CRICKET AND CARIBBEAN UNITY Author(s): WILLIAM H. WALCOTT Source: Caribbean Quarterly, Vol. 39, No. 1, THE WEST INDIAN COMMISSION (MARCH 1993), pp. 60-80 Published by: University of the West Indies and Caribbean Quarterly Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40653836 . Accessed: 19/09/2011 13:49

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

University of the West Indies and Caribbean Quarterly are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Caribbean Quarterly.

http://www.jstor.org 60

CRICKET AND CARIBBEAN UNITY

by

WILLIAM H. WALCOTT

Introduction

Withina periodof less thantwo years (January, 1990 - August1991) the powerful West Indiancricket team had lostthree Test Matches to England.

In thispaper I wouldlike to deal withthe significance of theaforementioned losses to the futureof West IndianCricket and shall do so by showingthat they have occurred againsta crucialforeground which poses a threatto theprogress of TestMatch Cricket in theCaribbean. Once I havemade my case, I shalloffer some proposals which could be used as a basisto removingthis threatening foreground. For the purpose of thispaper the losses to whichI shallrefer are thosesuffered in Englandat Headingly,Leeds, and theOval in Surreyin thesummer of 1991,when the West Indies did notwin theseries but, instead, sharedit withEngland. The foregroundconsists of components:(1) theabsence of much needed,but inadequate financial resources in thecoffers of theWest Indies Cricket Board of Control,the governingbody of WestIndian Cricket, (2) thereduced participation of youngCaribbean men in the game of cricketat basic and unofficiallevels necessaryto successin theTest Match arena. The proposalsI provideare concerned with the manner in whichnational governments could use Cricket,itself, as a vehiclefor removing the threat. In everyinstance, I shalldeal withthe English speaking Caribbean. The Meaningof Failure Let me statefrom the outsetthat the West Indianfailure to defeatEngland in the summerof 1991 is a veryserious blow to WestIndian cricket lovers, both at homeand overseas,not merely because theyhad outplayedthe Australians in a 1991 winterseries, butit was also thesevery Australians at whosehands England had sufferedin 1989 and 1990. The failureis serious,also, because of theprofound meaning Cricket has in the Caribbean.I shallnow deal withthis meaning then look at theforeground. It is to theideas of two cricketing,journalists, Patrick Collins and Tony Cozier,that I turn,in orderto 61

highlightmeaning. In an article. titled"Oceans Apart!"British sports correspondent, Patrick Collins, beginsby providing a description of a batsmanwho is young,black and uncannily familiar, because of the chompingof his jaws and struttingof his stride,hi his accountof this cricketer'sexecution of an ondrivewhen bowled a half-volley a footoutside off stump Collinssays "You knewhe wouldroll his wrists and whip it through mid-on."

Secondslip whooped with delight as theball skimmedthe sand on itsway to the ocean. The batsmanturned with a graciousgrin. 'Thanks Mon/ he said. Collinsnotes that twenty four hours earlier a WestIndian team of "blazingtalent" had beatenan Englishteam of "admirableendeavour." He claimsthat in so doingthe West Indianplayers had won a Testseries and reminded young Caribbean cricketers of cricket- ing standardswhich must be achieved.And YoungWest Indians who revelin thesimple joy of a complexgame acceptthe challengewith "shameless mimicry and precocious instinct."

All overAntigua, stumps sprout from fields of flattenedmud, from silver beaches and shantytown squares. Large laughing mothers like the lady at second slip chatter out eternal principles,the virtues of üne andlength, the proximity of bat and pad, the importance of a classicallycocked elbow. He claimsthat should young West Indians need material incentive they may find it in the"riches of Viv Richards"in themansion which stares out overCarlisle Bay builtby AndyRoberts from fifteen years of fastbowling, In speakingwith pride about Richards, Clive Lloydnotes: He is anintegrated West Indian,an excellentex- ample of the role that cricketplays in promoting regionalparticipation at theexpense of regional isola- tion.As WestIndians, we mustalways remember that thethings we holdin commonare farmore important thanour superficial differences. hi referringto a controversythat arose in Barbadosover the dismissal of an English batsmanduring the England- West Indies Test series(1990) Caribbeanjournalist and broadcaster,Tony Cozier, a man"steeped in CaribbeanCricket," states that those who view the 1990 seriesor anytest series as simplya sportingcontest would notunderstand the emotionalfurore caused throughoutthe Caribbeanas a resultof an assessmentof that controversyby B.B.C, cricketcorrespondent, Christopher Martin- Jenkins* The furore aroseas a consequenceof Martin-Jenkins' report to theB.B.C. In it he statedthat Lloyd Barker,a very good West Indian umpire,cracked under pressure and ruled English 62

