all our current cricketers, except of course, the extraordinary talented Pollard, Narine and the Bravos.
Maybe this is why the WICB does not offer to this country Test matches against the great countries, a decision which is an indication of the absence of marketing the great game we once loved.
I am extremely pleased to know that the former national team opening batsman and captain Bryan Davis has been placed into the Hall of fame a few days ago.
It is amazing that Bryan has been a leading batsman for the country for many years from 1959 to the mid-70s and has only just been recognised as a Hall of famer.
What has he actually done lately to earn the award that he could not have done to be a recipient many years ago?
Congrats Bryan for your excellent contribution to this country. This opinion comes from someone who knew what an amazing cricketer you have been over the years.
