The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
The West Indies may not have made it to the World Cup final for the last 20 years, but there has been a Jamaican in the last three finals and will make his record presence felt when India take on Australia tomorrow.
Umpire Steve Bucknor, a native of Montego Bay in Jamaica, will overtake Englishman Dickie Bird's record of officiating in three World Cup finals when he stands in his 111th ODI at the Wanderers.
A fourth-wicket century partnership between left-handers Narsingh Deonarine, who hit a maiden hundred and Aneil Kanhai, highlighted a spirited batting display by West Indies ?B? on the opening day of their rescheduled Carib Beer Cup match against India ?A? yesterday.
Guyanese Deonarine and Kanhai, a Trinidadian, put on 155 in three hours as the rock-bottom West Indies Under-23 side closed on 324 for five off 88 overs before fading light stopped play after they were put in on an easy-paced Kensington Oval pitch. There were a whopping 58 extras including 46 no-balls.
As the West Indies selectors meet today to recommend a captain for the upcoming four-Test series and seven One-Day Internationals against Australia, the career of incumbent Carl Hooper hangs in the balance.
The 36-year-old Guyanese has had a love-hate relationship with Caribbean cricket fans ever since his Test debut against India at Bombay in 1987.
Sometime tomorrow, the West Indies selection panel -- Viv Richards, Joey Carew and Gordon Greenidge -- will huddle up to identify a captain for the home series against Australia. Barring a dramatic last-minute change of heart, Richards will recommend Carl Hooper retain the job and they'll all nod in approval, scribble his name on a sheet of paper and send it for the WICB rubber stamp.
It won't be a hugely popular decision. But, it will be a logical decision. Actually, Hooper is the only viable option for Sir Viv and company and if you want someone to blame for that, look no further than Mike Findlay.
The final round of the Carib Beer Cup produced a total of six centuries, the most in any round of the tournament. Centuries by Brian Lara (T&T), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Guyana) and Sherwin Campbell (Barbados) helped secure outright wins.
Stuart Williams (Leewards) also got a second innings century in a losing cause while Rawl Lewis (Windwards) and Carlton Baugh (Windies 'B') scored unbeaten hundreds for teams losing outright. All six century makers, along with Trinidadian, Andy Jackson, who scored half centuries in both innings of T&T's match, make up the batting line up for this round's All-Star team.