Of Political Trickery and W.I Cricket
Wed, May 22, '02
Let me make a disclaimer right up front. I'm cynical. Very
cynical. I equate West Indies cricket to Caribbean politics, where
our politicians have mastered the art of the four-year 'take and
give' trick. Every four years, they take with panache and style.
And just before elections, they give with an equal flamboyance and
a hint of genuine concern, style replaced with a work ethic that
would kill most normal advocates of last minute bobol.
The West Indies selectors have an unenviable job. They preside over
the remnants of a proud heritage. They are not paid. They do not
get to travel with the team and are generally on a hiding to
nothing. I have no doubt these guys are trying their best. At this
point I hope enough tears have been shed. I am barely managing to
dry my eyes as I write.
I am referring to the Three Wise Men. It must not be forgotten
that the captain and coach are also selectors. It is important to
consider this when you weigh up that with five selectors, at least
three have to agree. The captain, for example, has a very important
say, despite his public attempts to appear detached from the
process of preference.
But it is ironic that this is the point in time we need decisive
and honest people to be selectors. People who can spot gems in the
virtual dung heap. In the past there were jewels everywhere. Now,
it is no longer so.
Michael Findlay, Michael 'Joey' Carew and Joel Garner are the
current men with the dark shades. Findlay is in his second term,
Carew in either his 4th or 5th (or even more), Garner the veritable
rookie. It would be a painful exercise to dissect every selection
made, but there are some notable examples of what ails West Indies
cricket.
On a diversion, it might be useful for West Indies to invite India
to come every two years to our shores. It would guarantee regular
renaissances and surely elevate the mood of our people.
Let us examine the issues a bit closer.
Is West Indies cricket so bereft of any willing minds and bodies
that Joey Carew must serve at least four or five terms as a picker
of our young talent? We are talking more than 10 years of
one man presiding over our selectors like a plaster on a bruise
that doesn't seem to heal. I was informed that, as someone who
nurtured Lara, we should be grateful to Carew. We are all indebted
to Carew. Thank you Joey, a million times over. I personally will
buy Joey a drink if they let my woman friends into the QPO members'
pavilion. I can't travel without the pesky groupies.
Is it fair to openly wish certain players succeed more than others?
Is it fair to damage the careers of young players without an
explanation of any substance?
Let me give an example. Kerry Jeremy has been consistently
the best young bowler in the Caribbean over three seasons. Not one
season. Not two, but three full seasons worth 86 first class
wickets.
He was ignored for the West Indies training camp, the West Indies
senior team and now, the West Indies 'A' squad. The captain also
openly, and publicly, rejected him. The end explanation? Kerry
Jeremy is too slow (he is a medium pacer). Pull the other one
someone, and whilst you pull, tell me the real story.
This is the same selection panel that pushes Pedro Collins,
despite a per-wicket average in the 50s after eight tests simply
because he is a left-handed bowler. Not because he is a good bowler
in himself, but because he offers variety. In a team full of big
medium pacers, Jeremy would simply be a slightly slower medium
pacer. To openly destroy one of the few young consistent
performers in West Indies cricket smacks of misplaced arrogance.
There is a principle which is being abandoned. The selectors are
indeed sowing the seeds of disloyalty that is supposedly so rampant
among the young players.
Just recently we were treated to the tragic-comedy of Marlon
Black, proud Afro-Caribbean that he is, virtually collapsing
after bowling for a couple sessions and suffering from dehydration.
Was Black bowling pace like fyah? Au contraire, dear reader. Our
man simply isn't fit. So he is sent on the 'A' team tour to get
fit, as someone with a bright future, whist Jeremy merits the
coverage description -- SLOW. Let me be even more clear. Marlon
Black is responsible for his own fitness. For being unfit he is
'rewarded' with an 'A' team tour, whilst Jeremy is punished for
three seasons of performance for that cardinal sin. He is SLOW.
Not that this is a new phenomenon. Years ago, before a tour of
Australia, Wes Hall proclaimed in the 'Red Stripe Quarterly' that
Patterson Thompson would be the difference between winning
and losing the Frank Worrell trophy. In the end, good ole Patto was
more the difference between whether Jimmy Adams got any sleep or
not after his late night jaunts to educate the Aussie ladies on the
finer arts of his fast swinging balls.
Then we are given the spectacle of Leon Garrick. Darren
Ganga was picked and continues to hover around the senior team on
the promise of things to come. The selectors have made it clear
that they are eager to see Ganga succeed. Yet they have treated
Leon Garrick like a leper at a picnic as if the opening position is
so well stocked.
