Comments for BEYOND A BOUNDARY at http://www.bcraw.com , comment 1 to 9 out of 9 comments http://www.bcraw.com Fri, 10 Sep 2010 20:03:36 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.bcraw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511:beyond-a-boundary&catid=6:tgif&Itemid=8#comment-770 Many people fail to take into account that Cricket today does not have the same significance that it had 30-40 years ago.In those days it was a great source of pride, and often African pride, to wallop the former masters at their own game. I saw it and heard it at ground level.But with the heavy influence of American culture swamping out the former colonial influences-which often stood as icons to be destroyed-and the emergence of football as the most popular sport in the Caribbean, Cricket has lost ground that may never be regained. The other cricket playing countries maintain a more pure cricketing tradition now, and with bigger populations to draw from and more advanced developmental programs,it stands to reason that the WI Team may never recapture those glory days.Discipline or no discipline, a tradition is being displaced and the powers that be should be able to identify that.Just my take on things. - Alan Scott Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:08:05 +0100 http://www.bcraw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511:beyond-a-boundary&catid=6:tgif&Itemid=8#comment-748 First of all.... the West Indies national cricket team ???? We are talking here about a team that is far from national since it is made up of players from several different countries which have diverse cultures, etc. and whose only genuine "bond" is the fact that they live in the same region. ( by the way, last time I checked the Atlas Guyana was not geographically part of the caribbean ) I don't believe that each regional nation should go it alone. However we need to get serious about those who represent us at the international level. Any other Test team in the world would have sent the current captain packing for his highly overt demonstrations of discipline which seem to be chronic and habitual. let's face it the team only performs for this gentleman because he is "one of the boys." Much has been said about the shortcomings of the board but little attention seems to be paid to the poor attitude of the players. Those pulled up for their faux pas get a slap on the wrist and after a little while its business as usual.... party with the spectators after being bowled out for 40-something anyone ???? - RYAN Sat, 05 Dec 2009 06:16:49 +0100 http://www.bcraw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511:beyond-a-boundary&catid=6:tgif&Itemid=8#comment-747 Don't take Roebuck seriously. Granted WI cricket is not what it used to be BUT this is the man who, as captain ousted Viv Richards and Joel Garner from Somerset and by extension Ian Botham (who quit when Viv and Joel had to go). What he was doing as captain when these three were there beats me Just go back and check Wisden from the eighties when WI were on the top. We were thuggish-brutal-arrogant etc according to the esteemed authors at the time. Now we are not good suggestions are being made for us to break up? If we get good again will they call for the one bouncer rule again (invented just for our pace attack-and repealed just as soon as England and Australia found a couple quicks)? West Indies cricket is down-no doubt about that. These guys are just sticking it to us as we are weak. They stuck it to us when we were strong by tainting victories in print-what is now hard aggressive cricket was violent and life threatening when WI were doing it We need to win some games-period. If we get a couple Aussies and English hopping back to the pavilion the tone and tenor of the writing would change so quickly... - Hugh Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:37:08 +0100 http://www.bcraw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511:beyond-a-boundary&catid=6:tgif&Itemid=8#comment-746 BC is correct about the region's islands not having the resources to sustain a test team on their own...well maybe except Trinidad and Jamaica. First of all producing a quality team is a challenge for the smaller islands, let alone sustenance of facilities and contracts etc. What was interesting about the article is that it didn't seek to avoid the fact that the present WI team is not a good team. It did not try to seek redress from Berry and Roebuck's comments, but rather took an introspective view on the ills of WI cricket without necessarily agreeing with both men. This was much unlike Tony Cozier's editorial about Hughes' comments the other day. - Waters Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:58:19 +0100 http://www.bcraw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511:beyond-a-boundary&catid=6:tgif&Itemid=8#comment-745 I know nothing about cricket, so I am only playing "fas'" to offer a comment here. But are we to expect cricketers not to demand big money for their skills (which I agree are meagre at best these days) when they see other athletes in practically every other sport walking their respective fields as millionaires? Can we argue that if we pay better, we might get better quality players, coaches and managers and thus build a better team? Just a thought. - Raynier Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:45:25 +0100 http://www.bcraw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511:beyond-a-boundary&catid=6:tgif&Itemid=8#comment-744 Not sure I completely agree, but I have to say one of the best written articles on the subject I have read. CLR James would not have been ashamed of that, and I am far closer to agreeing with you than when I started reading it - David Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:32:40 +0100 http://www.bcraw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511:beyond-a-boundary&catid=6:tgif&Itemid=8#comment-743 To be honest, I was neither here nor there on the dismantling of the team...I was very much undecided. However, I had never really looked at it from the PoV that you have, Mr. Pires. The last time I thought about the WI team unifying the WI was maybe form 2 or form 3 (which is more years ago than I wish to admit :P). I didn't know that people still thought of it in that way. Also, you DID bring one serious point to the fore. The problem with the WI team is the same as the T&T football team...it is not that the players lack the necessary skill...they lack the necessary organisation/discipline. How can they feel justified charging the salaries that they do when they are simply NOT performing? They no longer seem to play for the love of the game...it's all about $$ and c. This is a poor attitude towards your livelihood. If you play well, the money will come. As for the WICB(C), fire all of them....or something to that effect. There is no real form of guidance or (ironically enough) control over what happens in the team. It is almost reminiscent of one of our favourite footballers who wold play his heart out for the team that paid him (the one in England) and then come home and practically run from the ball for fear of injury. And there is no one to curb this trend. As such, you get a bunch of highly skilled vagabonds coming on the field to "pelt ah few ball" and "swing ah few bat" just for a small paycheque and then giving their all for the bigger ($1m US is it?) remuneration. - Chau Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:20:43 +0100 http://www.bcraw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511:beyond-a-boundary&catid=6:tgif&Itemid=8#comment-742 One thin I have gathered from all this discussion on dismantling the WESTINDIES. the rest of the world ( esp. england) hasnt really forgotten or forgiven us for the way we humiliated them at their own game for 3-4 decades. even this disjoint unit thats our team can still anyone a good run for their money on our day . only our days seems to be quiet infrequent nowasdays. And just to remind some people England in late nineties was worse than westindies in these last few years. - third I Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:55:59 +0100 http://www.bcraw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511:beyond-a-boundary&catid=6:tgif&Itemid=8#comment-741 A Most Sober(s) Commentary...No silly points at all. Bravo (Dwayne) and again Bravo (Darren) to you. - A Pepple Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:30:50 +0100