batsman,Robert Bailey, out againsthis betterjudgement, because Viv Richards,led an orchestratedappeal and demonstrations ofjubilation. Andin a suggestionthat Barker made a mistake,Martin-Jenkins noted that what was so sad was thathe was pressuredinto changing his initial decision. Martin- Jenkins added that he was not quite sure what "cheating"was if the circumstancessurrounding Bailey's dismissalcould be characterisedas "gamesmanship"or "professionalism." For his part,Richards stated that what was characterisedas his havingrun to umpire Barkerjust beforeBailey's dismissalwas just a performanceof his customaryceremonial dance at thefall of a wicket.He had hearda noise and did his dancein celebrationthat batsman,Bailey, was goingto be ruledout. He also notedthat while he accordedgreat respectto commentator,Martin- Jenkins, as a professionalthe B.B.C, correspondentdid let his feelingsplay a partin hisjudgement. Reaction,at least in Barbados,to Martin-Jenkins report was swiftand sharp. Telephone callersto Barbadianradio stations demanded that he be made to apologiseto theWest Indian playersand public,removed from the Barbadianairwaves and expelled from Barbados.

Coziernotes that the furore must be setagainst an historicalpast "dominated by British colonialism"and a cricketingpresence "equally dominated by WestIndian brilliance and individuality."Cricket, he adds,has longbeen the pride and joy ofWest Indians of all races andclasses, it has thebadge of honour "we" can proudlywear as a signof "our"collective excellenceand is followedwith a religiousfervour - the great players almost given deified status.

Whentherefore the representative of an organisation[the B.B.C.] so closelyidentified withthe former colonial power castigates the West Indies captain and uses sucha pejora- tiveword as "cheating"to describehis tactics,it is considereda seriousaffront by West Indians.

He continuesby sayingit mayseem to thosewho regard cricket as stillan antiquated pasttime of merely small significance that there was a hugeover reaction to thecontrover- sy. Whilehe concludesthat there might have beenjust sucha reaction,he pointsout that thosewho cannotunderstand it are thesame peoplewho findit impossibleto understand whythe Ayotallah got so workedup overSalman Rushdie - though,thankfully, no one in Barbadoshad put a priceon Martin-Jenkins' head. It was also fromBarbados that Mr. FrankWalcott, a formerBarbadian Trade Unionistand representativeof theCaribbean working class, made thiscomment about a tripGary Sobers had madein thelate Nineteen Sixties to a Rhodesiarun by theracist, Ian Smith. 63

Mr. Sobersis an internationalpersonality and represents the heart and soul of millions ofpeople in theWest Indies who see theirnational identity manifested in cricketand their symbolof prideand equalitywith nations in GarySobers. He cannotlapse into any area whichis an offenceto thedignity and character of West Indians. The Foreground Now thatI have attendedto theseriousness of the West Indian failure, I mustdeal with thethreatening nature of whatI have describedas theforeground: the absence of much neededbut inadequate financial resources for the administration of CaribbeanCricket, the reducedparticipation of youngCaribbean men in the playingof Cricketat basic and unofficiallevels necessary to successin theTest Match arena. The absenceof financialresources can be attributedto a lack of economicprogress in Caribbeancountries, of which Guyana and Jamaica are prime examples. The Guyanadollar is - forinstance - worthabout one pennyof United States currency. Reduced participa- tionon thepart of youngCaribbean men could also be accountedfor in terms of economic decline, as well as emergentCaribbean youth interest in NorthAmerican sports such as basketball.Here, it maybe usefulto notethat during the course of the last winter Olympics in Canada (1988) Jamaica'sentry took the form of a bob-sledteam. Stumps no longersprout from fields of flattenedmud, silver beaches or shantytown in theCaribbean with the frequency they did fifteenor twenty years ago.

