Junior Murray Unplugged
Sun, May 1, '05
Even after a long day of cricket, his 'Ab Wheel' could be seen lying outside of the gears bag ? clear evidence that it had recently been in use, which he confirmed. Junior Murray admits that he is as addicted to fitness as he is to cricket. His continued commitment to cricket has resulted in good performances in the regional tournaments with both bat and gloves. This earned him a recall for the 2002 home series.
To all those watching the first two Tests, it appeared as if stage fright may have got the better of him. The result was that he was discarded, this time it seemed for good. Or was it?
Is he working towards a recall? Was he treated fairly by the selectors? Should a wicket-keeper be lithe and nimble or bulky and cumbersome? What's the story behind his bodybuilder physique? The 'veteran' wicketkeeper responds and also weighs in on the current dispute between the WICB and WIPA. Having been involved in a previous player impasse in 1998, the Grenadian wicketkeeper gives readers an insight into that famous Heathrow standoff involving Brian Lara and Carl Hooper.
You're 37 now and still going strong. What has made you remain enthusiastic about cricket, even after being discarded by the West Indies selectors?
The reason for being so much involved in cricket is the love of the sport, the passion behind it and I just love the game. I love playing it so I think I'll probably play as long as I have health and strength.
After a prolific First Class season in 2002, where you scored the third highest runs with four centuries and took the most catches, you were recalled for the series against India. What was your feeling at the time about the recall?
To be honest, it was a shock. Ridley was playing and I was just enjoying my 2002 season and it happened that I got four centuries and I think once you score runs, the selectors will look at you and they gave me another chance.
How did you prepare yourself mentally?
I did what I was accustomed doing, do my fitness work. I think once you are fit, I think everything comes in.
Specifically, how did you prepare your mind? You get a shock to the system, how do you prepare for it?
A lot of visualization, probably visualizing the game being out there, back in Test cricket again. I think that was the main key.
Had you been working towards a recall?
No, at that stage I was just enjoying my cricket. I told myself that probably the selectors forgot about me so just go ahead and enjoy my cricket. I'm a person that loves to perform and it just so happened that I got a couple of centuries and did the job behind the stumps so my name was spelt again so I think once you keep doing that, the selectors will probably keep looking at you.
How did it feel to be back with the other players in camp?
It was a bit strange you know, because I was out of it for a while, from 1999 and getting back into the big things, but I kind of fit in. It was guys that I know all the time so I just fit in and do what I'm accustomed doing. It's another game of cricket but just a different level.
Compare the atmosphere in 2002 with when you were last in the team in South Africa in early 1999?
The environment was still there, just the same, probably a bunch of younger guys than me, they were all striving to do well.
Everyone wants to know this. What happened?
I think I put a lot of pressure on myself with the bat. Being in the nets, batting in the nets, I was a bit more relaxed and when I went out into the middle in the actual game, I just don't know what happened. Things just went haywire. I was leg before on a number of occasions.
I think I just put too much pressure on myself, wanting to do well you know, just came from a First Class season where I scored so many runs and I just wanted to do well. I think if I relaxed a bit I think probably it might have flowed a lot better.
Do you think if you got more than two Tests you would have been able to relax more?
Yes, I think so, I think so. I think I didn't really get a chance to really go out there and show my ability with my bat because I think I kept pretty OK in the two test matches. The selectors did their job and I was left out.
That tour in 1999 was an ill-fated one from even before a ball was bowled. Readers want to know the events leading up to that player standoff in London. Help them to understand what happened.
From Grenada I flew up to England and when I got to England I heard all the 'comesse', as we say in local terms about the Board and selectors and money and whatever, so I was just like a fish out of water, I just had to sit there in England and wait on the guys, I think the team was in Bangladesh at the time. Lara and Hooper were captain and vice captain. We got a phone call that said 'do not move'. We just had to sit there and wait until the guys came along. If the captain and the vice captain tell me not to move, I think I have to obey so we were just sitting and waiting. Then they came and then there were a lot of meetings, meetings, and at the end of the day, we still had to go.
Did you agree with the action taken?
I didn't really have a choice you know. I just went with it. We had a vote, who want to go, who want to go, so I went with the majority.
So everybody voted to stay?
No. Some voted to stay, some voted to go. I think the majority wanted to go to South Africa and then the captain came and said that we had to go on the tour so I think to me it was just a waste of time being in England and at the end of the day he still came and said that we have to go.
How do you think the off-the-field events affected the team's performance on the field once you got to South Africa?
I think we had a good thing in South Africa. I think what happened in England, what happened off the field, didn't really affect the guys. I think we probably just...
[Interrupting] 5-0?
Yeah, I think we just played bad cricket. I think South Africa was a better team on the day, to me I think that was the main thing. We were keen to play cricket, we wanted to play cricket and it just didn't go our way.
How did it affect your personal performance?
Well it didn't really affect me. I wanted to play cricket, I wanted to go on the tour, I wanted to play. When I got my chance I took it. I think I had a couple good scores down there. I wasn't really keeping at the time; I was in the outfield sometimes so I think it wasn't a bad tour.
You played two tests in the South Africa tour and then Ridley Jacobs took over and that was it for you. What do you think made Ridley the preferred choice?
No, I think Ridley started. I played two Tests but not as a 'keeper. Yeah, I played two Tests but I think I opened in the two Test matches. I was in the outfield. Ridley was doing all the keeping, so I really never kept on that tour, I was just in the outfield.
So was that a sign for you that Ridley was going to be the preferred choice?
It was both of us at the time and whoever got his chance first took it. He got the chance and he took it and he never looked back from there on. Probably if I had gotten the chance too I would have grabbed it with both hands too.
There was a time when you didn't keep in ODIs, Jimmy Adams used to keep. In addition, you were used interchangeably with Courtney Browne and Ridley Jacobs throughout your career, and some people think that you weren't given a long enough run to prove your worth. How do you respond to that?
I think so. I think I didn't really get a fair chance. If you look at some of the guys, some of the guys get chance after chance after chance but I think probably some of us don't really have that luck. Once we get a chance and we fail I think that's it for us, and you can still see it happening, so probably it's something that those in authorities can look into. Give the guys a chance, a fair run. You can't give a guy two games and drop him. I don't think that's fair enough on the player.
You're known as a hard hitting batsman, and you got the opportunity to open the innings in some of the ODIs. How did that come about?
I could remember it happened in Australia when Courtney Walsh was captain and things weren't really going good for us on the tour. We were losing a couple of games and stuff and they asked me if I wanted to open and I think Courtney gave me the right of way to go out there and enjoy myself. We wanted some quick runs at the top of the order so I took it, did my thing and it worked. I think at the end of the day it paid off well for the team and from then on we began to be on top again against the Australians.
Which position do you most like to bat?
Regionally playing for the Windward Islands, I prefer to open or bat number five. For the West Indies probably I wouldn't have the choice but to bat at number seven or if they give me the chance to open I will take it.
Your batting average is better than Courtney Browne's and he got a recall last year. What do you think should be the more important criterion for selection ? batting or keeping ability?
Well I think it's keeping but I think in this modern day era, a keeper has to make runs. So I think once the keeper is batting pretty ok I think he will get a nod based on what is happening in this era now.
How would you rate your wicket-keeping skills against the other recently used 'keepers?
I'm a person who don't really blow my own trumpet. I let someone blow it for me, so I wouldn't really answer that question.
You've always been very dedicated to fitness and during your career you added quite a bit of muscle to those bones. Many feel that wicketkeepers should be lithe and nimble, not bulky and cumbersome. Agree or disagree?
Well I disagree to that because I think muscles helps a lot, especially for 'keeping. There's a lot of bending; your back has to be strong; your legs have to be strong. For me, I just love the gym, I love to look good, in a sense. I just love the gym. It pays off for me, probably that's what has kept me going so long in my career.
How else has it helped your game?
I think if you're using a muscle every day, at a certain time it will wear out so I think if you keep strengthening it all the time it will prolong your career.
