I watched my first cricket match of 2026 today and saw WI suffer a battering. So it is with he 20/20

cricket.

The fortune for me was that able to see having suffered a stroke in my left eye on the day the

Eagles lost their NFL game but the result was that I spent 3 days in what is still perhaps the World's Best hospital Wills Eye which is part of Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, the first hospital late 19th century that prioritized extensive study,treatment of the Total Head .

My vision, helped quite a varied lot of medication including steroid is improving beautifully and the blackness and distortions are slowly disappearing.

Anyway it is about cricket and not me.

What happened today will probably not be repeated when the Real WC starts...for one thing all teams will help each by exposing one another and it will be up to those in charge to be nuanced and use the available resources well .

The bowling was exposed and it has to improve. But I was encouraged by the top 6 in the batting order. It just means that aiming for 200 runs will have to become a minimal target.They can.

They have the ability and always wanted to see Hetty at three and Powell and Holder should not bat any lower than 6. Holder would be my preferred no 5 as strategically I always like a left=right combination at the wicket with a Tall Man being one.

Up front the Class of the batting ,the Captain Shai must be prepared to bat 18-20 overs and as is coming common teams especially on batting strips are going gung ho from the outset so the usual mindset of having power hitters down low in the order must be reconsidered. Your best batters must face the most balls

Anyhow the loss hurt because it was brutal...but when it is done by high quality player you have

to bear it and not despair .

Raise your thinking,awareness and always improve your strike rotation at every point of the innings..

I have long since ceased being a big fan of what is WI cricket and what it has become, and I have not watched or followed avidly for years. But I still do think the players/region with all it's negatives can do wonderfully...although I do not see them winning. the title....there are just too many shortcomings in vital areas.

But Good luck Sammy ,Shai and team

@hubert

@hubert

hey man, glad to see you recovering. fair comments

@hubert

Man I’m just glad to see you back.Hugs😀

recover well welcome back, Not a bad assessment, lets hope Sammy can get the combination right, and correct batting as well which is key to the momentum

@hubert

Speedy recovery Sir

@hubert

Nice to see you back. Wish you a speedy and healthy recovery.

Excellent post. To add that these conditions are nothing to what we should expect in the WC where spinners will come more into play.

@hubert

Sorry to hear about your ailment and really happy you were able to overcome and be back in the community.

Wishing for full recovery for you and please don’t rush anything.

Respeck all the time.

@hubert

Get well soon! Just learned that Cliff Hughes suffered a stroke and is hospitalized!!

@hubert

Wishing you a speedy recovery Maas Hubie.

@hubert

Happy to see you sir Hubie, did miss you and wondered. Hope your recovery will be complete

Cheers

@methodic,Chrissy,Jackssparrow,WI_cricfan,Voiceof reason,Imusic,ADFIX,CWW

Appreciate your love and concern as only Regional brethren can express..Heeding the advice

given and hopefully my recovery will progress well and WI cricket too..

Won't be posting much but will glimpse ...

Sad about Cliff Hughes...wonderful man..hope he will remain with us for a while...the back to back loss of Cat Coore and Sly Dunbar shook me up ,but what a Legacy they left behind...

@hubert

Oh wow. Great to see you. I wish you a speedy recovery!!

I never even knew that one could get a stroke in the eye!!!

@VIX

Did not know this either but once veins,especially a main one takes blood to the area

and is not functioning well...a stroke is inevitable.So it was explained to me. The key is to catch

it and get quick attention within 24 hours.

We are indeed wonderfully made..but delicate.

@hubert

So sorry to hear of your medical issue.

Happy you are recovering well and was able to see the match.

WI batting is capable of 200+ consistently.

The bowling is worrying. Not only are bowlers going for too many runs but they are also not taking wickets.

I would like to see Hosein open the bowling and hope he gets back his wicket taking ability. Lets hope the other bowlers can do the same but I am not confident of this.

@hubert

Get well mature hubert, you are missed.

@VIX

I never even knew that one could get a stroke in the eye!!!

I see why Courtesy called you stupid, that PNM education is very limited.

You are aware there are blood vessels throughout the human body ?May be not yours since you are Jackass , I have limited knowledge of veterinary indications.

A stroke  occur when blood flow to part of any human body is blocked (ischemic) or a blood vessel bursts (hemorrhagic), causing brain cells to die within. The eye is part of the human body.

Your Posting shows that you may have had a few ..sigh

Anyway… please continue. This is genuinely the funniest anatomy lesson I’ve seen all week.

@Narper

Thanks...Yes the team has to be inventive and nuanced and try to instill confidence in the bowlers,. Good fielding /catching and astute leadership with decisive moves must come to the fore.