C.L. Walcott,at presentan elder Caribbeancricketing statesman and seniorad- ministratorofWest Indies Cricket, has, himself, observed the new development. Further, as someonewho was instrumentalin shaping the Test Match careers of some of the best West Indiancricketers and who mightwell have to play a crucialrole in thedevelopment of CaribbeanCricket throughout the nineties, Mr. Walcott's observation cannot be a personal- ly satisfyingone. Whatcompounds the threatening nature of theforeground is the factthat the West Indiansmust rebuild their test Cricket team. In so doing,not onlywould theyhave to replaceolder players, they would also have to entertainthe possibility that they may not enjoythe dominance to which they had become accustomed over the last decade and a half. Itis thereforeironic and also analyticallyinteresting, that the socioeconomic integration of Caribbeannations which could be used as a verystrong basis to theireconomic advancementand, ultimately, the economic climate for the progress of Test Match Cricket has always been toutedby West Indian Heads of government.Such integrationhas, however,not been a reality.Those Caribbeanpersons who are old enough and can rememberrealise fully - ifnot painfully - thatin thelate fifties the idea ofa WestIndian Federationmade up of Barbados,Jamaica and Trinidad was neverrealised. While there is 64

no Federationof West Indian territories today, a CaribbeanCommon Market (CARICOM) has been in existencesince 1973. At its inaugurationit was regardedby thoseheads of Caribbeannations that constituted its firstmembers as a strongbasis to unityand socioeconomicadvancement. If CARICOM leaders are reasonableand sincere,they wouldsay itis, byno means,the mother of West Indian unity. I would say most CARICOM territoriestoday are facilitatorsof the dumpingof commoditiesproduced by multinationalsubsidiaries that are concernedprimarily with supernormalprofit maximisation, rather than Caribbean socio-economic development. And as a majortrading organisation CARICOM has also notbeen able to secureany trading arrangementwith other economic institutions or nationsoutside the Caribbean that could allowthe region to benefit substantially from the export of commodities such as rice,sugar, timber,crude oil, bauxite, or - forthat matter - commoditiesderived from them.

I am fullyaware that explanations for the absence of unity and economic advancement have been,and will continueto be, offered.The one whichI findextremely useful and appropriatelies in thecomments about people involvement made by a PrimeMinister of Trinidadand Tobago, A.N.R. Robinson: I thinkone of theweaknesses so far,in thewhole progresstoward integration - preparation for the future of theCaribbean - has been thatthe discussions have largelybeen of a technicalnature - largelylimited to caucusesand therelatively small gatherings of a few techniciansand representatives,and politicians. How- ever importantthese forumsmight have been, and certainlyare, . . . therehas not been the degreeof people involvementthat is necessaryto sustainthe movementforward, and in orderto promote among the populationthat we representa sense of identity,a senseof sharingand the sense of a commonfuture.6 It seems to me thatA.N.R. Robinson,wants integration to be based on substantial participationof ordinary Caribbean citizens, those who are not, or have not been members or representativesof Caribbeangovernments. This is a preferenceI support fully. I would thuslike to propose that if ordinary Caribbean persons are to becomesignificant players in a move to integrationcareful examination of thearena of Cricketbe made to help West Indiangovernments determine: how such persons'contribution might be employedas a foundationto unity.Why Cricket, though? The Arena ofCricket

I shallanswer by pointing to creativity and the important unifying role of Cricket in the 65

Caribbean. I shall thenstate which aspect of thearena should be analysed. Once these tasks have been performed,I shall conclude by pointingto the benefitsof inquiryand stating which Caribbean organisationsshould be responsiblefor it.

