Moments of Truth
It was the kind of score expected from a minnow team: 85 all out.Despite comparisons with the poor start at the Iternational Cricket Council Champions Trophy in 2004 that still led to victory, and despite captain Brian Lara's earlier comments that the team would start slow and build up during the tournament, it was an ominous sign for West Indian chances at taking the Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007.
Speaking after the practice match, Lara's ire was barely contained, suggesting there was something amiss within the team in terms of attitude. All along, commentators' concern had focused on weak bowling; the display last Friday revealed much more to worry about. The real weakness seems not in either batting or bowling, but in mental fortitude. Maybe it isn't even a matter of courage and strength, perhaps we might be seeing a disgruntled team; who knows?
Michael Holding recently remarked that this team does not call so much for better training, equipment and facilities as it does for money. Is there something of that in the bitter brew? What made me wonder most was Lara's frustrated tone at what he called their chronic collapse. It must have been horribly upsetting, especially to be the host nation producing almost the lowest score in a tournament that has been criticised for allowing too many minnows into the mix.
Commenting on it, I made a comparison with the Olympic Games and unfortunately distracted attention to its qualification process, when I was pointing to the intention to allow widest participation. CWC does have its own version of a qualifying round, but the point I was trying to make was that a balance had to be found between the cost and logistics of organising such an event and contributing to the exposure and development of the game.
As far as quality goes, save for Bermuda, the minnows haven't been doing too badly, and if disqualifications were to come from practice matches, we might not have even got past yesterday's opening ceremony. Certainly, Ireland and Bangladesh have been more exciting competitors.
The first match then against Pakistan assumes great significance for the West Indian psyche. It cannot be denied that the response thus far has not been particularly enthusiastic. Costs and restrictions have contributed to tepid attendances, but hopefully as the tournament actually gets under way, the excitement will grow.
In Trinidad, the Local Organising Committee has to be commended for good service to patrons. Volunteers have been outstanding ambassadors in their efficiency, knowledge and courtesy. True, there have been some hiccups, like falling sightscreens and tents, and re-routed tickets that left patrons angry; but the LOC worked hard to correct these glitches as quickly as possible.
What was terrible for T&T's tourism thrust was the deliberate fire at the teams' hotel, and the discovery of a tear gas canister at the site. This was compounded by the break-in and theft reported at the UWI ground. T&T might be better off redefining its tourism branding to the wild west of the Caribbean!
Other territories have had their hiccups too. Jamaica's seat-less state just a few days ago, and the rush of last-minute preparations (common to all venues), prompted the irritated Gleaner to say: "These traits may be endearing on tourist posters and in the dreamland of idyllic lives lived on beaches under coconut palms – a sort of modern-day species of hunter-gatherers."
This is an aspect of Caribbean life that will come under scrutiny through this World Cup. As the event unfolds, it brings us face to face with the consequences of this mentality.
The idea of being branded as a backward, simple people with no cares or concerns but to entertain tourists with vacant smiles is repulsive to many, but still convenient to certain market strategies. At the end, we may yet discover our identity, as real, modern people or posters for an outsider's paradise.