From: jeff@mips2.ma30.bull.com (Jefferson Challenger)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket
Subject: Re: The West Indies must select the best team, regardless of region
Date: 16 Apr 92 20:54:15 GMT
Reply-To: jeff@mips2.ma30.bull.com (Jefferson Challenger)
Organization: Bull Worldwide Information Systems  (Billerica, MA)

In article <1992Apr16.153335.23693@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>, leland@donner.uucp (25844-joseph) writes:
|> I am distressed and perturbed to hear that some folks in Barbados are upset that
|> Cummins has been omitted from the West Indies cricket team. My, how short their
|> memories are! Or am I to assume that some Barbadians feel that it is a right for
|> the team to be predominantly Barbadian? There was a time when the team consisted
|> of such players as Hunte, Nurse, Sobers, Holford, Hall, Griffith, sometimes
|> Lashley and Bynoe - all Barbadians - and rightly so. They were the best players
|> we had!  Since we needed to win, we went with our best, even if it meant that
|> most of the players may come from one Island. As the center of the cricketing
|> powers keep shifting, it is only natural that over time some Islands will rise
|> and fall, so to speak. Remember when the Leeward and Windward Islands did not
             		     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|> even have one representative on the team for many years? They did not complain!
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

COMPLAIN we did!!  Yah man!  The days when the small islands were shut out of WI cricket
were very disappointing for the small islands.  I believe we still bear the scars of those times.
The small island cricketers saw no future from their consistent efforts. 

1. Remember Irvine Shillingford never getting a chance until he was on/in his rocking chair.  
He used his chance (only chance) to score 120 at Bourda - I think that was his only test; or 
he may have  played one more.  
2. Grayson Shillingford was taken to England for one series, and (this may not be a fact - only 
hear-say) Sobers had Grayson bowl the longest opening spell in history.  He never made it to 
the WI team afterwards.

In fact the only small island which has actually made any kind of mark on WI cricket is Antigua;
producing a string of quality players: Roberts, Richards, Richardson...

While we are talking about Richardson:  I find it difficult to believe that Richardson was 
instrumental in keeping Viv off the WC squad.  I mean the is the last person you would expect to
do that - both being from small islands, both from Antigua.  But the again I have seen worst
things than that.  YOU HAVE TO WATCH YOUR BACK!!!!!

In fact, in talking to my Brother-in-Law who is still in Dominica (and therefore is much more 
familiar with the status of WI cricket), he stressed that Irvine Shillingford and Viv do not get 
along at all.  He said that Irvine does not like Viv, period.   I found this very weird.  The last
person I expect to be against Viv is Irvine - they played for the Combined Islands together
during the DARK AGES.  [By the way Irvine is now a WI selector - Lord Bless His Heart].  It
seems that Viv had no chance to make the WC squad with those two (2) STRIKES against him.

Anyway, I said all this to say that:  No one should be left out a team because of the island he is
from or whatever.  The only thing that should matter here is the form he is in, period. 

|> They knew that their time will, and must come! So guys(some Barbadians), relax,
|> "chill out", the good of the team is what matters. We must win!!!
|> 
|> By the way, I am from Guyana, South America, and have been a player and an avid
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I know where Guyana is, but where is South America anyway  -:).
I think you need to talk to Chico...

|> cricket fan of our great teams over the years. FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER!
|>  
|> Leland Joseph,

-- 
							"j.e.f.f."
							CooL RunningS...

**************************************************************************
|				||					 |
|Jefferson Challenger I		||	jeff@mips2.ma30.bull.com	 |
|Unix Software Development	||					 |
|Bull H.N. Information Systems	||=======================================|
|300 Concord RD.		||	Dominican, "Windward Islander",  |
|Billerica, MA 01821		||	"Combined Islander", WEST INDIAN |
|				||					 |
|========================================================================|
| Courage is NOT the absence of fear, but the CONQUEST of it! - Danforth |
**************************************************************************	
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket