by VANEISA BAKSH

NOTHING COULD SO have reinforced the impression of the entire institution of West Indies cricket being incapable of seeing the big picture.

Marlon Samuels choosing the occasion of Brian Lara's last international match to leave him so needlessly stranded was as mindless as Devon Smith's inability to allow Chris Gayle to take strike if he couldn't score.
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In reply to Vaneisa

Say something, nuh? :roll:

Arawak

In reply to Arawak Well, the fairer sex has always been known to be a tad more emotional than her male counterparts! :cry: :cry:

What legacy has Laura left for WI cricket?? Zilch.

Same pld crap from a pseudo-journalist.Like WI crikcet, I am sick of this hero worship.

what a crap shoot of an article.. :twisted: :roll:

Well said Vaneisa. This is why he is adored the world over. Ironically, this may be also why he is hated by a rabid few.

Samuels will always be remembered for his utter lack of sense of decorum and occasion, while Brian Lara will forever be remembered for bringing rapturous joy to billions around the world with his artistry on the pitch. He will also be remembered as being the best ambassador for the sport with his statemanlike demeanor and presence of mind even while some around him were as nasty as ever. to the very end, he always took the high road.

He is a much better human being than all his detractors, and that will contribute immensely to his legacy. I predict that for these reasons, the star of his legend will far surpass that of any other WI cricketer.

In reply to Zikdaman

Leff dem fools nuh. Check yuh PM.

In reply to Vijay

Vaneisa is like that... she'll write a really solid piece, and then come back the next day with nothing at all, like she's writing for deadline.

In some ways, she's like the Lara of the past few years... high scores here and there, with a lot of real low scores in between.

Arawak

In reply to Zikdaman
If, in the last two decades of watching West Indies cricket you have had moments of real joy, how often has Lara been at the centre?






utter bullshit!WI had its best days before Lara.

In reply to Ms Baksh It was even more distressing because it was obvious that he had not been selected for the England tour,

Unless you were there or were told that by somebody who was there it is not obvious at all!!!
As a matter of fact it is illogical for Brian Lara to be involved in the selection of a touring team unless the selectors had already met and named him captain.Then and only then could he be involved in team selection.
On the other hand in dealing with West Indies cricket logic does not always apply.It would however be strange that a team would be picked by an incumbent captain and no captain be named for the tour.
The reason why this nonsense and intrigue can take place is because the WICB is a secret organization rather like the MAFIA and your countryman Ken Gordon has done absolutely nothing to change that culture.As a matter of fact he seems to me to be rather skilled at the art of being absolutely FRUGAL WITH THE TRUTH!!!!!

In reply to Spectator

Seriously, when it comes to being irrational and emotional, no one is in the league of some of you haters.

Now if you want to ctritique the lady's article then kindly point out some parts you disagree with and let us know why. But this kind of gang bang that some of you are attempting to have is shameful and indicative of your less than advanced state of minds. You think cricket is a man's domain and a woman's perspective hardly belongs. Cricket really needs to purge itself of this medieval mindset or it will continue to be mired in irrelevance.

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

Now I know that you aint know crap about Cricket , your stupidity about Devon Smith being mindless in his inability to turn over the strike to Gayle is something you picked up from the Commentators .

LET ME ASK YOU THIS MS KNOW IT ALL , HOW MANY FREAKING ODI MATCHES HAD DEVON SMITH PLAYED PRIOR TO THIS INNINGS ???? .

BETTER YET HOW MANY MATCHES IN THE WORLD CUP DID HE PLAY PRIOR TO THE ONE VS ENGLAND . ????? .

My opinion is that it was incumbent on Chris Gayle to ask him to try harder to turn over the strike without surrendering his wicket , or a message should have been sent from the Players Pavillion.

YOUR MINDLESS DRIVEL FAILED TO NOT ONLY RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT SMITH WAS PLAYING IN HIS THIRD WORLD CUP MATCH , BUT THAT WHEN A TEAM HAS OVER 100 RUNS ON THE BOARD WITHOUT THE LOSS OF A WICKET , THE FOUNDATION IS LAID FOR THE MIDDLE ORDER BATSMEN TO ACCELERATE THE SCORING . ESPECIALLY SINCE THE OPENERS HAVE TAKEN THE SHINE OFF THE BALL .

If you really knew anything about Cricket you would have known that . BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU ARE PUTTING THE BLAME ON THE LOSS OF THE MATCH ON DEVON SMITH , AND THAT AINT FAIR .

Did you complain when Chanderpaul batted slowly in previous innings ????? . YOU HAVE ALSO SHOWN YOUR INSULARITY .

I would readily agree that Lara's runout could be Samuels fault particularly since the ball was hit behind Lara's back and it was Samuels call . Frankly it was an error in judgement . Unfortunately it happened on Lara's big day .

BUT YOU AND OTHERS HAVE RUSHED TO CRUCIFY SAMUELS , I DONT BELIEVE THAT HE DID IT ON PURPOSE , PERHAPS YOU AND OTHERS DO .

In essence to pin the blame on the loss of the match on Devon Smith and Marlon Samuels , in my opinion means you need to seek writing about something else BUT NOT CRICKET . YOUR INFORMATION IT SEEMS IS GLEANED FROM OTHERS , WHEN IT COMES TO CRICKET YOU DONT HAVE ANY ORIGINAL THOUGHT TO INFORM YOUR READERS .

The manner in which the other players got out you made no comment never mind to quote you their dismissals were mindless errors .

IT IS CHARLATANS LIKE YOU WHO MASQUERADE IN THE REGION AS SPORTS JOURNALISTS THAT ARE COMPLICIT IN THE SAD SORRY STATE OF WEST INDIES CRICKET . BY REFUSING TO ASK POINTED QUESTIONS TO THE WICB , REGARDING THEIR MONUMENTAL BLUNDERS , FAULTS , YOU PSEUDO SPORTS JOURNALISTS HAVE FOR DECADES AIDED & ABETTED THE WICB IN IS FAILURE TO MAKE OUR TEAM COMPETITIVE AND IMPROVE CRICKET IN THE REGION . THIS IS A FACT . AND THE EVIDENCE IS ALL AROUND FOR ALL TO SEE .

IF YOU AND OTHERS OF YOUR ILK WERE DOING A PROFESSIONAL JOB , WE WOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE TEAM DIDNT HAVE ANY FITNESS COACH , AND AS A RESULT PLAYERS WERE NOT FIT . I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT .

Hopefylly you will now realize why I refer to you Pseudo Sports Journalists as Charlatans .

In reply to Zikdaman Its an emotional article! Thats is my opinion. What is all this garbage about midieval mindset? Never said she doesn't belong in a mens sporting arena, nor should she comment on such due to her sex. :roll:

In reply to POINT

...and what are YOU doing about the problem?

Arawak

In reply to Zikdaman Ms Baksh has written some excellent articles but sadly this is a poor article.It is emotional and betrays an idolatry unbecoming of a serious journalist.I am no Marlon Samuels fan but her frontal attack on him for a temporary lapse in judgement is indicative of her emotionalism.

In reply to POINT

If Devon didn't know this himself, he has no business playing an ODI. The fact is he soaked up way too many dot balls while his compatriot was on the go. It was not a good inning.

In reply to Dukes

I rarely read Vanesia but what has she said about that run out that hasn't been said by every cricket writer on the planet.

In reply to Chrissy

Exactly.

Arawak

In reply to Dukes

Ha boy Dukes, finally someone using their smart on this MB.

When exactly was the captain to to the English tour announced? Or is it that Gordon had appointed Lara as captain without any tenure limit?

In reply to Dukes

She brilliantly summed up the feelings of millions (and I dare say billions) of fans. It was an emotional moment and she described it in a way that many could identify with. Yes she wrote this piece partly from a personal perspective, from her perspective as a FAN, but journalists do that ALL the time. I'm curious as to why she is jumped all over by these men who all of a sudden want "pure" journalism? Are you guys just uncomfortable with a woman expressing emotion toward a cricketer?