In the firstplace, outstandingperformance by most West Indian Test cricketerssince the nineteenthirties is a clear indicationof alternateand powerfulforms of self expression by creativepeople who have been disallowed fromparticipating in normal,conventional, or taken-for-granted avenues to socio-economic development,as a result of official and unofficialexclusion. While performancehas been thesubject of scrutiny,the creativebasis to its expressionhas not been examined systematically.My referenceto exclusion is meant to indicate: duringthe colonial and immediatepost-independence periods thevast majority of persons who played Test Cricket forthe West Indies had been victims of institutional racism or inter-groupprejudice, factorsdirectly responsible for their socio-economic sub- ordination.Neither would have Charlie Griffith,the Barbadian bornfearsome fast bowler, nor C.L.R. James,the Caribbean intellectual,disagreed withme.

In a referenceto the Empire CricketClub as a vehicle forthe masses Griffithpointed to the factthat he and otherblack players in Barbados could not gain entryto Cricketclubs whose administratorsbarred non-whites. And in Guyana discriminationwas also a very importantfeature at the GeorgetownCricket Club, who^seground was used forthe playing of Test Cricket.In the fortiesand fifties,as well as thevery early sixties,membership at this club was open only to Portuguese,whites of Britishdescent and lightskinned non- whites who were described locally as 'red' people.

C.L.R.James, in talking about his observation of a Trinidadian cricketerfrom his grandmother'shouse as a small boy James(1963, pp. 13-14) says thatwatching shaped one of his strongestearly impressionsof personalityin society.That personalitywas Matthew Bondman , a young Trinidadian with fierce eyes, loud voice and violent language. Bondman, who was generallydirty and unemployed,was detestedby James's grandmother and teacher-auntswho never failed to describe his repeated barefootedpresence on main street.James points out, however,that although Matthew was so crude and vulgar,he was all grace and style with a bat in his hand. When he practised with the local club, people stayed to watch and walked away only afterhe was finished.James notes one particular strokeMatthew played by going down low on one knee: when he sank and made it a long low 'Ah' emerged frommany spectators"and my own littlesoul thrilledwith recognition and delight."

To me, the contrastin James, description is vivid and powerful. In using it as a prominentindicator of one of his verystrong impressions, he is exemplifyingthe creative strugglewaged in one sector of West Indian life. I believe such exemplifyingis clearly evident in his comment about Garfield Sobers, the thirdnon-white West Indian Test CricketCaptain' and someone regardedas the greatestall roundcricketer. 66

GarfieldSobers I see not as a fortuitouscombina- tion of atoms which by chance have coalesced into a superb public performer.He being what he is (and I being what I am), for me his command of the rising ball in the drive, his close fielding and his hurling himselfinto his fastbowling are a living embodiment of centuriesof a torturedhistory. (James. 1986:d. 232Ì.

When I speak of creativity,I am simply saying that a major aspect of a persons' humanityis the communicativeability to use language as a centralfeature of theirsocial interactionto performtasks thatare importantor essential to theireveryday existence. I would also say thatthis abilityis not merelycommunicative, it is exemplified,also, as a universal form of creativity:in producing language as a central featureof their social interactionpersons explore culturallypossible ways of doing thingsor performingaction. In otherwords, actual language production(written and spoken) by membersof particular culturesis based on choice froma set of possible uses; to choose froma set of possible uses is to express preference.Further, when language use occurs theexpression of preferenceis based on consideration,comparison and inferencefrom comparison.

Secondly, the participationof West Indian cricketersin the sphere of Test Match Cricket is, frequently,not just an occasion fornon-playing Caribbean people to identify with, and support, their Caribbean compatriots.What is significantlyassociated with identificationand supportis unity among these people who are diligent analysts of the game in much the same way as dedicated post-graduatestudents and theirco-researchers - inquire and add knowledge to theirsubject areas. I wish to say, as well, that with few exceptions- heads of Caribbean nations were persons who had been disallowed from participationin normal, conventional, or taken-for-granted avenues to socio-economic development;as leaders, theywould like people to identifywith, and support,their efforts at unityand socio-economic development.

