Matters Cricket: Runs? What runs?
Sun, Apr 26, '15
by RAY FORD
I tip my hat to the West Indies, for putting up a good fight. And so, I'll without reservation, give them an F - as in, 'fighting'.
Be that as I will, I remember once, being in court, as one Mr. Ian Chappell, held court. Chappelli to me, has always appeared to be a down-to-earth chap, not afraid to speak his mind. And in one of his open briefs, I remember him identifying, which batsman he would want to have, bat for him, to save his life. "That little fellow Doug Walters," the former Australian captain said, "if there's any batsman I'd want to bat for my life, it's him."
Granted, Mr. Walters has not always showed-up in a condition, ready to work for Mr. Chappell, his Australian captain. Once he overslept, and showed up late for a Test match, shall we just say, (quote): " under the weather?" Ian chose not to make a big deal out of it. He only had Doug, stationed at third-man, and at both ends of the cricket ground. Walking back-and-forth he presumed, would dry-out the misbehaving batting genius, fast. Doug figured out quickly, what was going on, and so, borrowed a spectator's bicycle, and began to ride, from one end of the cricket ground to the other. "I may be
drunk," Walters might have said, "but, I'm no fool."
Speaking of which, I've not yet figured out who, I'd want to bat for my life. But, I'm leaning towards one Mr. Gordon Greenidge. "Skip," I once overheard one Mr. Desmond Haynes telling Mr. Clive Lloyd. It was late in the afternoon, on February 28, 1983, while the West Indies were playing India in the Test at Sabina Park. The West Indies were in need of quick runs, and Gordon was batting as if he did not think his team did. He was busy, (quote): "batting properly," for his eventual 42. And some members of the West Indies team on the bench, were getting restless. "Call 'im in Skip," one of them, was heard to have said. "Yu waa mi mek dem start trow bokkle Skip." another (Jamaican one), was heard asking.
"Bacchi," Clive Lloyd then said calmly, amidst the near mutiny, and summoning one Faoud Bacchus. "Do me a favour," the skipper asked. "Go out there and tell Gordon, to move it on a bit, won't yu?"
"You see Skip," Haynes then said to his captain, "you don't know Gordon. Gordon bats like that, because he thinks you're out to drop him," was Haynes take. And folks, that to me, is my type of batsman - one who never-ever, takes his position in a team, for-granted. He never feels that he has the license to, bat recklessly.
As I said, my jury is still out. But, right off the bat, one whom I'd never ask to bat for my life, is one Mr. Marlon Samuels.
Folks, I have nothing against my Fortis bredrin. But in Test cricket, a batsman has to know, that until the bails are pulled, the wolves are always on the prowl. Not because there's no rustling in the bushes, does it mean that there are no wolves around.
When men like Mr. Doug Walters made a century, to them, a duff of the `baggy-green', was enough. They re-marked their guard, and went for a double-hundred, and, even for more. To them, there was work, still to be done.
It didn't escape me, how vigorously Mr. Samuels celebrated his century in the just-concluded Test. For a moment, I feared that mid-way through it, he would have slipped his shoulder out of its socket. To Mr. Samuels, it was as if he was saying, (quote): "that is it folks. I've reached my personal landmark. To hell with my team's position." So-said-so-done. He was out the very next ball, or shortly thereafter.
On the contrary, I noticed England's young Joe Root. On reaching his milestone, his body language suggested, that, he was just getting ready, to re-plant his root.
Folks, ungratefulness is worse that witchcraft. And so, I'm hardly blaming Mr. Samuels, for the West Indies' demise. But, what if Mr. Samuels, on reaching the century landmark for the seventh time, had just undone his helmet, raised his bat, re-took his guard, knuckled down, and then, batted on? What might have been?
And to be quoted on ESPNcricinfo as saying: "The English boys don't learn, because whenever they talk to me I continue scoring runs."
Runs? What runs