In reply to Zikdaman amongst the excuses for west indian fans that exist on this mb, u, chrissy, bourdagyal and vaneisa herself give me hope that all is not lost.
Unfortunately it is the others that continue to elect incompetent, corrupt and vindictive administrators in our region...because this old boys club still exists who neither appreciate our past or have a vision for our future.
It was a disgraceful exhibition of either sheer malevolence, no sense of occasion or the complete lack of anything between the ears, that caused samuels to cause the run out of the greatest batsman that I have ever seen live in my lifetime, on his final international appearance.

In reply to Arawak

From Misinfo

In reply to windies

Could be all three :wink:

In reply to Arawak

wackie, i've got to admit, you've been really spilling your guts here lately. kudos to you. i enjoy your opinions. you've got interesting things to say. keep contributing..i guess there's nothing to do on the backend anymore :wink:

In reply to Vijay

Lots to spill :)

Arawak

In reply to Zikdaman Lemme make a categorical statement here.
THERE IS NO WEST INDIAN MAN ON THIS MESSAGE BOARD OR INDEED ALIVE WHO HAS MORE RESPECT FOR WOMEN THAN I DO.THOSE WHO KNOW ME KNOW THE REASON FOR THAT.I can explain the reasons for that statement but would not do so on a public message board.

Did you read Basil Butcher's tribute to Sir Clyde Walcott??He talked about running out the man who was responsible for getting him his pick in the first place,the man who plucked him from obscurity.I can just imagine somebody writing an article cussing him for being an ingrate for running out his benefactor!!!!!!!
That sort of emotionalism has no place in journalism.I have seen enough of that emotionalism after September 11th in the USA and is the reason why we are in the mess we are in!!!!

In reply to Dukes

Hmmm... didn't I read you talking big on yamfoot thread about how you does "score heavily away from home"?

That is how you respect what should be the most important woman in your life?

Tell me I misunderstand that comment, please.

Arawak

In reply to Arawak

Publicizing it on this MB . AINT YOU HAPPY ABOUT THAT ???? .

I have a profession , Those who are getting paid to write in various formats mst steo up to the freaking plate . Why must I do their work particularly since they have more access than me .

All I am attempting to do is cajole , and light a fire under their behinds so that they start being what they say they are , and stop their perpetual charade .

BTW , you and I are aware that this MB has a wide Readership , including those who I disagree with , therefore in my opinion I AM DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT , WHEN I AIR MY VIEWS ON THIS MB .

In reply to POINT

Hardly useful, you are generally dismissed as a pointless lunatic with a really bad writing style.

Arawak

In reply to Arawak

Come on fella play fair...there's no reason for that sort of thing.

In reply to Larr Pullo

Dis from you? :roll: :roll:

In reply to Larr Pullo

I'm like an Aussie.. if I play fair I know I'll lose :)

Arawak

In reply to Chrissy

Why don't you shut your rass?

In reply to Zikdaman

The one constant in cricket is that Openers job is to lay a foundation for the middle order batsmen to accelerate the scoring .

I FIND IT VERY STRANGE THAT EVERYONE SEEMS TO VENT THEIR ANGER AT DEVON SMITH , BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE WHEN CHANDERPAUL SCORED SLOWLY . COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHY THAT IS THE CASE ????? .

Evidently it seems to me that you are agreeing with Vaneisa that Devon Smith was the cause of the West Indies not winning the match , if that is the case then you are as clueless as Vaneisa about Cricket .

Frankly if Smith had played a rash stroke and got out you and others would still be on the guy's back . especially since many of you are already of the opinion that he cannot bat . In essence the guy was between a rock and a hard place .

But because he made a couple runs , you and others had to find something to nitpick about and you latched on to his strike rate , no doubt because the same commentator kept repeating that like an old gramaphone record .