Perhaps the strongestjustification for requesting analysis of the cricketingarena could be located in thecomments of Clive Lloyd, cricketer,and Michael Manley, formerHead of State, two notable West Indians - the firstof workingclass originsand the latterfrom an upperclass background.Manley (1988, p. 399) spoke of theprofound symbolic value of the West Indian team to the Caribbean and stated thatthe team influencesthe mood of the region"which exults it in its victoriesand is cast into gloom when it loses."

Where otherinstitutions fight to survive the centripetalforces of insularitythe team becomes even more West Indian. This is so because it is successful attractingto itselfan evergrowingregional pride.

He adds thatperhaps one day Caribbean people will do more than admiretheir cricket 67

team and mightseek to emulate its success by discoveringfor themselves the unitywhich is its secret. He also notes that the West Indies team had to complete the process of professionalismbefore it could realise its fullpotential and claims thatthe Caribbean will have to undergo "an equivalent transformationof its economy" throughan integration process. At that time it will create the political institutionsto ensure that its collective advantages are protected and brought to their fullest potential in serving Caribbean peoples' needs.

Lloyd stated that Cricket is the ethos around which Caribbean society revolves. He pointed out that"all our experimentsin Caribbean integrationeither failed or maintaineda dubious survivability."Cricket, however, remains the instrumentof Caribbean cohesion, the removerof arid insularityand nationalisticprejudice. He adds thatit is to Cricketand its many spin offsthat Caribbean people of theirconsideration and dignityabroad. Cricket is the musical instrumenton which "we orchestrateour emotionsfrom the extremes of wild enthusiasmto the depthsof despair." (Lloyd, 1988: p. V).

I am now in a positionto statewhich aspect of thecricketing arena should be examined. I propose thatwherever Cricket is played by Caribbean people in the Caribbean and other parts of the world where West Indian people reside, it would be necessary to analyse the various collaborativeand competitiveefforts of West Indian cricketers.It would be neces- sary,also, to examine the way or ways in which spectatorsof Cricketexpress supportand appreciationof theirplayer-compatriots when theyare playing. The major concern could be: ' Players demonstrationof knowledge in thedisplay of theirplaying skill.

Watchers' demonstrationof knowledge in their ability to use language when talkingabout cricket.

• Actions players and watchersperform in contextsof situation.

How the culturallypossible ways in which actions are performedcan be figured out.

• Indicatingwhy the studyof language is importantto an examinationof Cricket.

I shall deal witheach, in turn.

Playing a game such as Cricketis clearly evidence of the demonstrationof skill. This demonstrationcan be indicated by directsensory experience,language, display of cricket ability.

Here, players' knowledge of the resourcesof language is used as a basis to theirdisplay of skill. On the otherhand, since watchers are not players when they watch, but do use language, the relationshipbetween language use and cricketshould be expressed: 68

DirectSensory Experience or Language= Knowledgeof Cricket In thiscase, use of theresources of languageis theindicator of whatwatchers know aboutthe playing of Cricket,as well as thesupport they provide to players.Knowing how theresources of language are used is importantto understanding what watchers and players do andhow they do whatthey do. Knowinghow playersand watchersuse the resourcesof language,though, is also knowinghow theyemploy their three groups of socio-linguisticskills, the motor-percep- tive,organisational and semantic,all of whichhave productiveand receptiveaspects. I shallconcentrate on theorganisational, as well as thesemantic which Pit-Corder (1966, pp 8-12) says aie of higherlevel thanthe other two. Organisational skills are concernedwith organisingunits of languageinto acceptable patterns and the ability to discernand analyse thosepatterns when they are reador heard.The productiveand receptiveaspects of these skillsare the generative and analytic. Semantic skills are concerned with the expression of meaning,use of utterancesin the"right circumstances" to communicateor producethe desiredresults in hearers.According to him,semantic skills must be developed"before a completelymeaningful use oflanguage is achieved." ReceptiveSkills/Productive Skills = Semantic Analytic/Generative= Organisational Visual/Auditory=SPEAKER Articulatory/Manual= HEARER/ (Motor-Perceptive)