@hubert

Good to see you, Hubert.

@sgtdjones

Thanks. ..I will do my part..have some of the USA's best on the case. I am blessed.

@hubert

Take care bro

@hubert

get well sir hope you are around for sometime yet



@VIX

Vixie my opthalmologist believes I've had more than 1 mini-strike in one eye and is surprised that it still has such good vision. On top of that last yr while mourning my Sis a blood vessel broke but caused no real problem

@Chrissy

@Ponderiver

Thanks..Was scared out of my everything as this has been my only fear .from a little kid..being blind.

@Brerzerk

Wow, ok. the idea of an eye stroke was completely foreign to me. I hope you're in good form these days.

@hubert

Glad you’re on the mend!

@hubert

My best wishes for you man. Keep getting better!

@Halliwell

@Verstehen

Thanks..I am making good progress.

@hubert

Glad to see you back with promising recovery.

Apologies on behalf of WI cricket for the customary outcome.

Take care and use appropriate supplements via food and medicine, to aide full recovery process.

Speedy Recovery Hubert. Great that you are doing well. Switch from Philly to Seattle this weekend. 😁

@hubert

Sorry to hear about your stoke but glad to hear your healing is coming along nicely.

I too feel like the team biggest drawback ia bowling but if they are able to get that in order and Hosein and Motie or Shamar hit some sort of slide teams in problems.

If we bowling first and get two early wickets I think the team will fair well.

If we batting first I feel the batting line up is critical and those guys can out uo 200 against almost any team once they rotate the strike properly.

I wasn't aware of you ailment. I do wish you a speedy recovery

Hope that you get to thoroughly enjoy this WC after all this and may our banter continue lol

.

Much love

@InHindsight

Thanks..improvement is slow and YES..Banter is an enjoyable exercise. LOL

Sir, welcome back and best wishes.

@Fivestar

What a ' welcome back '...saw some of the most awesome batting in an International contest and a Final at that by a 14 year old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for India in U19 WC vs England.

Never thought I would see a superior innings to Pooran's against Australia in same Age Group.

But as they say the longest Liver sees the most...

I don't expect to see a better one than today's and if so only for this Baby Batter to exceed his own as he has played at the higher level at IPL.

My my my.. VVS..Very Very Special more than Laxman .

Keep going ,Kid 😅

@hubert

Good to have you back, Hubert.

Take care of yourself!

@mikesiva

Doing my best...medical people have me under Joshua's heavy manners..,,for me own good 😃

@hubert

Speedy recovery to you Hubert. I understand the disappointment with the team's performances but you are a true West Indies fan once you are in this room. 😅

Comrade, best of health to you.

@hubert

Happy to hear that you’re on the mend Mass Hubie….Wishing you a speedy and full recovery bro….OG from CANA days….

@hubert

Dear Hubert I am just now reading this and delighted that you are doing well. I was traveling, but I’m not much into the Cricket these days though. I do check in with cricinfo now and again. I saw highlights of that innings by the 14-year-old awesome indeed. I think the IPL has done wonders for the development of India Cricket and they will probably dominate the game for the next 10 years.

Godspeed, my brother!

@Courtesy

Thanks my Friend..am hanging in there.

@FanAttick

Good old days,. CANA

@CricSham

Good to hear from you..we kinda in same boat..I had reduced my time on here but always try to keep fellow members with status..It's the only place I do this and am a bit concerned about some of us that are missing...anyhow hope everyone is ok..

We are truly blessed when we see exploits such as that from a 14 year old. I know I am and it will stay with me for a very long time..14 ? Has played at the highest level of Franchise t/20 ,the IPL.

I just wish he enjoys a long career as the game.

The IPL has transformed Cricket as nothing else has done and the sky really is the limit as to what the future holds.. In a decade this Youth will still be under 25.

And the way India's cricket has developed ,the talent coming to the fore at tender ages ,boggles the mind as so many teens are playing FC cricket .There may not be many like Sooryavansh ,but I would not be surprised if there are others on the same trajectory and being inspired to achieve in similar manner.

The Cricket world owes India a huge debt for all the positives .

Just hope I will be around a bit longer to enjoy the fruits of the game...the future looks great even with some distractions.

@hubert

Glad to hear of your recovery! All the best to you! Keep on batting!

@hubert

I agree. I do check -in time and again. And my brother only the good die young you and I are gonna be here for a long, long time.🙏

@hubert

Glad to hear from you Hubie, hope you're around for a while

I check in here occasionally.

@CricSham

😆 I like that

@LBW375

Thanks...Some of us do check in to assure our fellow members (Groupies) know we still vertical.

Long time no see people like Point as someone pointed out..others too.

@hubert

wishing you a full recovery sir!