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A Jamaican Memory of the Legendary Colin Croft

 
Slipfeeler 2023-03-16 17:28:55 

The following is an excerpt from a Former Western Jamaican Sports Executive:

WEST INDIES CRICKET PLAYS AT JARRETT PARK MONTEGO BAY.
I REMEMBER DRIVING COLIN CROFT WEST INDIES FAST BOWLER FROM BEACH VIEW HOTEL TO JARRETT PARK. 5 PLAYERS WERE ASSIGN TO ME.
I REMEMBER I WAS ALSO A PART OF THE COMMITTEE WHEN WEST INDIES CLIVE LLOYD CAPTAIN THE PRESIDENTS CUP AND AFTER THAT GAME CAPTAIN THE WEST INDIES CRICKET TEAM.

Back in the day when you are in sports, we covers all area.
There were Cricket at Jarrett Park so board members have different roles. Mine were to pick up some of the West Indies players and take them to Jarrett Park. They were staying at the Beach View Hotel right across from Doctor Cave Beach after the players have their breakfast. I picked up Colin Croft and other players. Colin Croft former West Indies player ask me if he can get a burger for him, I tell him yes Pelican Grill was a block are two away Pelican was busy so it takes awhile to get the burger. I arrive at the Guild Club at Jarrett Park the manager rushes out from the building ask what was the delay Colin Croft says he stops to get a burger the manager was livid he gets at Colin Croft and was upset that Colin Croft hold up the meeting before match. He was a tall man. The rest is history I watched Colin croft playing West Indies cricket he was great and I knew him personally, was a wonderful person to talk with…
I love the sport of cricket…

 
jacksprat 2023-03-16 17:45:51 

My God, which "former sports Executive" wrote this:

There were Cricket at Jarrett Park


I tell him yes Pelican Grill was a block are two away


5 PLAYERS WERE ASSIGN TO ME.


Mine were to pick up some of the West Indies players


rolleyes rolleyes

 
Slipfeeler 2023-03-16 17:46:34 

In reply to jacksprat

Ole school
big grin big grin big grin

 
Slipfeeler 2023-03-16 22:18:36 

On March 4, 1977 Colin Croft demolished Pakistan with a demonstration of mean, hostile fast bowling. Abhishek Mukherjee looks back at the best bowling figures by a fast bowler in the history of West Indies cricket with 8 wickets for 29 runs.

With spearheads like Michael Holding out with injury, West Indies were forced to include two new faces for the first Test at Bridgetown against Pakistan. Both of them bowled well in a Test that West Indies somehow managed to save; a single wicket had saved them from losing the Test.

The two fast bowlers managed to impress the selectors. Joel Garner was very tall, could extract bounce off a good length, and had picked up 6 wickets in the Test. The other, Colin Croft, was not as tall, but was faster, and had already earned a reputation for being mean and ruthless with the ball. Both Garner and Croft bowled fairly accurately as well.

Both of them were selected for the second Test at Port-of-Spain. With Vanburn Holder also out nursing an injury, Croft and Garner were expected to support the senior Andy Roberts.

Mushtaq Mohammad decided to bat, and as Majid Khan went out to open batting with the captain’s younger brother Sadiq, no one knew what was in store for them.

Before he could score a single run, Sadiq was hit on the forearm by a brute of a delivery from Croft that rose steeply from a good length. Croft looked menacing, and he was already bowling a yard or two quicker than his senior partner. His hostile pace, bounce, accuracy, and ability to dart the ball in and then move it away had the hapless Pakistanis in disarray.

As the ball moved away at an astounding pace, Croft made quick inroads in the Pakistan line-up. Haroon Rasheed and Mushtaq were caught in the slips, while Asif Iqbal was caught behind for a duck. Suddenly Pakistan were 21 for 3 (with Sadiq retired hurt).

 
Dukes 2023-03-16 22:25:57 

In reply to jacksprat

That fella sounds like he was 12 years old at the time!!!!!!

lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

 
Chrissy 2023-03-17 01:42:59 

In reply to jacksprat

A supporter of the BHW.

 
Slipfeeler 2023-03-17 01:56:51 

The exuberance of an old timer and life-time West Indian fan, who met one of his favourite West Indies player.
big grin big grin big grin big grin

 
Slipfeeler 2023-03-17 02:10:01 

Actually, Jarrett Park was usually the venue for many Presidents XI matches in Jamaica and it is located basically across the street from my Primary school. So, as a youngster back in the days we were blessed to watch many developing West Indian greats who would be playing on the President XI team. Somehow now a days only novices play on the President’s XI team. I loved watching the game of cricket as we were let out from school from early in the day and allowed to enter the park at no charge, as school children. I had this fascination with the scoreboard, just watching the changing scores. Many Jamaican school children no longer have that experience with the game of cricket which has led to their lack of interest in the sport.
Another ball dropped by both JCA and CWI.

 
JoeGrine 2023-03-17 12:33:01 

In reply to Slipfeeler

You are a Boys School or Girls School man?

 
Slipfeeler 2023-03-17 12:40:17 

In reply to JoeGrine

Of course, Cornaldi Ave Primary, aka Boys school, number one Primary school in Jamaica.
big grin big grin big grin

 
Slipfeeler 2023-03-17 12:45:20 

It was at that primary school where as children we learned to play the forward-defensive shot, which resulted in many youths who might not be able make plenty runs but had the prettiest forward-defensive movement.
big grin big grin big grin

 
JoeGrine 2023-03-17 12:49:13 

In reply to Slipfeeler

For a period (early to mid 70s) they trailed only Duhaney Park Primary in Common Entrance passes.

I never got the chance to meet one student there that I so wanted to meet.

 
Slipfeeler 2023-03-17 15:10:11 

In reply to JoeGrine

Not only common entrance but also might have been the only Rural Primary school to have won the All Island Spelling Bee competition.

 
JoeGrine 2023-03-17 15:28:35 

In reply to Slipfeeler

Who won it for Cornaldi as I know she finished 2nd the year I was 6th for my parish.

 
Slipfeeler 2023-03-17 17:40:37 

In reply to JoeGrine

Yvette Lemonias, who is actually half Jamaican and half Barbadian, currently is an Attorney in Barbados, I think!!

 
JoeGrine 2023-03-17 17:45:58 

In reply to Slipfeeler

Correct you are. They also had a 2nd placer (nice girl)