You've played First Class cricket for the Windwards for many many years. Do you have an idea of how much longer you would like to continue for?
Yes, from 1988 until now. I don't really have an idea you know but as long as the body is able to do the job and the mind is focussed and in good health, I think I can play for as long as possible. I think that in the West Indies once a guy reaches 30 we tend to want to discard him but I think that's a bad ploy. If a guy can be 35, 36 or 37 and doing the job and doing it to the best of his ability and he is producing, I think you should give him the chance to keep playing.
The longer you play means less opportunity for another 'keeper to be developed. Wayne Phillip was one of those waiting in the wings and it is felt that you kept him out. How do you respond to that?
No I wouldn't say I kept him out. I was keeping and producing. I think that probably sometimes you have to wait your turn. I think that some of the young guys these days don't like to work hard. They want everything on a platter and once it's not on a platter for them they just give up. I think hard work is the most important thing. I had to wait. There were guys before me. I never gave up. I keep working, working and I got my chance and I took it.
There's now Lyndon James who plays when you're injured. Do you think that the selectors should start using somebody like him for a few games, while you play as a batsman?
I think that was always in the air. I think that's up to the selectors. That's not a problem. I could go for that.
How are you mentoring him?
We chat all the time. He's my roommate all the time when he's on the team. We talk a lot of cricket. We both work on our game, wherever I'm weak he helps me, wherever he's weak I help him and we just keep helping each other.
What do you think are the major problems in Windwards cricket?
I think it's commitment. I think that most of the guys take it too easy. I think the passion and the pride is not there. If you look at the other teams playing, the way they play and fight for their country. I think we just take things too easy. We depend on others. For instance in our team, if Devon [Smith] doesn't make any runs, most of the guys heads drop. Whenever Devon makes runs we do well, whenever Devon doesn't we just fall away.
I think the guys definitely need to pick up the mantle sometimes. If Devon fails, I think some of the guys need to pick up the mantle and be on the big stage themselves, make a name for themselves.
Do you think each island should go its separate way?
No I don't think so. I don' think it would help. I think probably some of the islands would be too weak. No I don't think it's a good idea.
How would you fix it if you were in administration?
Play more cricket in the Windward Islands. I don't think we have much cricket down there. I think they need to look after the players better.
In what respect?
In all aspects. The way the team prepares, all those things. If we have to go to a camp, they might just bring the team a week, two, four days before the tournament starts. That wouldn't help so I think they need to look into that. Take more pride in the players, I think they take the players for granted as I said before. It's us going to do the job so if we are not looked after properly, I think we'll just fade away down the road.
There has been the suggestion made that weaker teams should be allowed to recruit players from other territories. What's your view on that?
Richie Richardson played for us a couple years ago. I think it would be a good idea, probably get more competitive cricket. Some of the islands like Jamaica and Barbados have a lot of players that are just sitting there waiting their turn and probably they can come and help the weaker teams. I think it's a good idea, if it's possible.
Think about if you could get a player like Xavier Marshall.
Yes, I know. He's there just sitting waiting on his turn.
What are your thoughts on the current dispute between the WICB and the players?
Well I wouldn't say much on that, I wouldn't say much on that. I'll just let the two big telecommunications people fight their business and think about the upcoming series and put the best team out there to play, whatever happens.
Was there ever a time while you were playing for the West Indies that the relationship between the two could have been described as healthy?
I think so. I think when I just came into the team in 1992/3 I think we had a good rapport. It mightn't have been very very good, but it was much better than now. I think so. A lot of emphasis now is on the money issue and I think we should go out there and play the cricket first. It seems to me like cricket now is a business.
When I played before, the passion for the game, with guys like Dessie and Gus Logie and Richie and those guys, I think the passion for the game was there. We weren't really studying the money issue, just go out there and win for the West Indies and whatever happened we tried to go in there and win at all costs.
During you career, you played under four captains ? Richie Richardson, Courtney Walsh, Brian Lara and Carl Hooper. Which do you think was the best captain in terms of how he related to the players? I suppose I am also asking you which one of them provided the most comfortable environment for the players?
