Croft Must Apologise to Lara
Wed, Apr 27, '05
Former West Indies fast bowler Colin Croft has somehow been able to convince normally perceptive people at a reputable media house in T&T that his scattered thoughts, carelessly strewn on paper, are somehow worthy of publication. Over the last three weeks Mr Croft has contradicted himself as regularly as our local politicians.
It all began on April 7, 2005 with his unwarranted, stinging attack on Brian Lara?s ability to lead the West Indies. In the veins of a true simpleton, his entire argument was based on the superficial statistics inherent to the win/loss column.
It is no secret that the West Indies, under Brian Lara?s captaincy, has lost far more Test matches and ODIs than it has won. However, to use this simple fact to cast aspersions on Lara?s character, leadership qualities and commitment is not only unfair but downright ridiculous.
The fact of the matter is that Lara has captained some of the worst teams ever assembled by the WICB. This, coupled with the vast improvements made by all opposing teams in the cricketing world during the same period, account for those statistics. For example, Lara captained a team which consisted of: Sherwin Campbell, Suruj Ragoonath, Lincoln Roberts and Dave Joseph as the top order against the might of Australia, with Glen McGrath, Shane Warne, Gillespie, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor and Ian Healey. Somehow, Brian managed a 2-2 tie in what has become known as ?The Shape Up Or Ship Out series.?
During his tenure, Lara has captained approximately 52 different players at different times. Players of questionable competence, ability, mental strength and character. Conversely Clive Lloyd was privileged enough to only captain approximately 20 players during the period of his captaincy from 1976 to 1985.
At this juncture, I wonder if the volatile, hungry for success, intense Croft would have even allowed himself to play alongside the ?Lara? players or would he have retired from the international game to protect himself from obvious humiliation.
Furthermore, the mental capacity and educational levels of the ?Lloyd? players was incredibly high. Croft is a qualified pilot, Holding is a graduate of UWI, Deryck Murray not only formed the player?s association but is also a financial consultant, Andy Roberts is the Chief Personnel Office of one of the largest most, successful fishing companies in Antigua, Gordon Greenidge was selected as the Technical Director of Bangladesh Cricket where he helped them to qualify for their first-ever World Cup and laid the foundation for attaining Test status, while Malcolm Marshall was selected to create and develop provincial cricket in South Africa.
I now challenge my readers to add up the cumulative ?O? level passes of the Lara players.
Furthermore, during the period of Lara?s captaincy, players have been changed, coaches have been changed, physiotherapists, trainers, psychologists, venues and even sponsors have been frequently replaced; yet, the WICB for all intents and purposes remains intact. The irony is that the major culprit responsible for the demise and capitulation of West Indies cricket has ensured his job security through constitutional protection.
Regardless of abject incompetence, total failure, lack of imagination, financial mis-management, disrespect of players and insensitivity towards the paying public the Board has and shall continue to remain unscathed. In a region fraught with underachievers, the Board stands out as a shining example of stupidity. The WICB can be used as a case study in the Caribbean region to teach our children to do their endeavour best not to emulate this cast of characters.
However, I digress. Let me get back to Mr Croft. On Thursday April 14, following Lara?s awesome display of passion, determination, athletic prowess, class and testicular fortitude, Croft wrote ?Mr Magnificent.?
In that article, Croft stated, ?When Lara has finished playing cricket, he maybe could try to be the first President of the Caribbean.?
Now, surely, the major personal characteristics of an individual aspiring and qualifying for this esteemed fictional office must include: an ability to motivate and inspire people, an open mind, he or she must be a decision maker, an exemplar, a team player, and should posses a never-say-die attitude, while bearing a media savvy and willing to fight for the rights of those who are unable to fight for themselves. In other words ? A TRUE LEADER!
Are these qualities not identical to those required to lead the West Indies. Yet, only one short week earlier Colin Croft had concocted a column which espoused the position that Lara was totally unsuitable to lead the West Indies. In fact he described him as a ?dismal failure? in this regard. Spalkspeople, can anyone shout?Senility!
Fast-forward to Thursday April 21, and now Croft writes, ?More Tears to Come.? In that piece he stated ?The bowling attack that the West Indies now has is the worst that the team has had since maybe 1970.?
I am in total agreement with him on that point. However, this bowling attack has been more or less the same (if not worse) since the retirement of Courtney Walsh and Curtley Ambrose. Therefore, Lara during the majority of his tenure as captain has been forced to oversee this paltry attack.
Croft states further: ?In order to win any Test, one team has to take 20 wickets, by some means, of the other team. There is simply no other way.? Again, I wholeheartedly concur with Croft.
Colin, from your own words, you now owe Lara a public apology. If you are half the man you claim to be, I am sure you will swallow your false pride and apologise, lest you lose the remainder of your already shattered credibility.
Let me summarise my argument in philosophical prose as follows:
Premise: Colin Croft believes Brian Lara should be fired as captain.
Assumptions: 1) Croft says, a team cannot win a Test without bowlers possessing the ability to take 20 wickets.
Colin Croft says, the present bowling attack is the worst in 35 years.
The bowling attack, in potency (though not names) has remained the same since the retirement of Walsh and Ambrose.
This period demarcates the majority of Lara?s tenure as captain and consequent losses. Croft says that Lara possesses the qualities necessary to become the first ?Fictional President of the Caribbean.?
Conclusion: Colin Croft is clueless as to what he is talking about and must apologise to Brian Charles Lara.
* This column appears by special arrangement with the Trinidad Guardian.