The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
As I end my term as Chairman of the West Indies Cricket Board's
selection committee, I am delighted by West Indies' 2-1 victory
over India in the 2002 Cable & Wireless Test Series.
Most of all, I am encouraged by indications that many of the young
talented cricketers in whom we have invested are beginning to show
signs that indicate that they will emerge as the core unit of the
revival of an exciting and bright future for West Indies
cricket.
Leg spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo has resumed training after being
passed fit to do so by Trinidadian doctor Terry Alli and wants to
be considered for upcoming Test series against New Zealand,
according to a report in Guyana's Stabroek News.
In an exclusive interview with Sean Devers, the 26-year-old
Nagamootoo announced he was back to full fitness and has resumed
training after returning home from Trinidad, where he was
recupering from an auto accident that ruled out of the Test and ODI
series against India.
Realistically by 4.30 p.m., there was no hope for a win in the
final One-Day International between the West Indies and India.
Favourable conditions were already eroded by a rain-affected total,
which left the West Indies to score 248 in 44 overs at 5.63 runs an
over (although the Indians had scored their 260 at 5.2).
Then openers Wavell Hinds and Chris Gayle went cheaply and quickly
before Ramnaresh Sarwan and Brian Lara came together; but they did
little to meet the required run rate, and though they scored some
runs, the rate climbed to seven-plus and stayed there throughout
the innings. Neither batsman opened up the way the near-capacity
crowd kept expecting them to, and by the time they departed,
followed closely by skipper Carl Hooper, the festive air had
slumped into the doldrums. Then came Shiv...
Back in May, when the pay-per-view Webcast venture was announced
for the Test and ODI series between West Indies and India, the
editors of CaribbeanCricket.com requested an interview with
Wisden.com executive Jamie Clifford to discuss the business end of
the streaming broadcasts.
His simple but upbeat response was: "Do get in touch - I can help
you out." So, we tested the Webcast service during the Test series
and then hammered out a few questions, asking basic stuff about the
service and the business structure. It appears (and this is just a
guess) that our questions weren't exactly the pooh-pooh variety
they expected. To date, despite numerous e-mails, Mr Clifford has
been virtually incommunicado. As a service to our readers,
CaribbeanCricket will now republish the list of questions submitted
to Wisden.com:
FORMER West Indies off-spinner and current coach of the regional
team, Roger Harper, said that each territory should have its own
cricket academy. And in doing so, they will be able to produce more
cricketers for the West Indies team.
Harper was present at the official opening ceremony of the Sir
Frank Worrell Cricket Development Centre at Balmain in Central
Trinidad. He said that the idea and the whole concept of
development centres in the region is terrific.