The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
I am at a loss to understand the furore about four players walking over to the Mound at Sabina Park after the West Indies atrocious performance on Sunday.
Let me make it clear that I am not a party stand supporter, but if people want to party and if the WICB sanctions Party Stands in our grounds, then we are making a mountain out of a mound.
(Jamaica Gleaner)
West Indies team manager Ricky Skerritt expressed surprise at allegations that several members of the team were partying until close to 4:00 a.m. on Sunday morning.
That was just hours before being blown away for a record low 47 runs later that morning in the second innings of the first Test against England at Sabina Park. "Players were seen out partying last night? ... Do we have evidence of that?" he queried when asked to comment on the situation.
The first Test match of this series will be remembered for the catastrophic West Indies batting collapse in the second innings and the subsequent public 'apology' to the fans. But, before all that, this was shaping up to be quite a match.
And, yes, there were some positive signs. In Devon Smith and Ryan Hinds, two of the more junior batsmen showed up for the occasion and Tino Best and Fidel Edwards gave a hint of what could be in the fast bowling department. But, unfortunately for West Indian fans, the seniors were largely invisible, and it shows in my first Test report card...
MICHELLE MCDONALD continues her introduction of West Indies fast bowler Tino Best
Best recovered, and in only nine weeks. Soon he was playing again. One match he participated in was Fred Ramsey?s Pro-Am tournament in 2001 and his team mates included Gavin Hamilton from Scotland, Gary Harrison, and Ed Gittens from England and they said to him ?Damn mate, you?ve got some wheels!? Best laughed at these pronouncements of his ability. Now it was time for Barbados to include him in their trials for the 2002 Busta Cup regional tournament.
Already down in the dumps after Sunday's disastrous 10-wicket loss in the first Test against England, the West Indies will head into the Trinidad Test on Friday without one of its main bowling weapons.
According to information reaching CaribbeanCricket.com, fast bowler Fidel Edwards has been ruled out of the second Test with a back injury and there are fears in the West Indies camp that he could be lost for much longer.