I agree with the president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) Azim Bassarath that the cricket clubs hold the key to better performances. The stronger the clubs, the better the representative national team. And TT has had no success since 2006, in that most important and vital part of cricket by which first-class cricket is judged and West Indies representative teams are chosen.
“Strong clubs build strong competitions,and strong competitions build strong national teams.” This was the message he sent out to the clubs. Thus, he’s urging stronger structures to rebuild national cricket. This, of course, is much easier said than done. However, it is good of him to recognise that fact eventually, after fifteen years as president.
Though all his points are valid, they are not easy to come by. The type of planning that is necessary, while theoretically very good ideas, doesn't just fall into the lap of club administrators. I’ll dissect some of the points that the president mentioned in his address at the TTCB premiership awards ceremony recently.
Despite finding themselves on the losing end of yet another Test result, the West Indies concluded their two-match series against India with a bandaged ego. The product of a heartening second-innings batting display in the second Test. Which ironically came while being forced to follow on in Delhi.
Captain Roston Chase wants the second innings to be a catalyst for his team on their journey to become competitive in the format. “This is the kind of fight that I wanted to see from us before,” he said. “I think this is a stepping stone for us to go forward and improve as a test-playing nation.”
While hosts India needed an additional 58 runs for victory entering Tuesday’s final day, the Caribbean side kept them at bay for 17.2 overs, prising two wickets in the process. An encouragement for the skipper. Chase insists, “Even if it's for us to lose, we have to lose in a good way, where we can have a lot of positives coming out of the game.”
Ahead of Monday’s Day 3 of the second game against India in Delhi, the West Indies hadn’t batted 90 overs in seven Tests. They also had no centurion in the format this year. However, a 177-run third-wicket partnership between John Campbell and Shai Hope went a long way in helping the Caribbean side occupy the crease for 118.5 overs in their second innings.
Both batsmen scored tons in the process, and the idea was simple enough, according to Campbell. “Shai and I just wanted to bat as long as possible,” he said. “That was always the plan.” On a pitch players from both teams agree has been good for batting, the pair stayed together for 49.1 overs.
“The hardest thing on [this] wicket is to [get a] start. So we wanted to fight hard for a start, and when we got it, we tried to take it as deep as possible.” Despite a potentially match-defining period where the visitors lost 6 wickets for 40 runs, they still managed to erase the 97-run deficit with which they entered the day.
Having set India 121 runs for victory in the second Test in Delhi, the West Indies were only able to prise one wicket before stumps on Day 4, with the hosts needing an additional 58 runs to complete a 2-0 series win.
John Campbell (115) and Shai Hope (103) converted their overnight scores to bring up centuries earlier in the day’s play. Campbell, who started the day on 87, got to his maiden Test ton with an audacious slog-sweep six within an hour of the morning session.
The left-hander said, "I can't put the feeling of getting a ton in words. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to describe it. [But I’m] glad to have contributed in the second innings.”
John Campbell and Shai Hope fashioned an admirable fightback for the West Indies in the form of a 138-run unbroken third-wicket stand after hosts India enforced the follow-on on Day 3 of the 2nd Test in Delhi.
Windies spinner Khary Pierre insists there is plenty left in the wicket for the batters. “It's about application. This is the first time we have been able to win a session in the two Test matches so far,” he said.
Campbell’s career-best 87* alongside Hope’s 66* pushed the Caribbean side to 173/2 at stumps, still needing another 97 runs to make India bat again. Tagenarine Chanderpaul (10) and Alick Athanaze (7) were earlier dismissed cheaply.