Let me again be clear: If you took performance as the main
indicator of preparedness for test cricket, Leon Garrick deserves a
fair chance. But let us assume that Garrick, who is a hothead of
sorts, has temperament issues. He has played one Test match in
comparison to Ganga's many opportunities. Where is this guide to
his consistent indiscipline?
Yet the road is conveniently always prepared for Ganga's failures.
I can see the reasoning with respect to his potential and technique
as someone who has watched Ganga from since youth cricket days, but
the selectors have shown an inability to recognise that it takes
significant sacrifice for a young man to dedicate his life to
cricket in the Caribbean. But in times like these with mas being
made and India being beaten, neither Garrick nor Jeremy is on the
fans mind. Its election time and the air is thick with handouts.
What about Robert Samuels? We have a crisis in the opening
position. We take a young Samuels to Australia after he scores a
century in his debut series vs New Zealand. In a baptism of fire,
he scores a tough 70 in the last Test at Perth against a team,
which tried every measure to get under his skin.
The result? Robert Samuels is discarded without a stated reason and
ends his Test career averaging 37 at the ripe old age of 27. The
context? There is constant mayhem in the opening slot. Don't the
West Indies fans deserve better than this?
I have no time for the regard for superior intellect and poise as
priorities for selection. In fact, it is that very same attitude
used by those who supposedly actively aided in regressing the early
days of West Indies cricket. Ganga may be smarter than Garrick. He
may be well spoken and indeed not prone to outbursts. He may be in
the mold of Phil Simmons, a perfect team man and ideal future
captain, but right now he is not more deserving of a spot in any
West Indies representative XI as an opener until Garrick has been
disproven. That opportunity they have not given.
Now Devon Smith is being 'evaluated' in line with Ganga on
the 'A' tour to England (even after the recent season and the trial
match in St Lucia they start at the same level once again). Can
anyone state categorically that they have equal paths to success?
Were Ian Bradshaw and Carl Tuckett wasting their time
playing domestic cricket when Daryl Browne could be referred
to as an all-round 'hope' to the surprise of even his club
teammates in Trinidad? If the record of the West Indies selectors
in choosing talent other than through empirical data showed any
promise, we would possibly wait for the fruit to bear, but
considering it comes a season after Dave Mohammed got
selected in the West Indies squad after a handful of first class
games and yet, one season after, could not even make the
Trinidadian team, the consistency leans in the other direction.
Consistent confusion.
Now, in this case I am being a bit unfair. Garner has indeed called
for some level of unity in selectorial purpose across the region
but, if that's the case, would Wavell Hinds be opening for Jamaica
and Garrick dropped because he is persona non grata? After all,
Hinds has a better chance of being West Indies opener than Garrick
has.
Would Jeremy be dropped for Goldwyn Prince or Tyrone Greenaway?
They are indeed fitting the new criteria. Fast.
It is quite simply unfair, and is more effective at turning away
young people from cricket than any amount of basketball courts or
football pitches. Hard work MUST be valued. And consecutive
domestic seasons of any good standard is hard work, considering how
rare it is from the young brigade and considering how the lure of
cricket pales to the options in the Caribbean.
Now, in times of lean, when the odd selection here or there will
not turn the West Indies into world beaters overnight, the effort
must be made to communicate one eternal message. Hard work is
rewarded. Complacency is not.
Yet, the opposite seems to be in effect.
I personally (and cynically) endorse the re-selection of the
current West Indies selection committee. To discuss the options now
is like discussing the option of Rohan Kanhai as coach. Seemingly
interrupting the slow (some say imperceptible) rise of our cricket.
The West Indies cricket public deserves the current committee and
will continue to do so. Very few people really care about the
average young West Indian player (hands up anyone who even bothers
to figure out how most of these guys make their livings), much less
care how they got selected. Like the man in the rum shop during
election says: "What does it matter? A or B, we are still poor."
Take what you can whilst you can and to hell with tomorrow.
Does that sound familiar?
But I hope people do not express astonishment when they hear of
cricketers showing no respect for West Indies cricket history or
greats, or being overly materialistic.
Let the renaissance begin! Or at least continue apace.
Note to self: Must Rally.
** Kenny 'Commie' Green is a West Indies fan from Dominica.
When not musing about West Indies cricket past and present, he
makes a living as an IT Director.