I think Courtney was a good captain, Richie?.It's a tough question to answer. Those three guys, Hooper, the guys made the players comfortable, looked out for the players and everything so I think to pick one out of those players would be a hard choice.
Is Brian as bad as people make him out to be?
Well I wouldn't say much on that. I keep that to myself.
You were on the tour of England when Brian Lara was said to have been very disrespectful to the captain at the time. What did you think about that incident?
All I could say is, I think if it was any other player, they would have been out for good but I think Brian was our leading player at the time so I think the management committee decided to do whatever they did, asking him to apologize and brought him back into the squad. But I think if it was someone else, they would have been sent back home.
Generally, how did you enjoy your days as a West Indian cricketer?
I enjoyed it you know. It came along at a time when I was on my first tour 1992/3 in Australia. I never thought I would have been playing Test cricket. I was on the tour but I never thought I would have got my chance at that time. It was a good experience for me. It helped me a lot in my personal life, cricket on a whole, so I really enjoyed the time and I'm still enjoying the cricket but sometimes you miss the bigger league, the Test cricket and One Day Internationals. I think I had a good time and I enjoyed every moment of it.
There is the perception that players other than those from Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and Guyana have to work extra hard to first, get noticed by the selectors, and two, maintain their place. What's your opinion of that?
Well I think that's true. I think that's 100% true. We don't really get a fair chance in the islands. I think once we get a chance and we fail, bam, we gone out. And if you have to score runs, you gotta score runs ten times more than the guys in the bigger islands. I think that is true and I will stick with that.
Devon Smith, a fellow Grenadian, is probably the most recent example that may support that view. How have you been involved with Devon over the years?
When I first saw him, I thought he was a good little talent and I took him under my wings and tried to help him along the way. He's a complete opening batsman, not because he's from Grenada, but from what I've seen around so far I think he's the most complete opening batsman. I think his technique is good and whenever he needs a bit of advice he comes to me, like a son, and I help him along. I might even go and bowl some balls to him. I think he's a good guy and once he keeps making runs, he's going to be there for a while.
What support did you provide for him after he was dropped during the tour of England last year?
Once they drop you, something has to be wrong so we went back into the nets and worked on some of his weaknesses, help him along.
You're like his coach?
Not really his coach, but I'm a guy who, I love to help people and if I get a chance to throw some balls for him, or bowl some balls for him I'll do it. He's my good buddy. I want to see him do well. He's a young guy, he might get dropped and he might just mess up his head so I've gotta talk to him, tell him to keep going, what's for you is for you, you can't just give up just so. You gotta go back to the drawing board and keep scoring runs. Once you keep scoring runs the selectors wouldn't have a choice but to pick you. Runs is a habit. You've got to just keep scoring runs when you get the chance, keep scoring big runs and it's paying off for him.
Have you been able to transfer your love of fitness to him?
Yes, I think he's a fitness freak himself, he goes to the gym a lot, keeping himself strong. If you look at him you can see he's a bit on the muscular side too. His love for fitness is good and once you keep yourself fit, healthy and strong you're going to be there for a while.
Apart from representing the Windwards in the regional competitions, where else do you play cricket now?
I play cricket in England for Lashings. I go up to England in the summer time. Nice relaxing cricket with some of the past Test players like Richie Richardson, Stuart Williams and Sherwin Campbell, we all go up there and play for Lashings during the summer time. It's nice and relaxing, no pressure cricket. You just go and enjoy yourself.
Any plans to do a coaching course?
I was thinking about it. My career is coming to an end now so I think I will do it. I was talking to Mr Alfred Bynoe from St Vincent, so I will probably think about doing that because I do some work with the Ministry of Sports, go around with the kids and schools and try and help them along with their cricket.
Have you thought about life after cricket?
Yes. Life after cricket goes on. I'll probably get into something that I love. You know I always think that cricket has done a lot for me so I always think I want to give back something along the lines where cricket is concerned. It helped me a lot in my personal life, to be disciplined, to be strong and I think I can give back something to the kids and to the young people coming up.
