debut: 3/6/03
9,995 runs
Playing cricket for West Indies once meant something. That first cap was a proud moment and wearing the maroon afterwards was something to be cherished. Do youngsters in the Caribbean playing in their backyards, for their community teams or school teams still have those aspirations?
West Indies were once the kings of world cricket, dominating the 1980s and the first half of the 1990s. Prior to that, the world started taking notice of the quality of West Indies cricket, led by Sir Clive Lloyd. The regional team went to the inaugural World Cup tournament in England and returned home as heroes.
The performance of Lloyd's men lifted the spirits of the West Indians who walked with their heads high, even if it was just for the duration of the tournament.
Murray, in a recent interview with Newsday, reflected on the tournament and what it meant to represent the Caribbean people. The former TT player said, "We were conscious of that aspect of it. The diaspora were always proud of our achievements on the cricket field because that removed them from being second-class citizens wherever they were in the world, and I think it gave them a self-esteem that they could hold their heads up...
"Many were reduced to doing jobs that they were well overqualified for because of the stigmas that were attached at the time. We know from the 50s and 60s that we as cricketers had a responsibility to the diaspora and we were happy to do that."
Read more at TT Newsday
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