Lost on all of you was that he wanted Smith to play a stupid shot , so that his team could quickly make inroads into the West Indies batting .

Let me refresh your memory , THIS WAS THE 13TH ODI SMITH WAS PLAYING . IT WAS ALSO THE 3RD WORLD CUP MATCH THAT HE WAS PLAYING .

As I stated , Gayle should have asked hin if he could try turning over the strike to him faster . But perhaps his reluctance to so was I guess he figured that by doing that it could have brought about Smith's demise .

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE WEST INDIES WERE OVER 100 RUNS WITHOUT THE LOSS OF A WICKET , AND STILL THE KNOW IT ALLS ON THIS MB ARE COMPLAINING .

In reply to POINT

Wonder if the people asking Devon to turn over the strike ever considered that Gayle doesn't like running singles, which makes it a bit more difficult for his batting partner to actually figure out what would be on for Gayle?

In reply to Larr Pullo

He really wouldn't have to run many singles. After all, we saying he should have given Gayle the strike. Now how many singles you figure it would have taken for him to have given Gayle most of the strike? Think about it a little.

In reply to Arawak

At least I have been factual on the two most important and critical reasons for the sad sorry state of West Indies Cricket .

That is the fact that the WICB has done very little to make our team competitive , or improve cricket in the Region . Also the fact that they are aided and abetted by the Pseudo Sports Journalists in the Region who refuse to ask pertinent questions to the WICB .

This you and others of your ilk cannot deny . So if you dont like my writing style dont read what I write .

However you cannot deny that what I write regarding the WICB and the Charlatans isnt factual .

In essnce I am doing the job that people are getting paid to do . But you would never acknowledge that fact .

It just means that you are a very dishonest person . Ever since I joined this MB , I have been critical of the WICB and the Pseudo Sports Journailsts , If you dont like the fact that I attack them , tough . I intend doing so until I see real meaningful changes in the Structure of the governance of Cricket in the Region .

In reply to POINT

Have you?

Sorry, I hardly read most of what you write anymore since I can't get past the drivel.

Arawak

In reply to Zikdaman

What nonsense, so he would never get back on strike? Gayle would hit every ball for two four or six?

Think for a moment, and sometimes when u never played cricket its hard for you to put yourself in certain mindsets. If you're batting with a partner who doesn't run, or who doesn't back up far down the wicket, in cases where you would drop the ball on the on or offside and take off for a quick single, KNOWING that your partner is backing you up, it is more difficult to do that with a Gayle, so you have to actually pierce the infield to get the single which could be more difficult, depending on who the bowler is and how the field is set.

Considering that ALL the teams in the super 8 are better at cutting off singles than our lot and u could see where some of the difficulty lies.

So, it's not about ONE single, it's about how the overall partnership is structured.

In reply to POINT

Of course his inexplicable soaking up of all dem dot balls while his partner was in a mood put a serious damper on forward momentum. No one is asking him to hit sixes and fours. Just give Gayle the factin strike dammit. At one point int he inning, Devon had faced 80+ balls for 30 something runs while Gayle had only faced 50 something balls for twice devons runs.

Does that mek sense to you? Does that sound like an efficient distribution fo the strike?

In reply to Larr Pullo

Didin't you just tell us Gayle don't like to run singles? All of a sudden Gayle would run plenty of them now?

In reply to Zikdaman

Oh jesus! Ok I done.....


Carry on.....

In reply to Larr Pullo
sorry we forgot..samuels and gayle only attempt singles, when running out their partners

My thoughts in a nutshell. Last Saturday's Match of the Day actually had a female commentator on one of the games. Just terrible, I had to fast-forward through it. I mean, I don't mind women watching cricket, I'm not even averse to them sitting in the pavilion at Lord's, but, for pity's sake, leave the game be.

In reply to Dukes

[quote="Dukes"]your countryman Ken Gordon has done absolutely nothing to change that culture.As a matter of fact he seems to me to be rather skilled at the art of being absolutely FRUGAL WITH THE TRUTH!!!!!