It seems clear thatPit-Coider's principal concern is a concernwith meaning. To the extentthat it is concernwith productive and receptiveaspeas of languageuse, it is consistentwith my claim earlierthat when languageuse takesplace personsexpress preference,and theexpression of preferenceis based on consideration,comparison and inferencefrom comparison. Of greaterimportance to me is thatwhile whatCaribbean leadersmay do is meaningfulto themwhat they do maynot necessarilybe meaningfulto thepeople they govern. On theother hand, what West Indian cricketers have been doing is meaningful,not merely to themselves,it has beenmeaningful, also, to theirwatchers. The intensityof vocal supportgiven by watchersacross separate West Indian Nations Statesto playersis - to mymind - veryclear evidence that what is meaningfulto players is meaningfulto watchers.I would,therefore, say thatsince support and the unity, as well as the socio-economicdevelopment that could resultfrom this unityhave been eluding Caribbeanleaders it wouldbe of greatuse to theseleaders to apprisethemselves of how languageuse indicates: (1) whatwatchers know about the playing of Cricket, (2) players'demonstration ofskill. If languageis to be thesubject of study, I wouldsay itshould be studiedin contextsof 69

situationwhich can be described: (l)The verbalaction of participants in contexts(cricketers and watchers). (2)The non-verbalaction of participants. a.Therelevant objects. b.Theeffects of verbal action.

My use of theterm, 'contexts of situation',is derivedfrom British linguist, J.R. Firth, whoargued that language had to be studiedas partof a socialprocess as "a formof human livingrather than merely a set of arbitrarysigns and signals."What do people do in contexts?

Theyuse languageas a centralfeature of theirsocial interactionin orderto do things thatare importantor essentialto theireveryday existence. And in theirperformance, they mustconsider what are relevantto them,if theyare to attaintheir goals. I wouldadd that theimportant feature of goal attainmentis that persons attempt to, and do, affectothers by conveyingmessages on the basis of the functionsand purposesof the languagethey construct.10And it is theconveying of messagesvia thefunctions and purposeswhich is indicativeof meaning. Meaningin languageis thereforenot a singlerela- tionor a singlesort of relation,but involves a set of multipleand variousrelations holding between the utteranceand its partsand the relevantfeatures and componentsof the environment,both culturaland physical,and formingpart of themore extensive sys- temof interpersonal dations involved in theexistence ofhuman societies. (Robins, 1967: p. 28).

Let me solidifymy concernwith, and interestin, language.According to linguist, Hudson(1980, p. 202) personsuse the speechof othersto formclues to non-linguistic informationabout them - forinstance, their social background.He notes,as well, that observablefeatures of personality can be usedas cluesto speech. Quite apartfrom a revelationof personalityin thefield of Cricketthat could emerge - - fromthe language use ofcricketers and their watchers, cricket likeall games is played accordingto whatphilosopher of language,John Searle (1971, pp.40-41) regardsas regulativeand constitutiverules. Regulative rules regulate previously existing aspects of persons'behaviour - e.g., rulesof etiquetteinterpersonal relationships, but such relations existindependently ofthe rules of etiquette. On theother hand, constitutive rules do notjust regulate,they also createor define new forms of behaviour. The rulesof footballfor example, do notmerely regulate the game of footballbut as it werecreate the possibility of or definethat activity. The activityof playingfootball is 70

constitutedby actingin accordancewith these rules; football has no existenceapart from theserules.

Searle providesan example of the constitutiverules of a game by sayingthat in (American)football a touchdownis scoredwhen a playercrosses the opponents' goal Une in possessionof the ball whileplay is in progress.And in whatI see as his attemptto point to similaritiesbetween the playing of gamesand languageuse, he says thatperformances suchas askingquestions or makingstatements are rulegoverned in waysquite similar to thosein whichgetting a base hitin baseballor moving a knightin chessare rule governed acts.What interests me aboutcricketers' demonstration ofskill is thatin theiradherence to, andobservance of rulesthey must employ the resources of language to do thesetwo things. Participationin gamestakes place eithercollaboratively, competitively, or on botha collaborativeand competitive basis. The actof scoring a touchdownis not,for all practical purposes,a consequenceof, or is consistentwith the mere existence of constitutiverules. This is an act which is also producedin accordancewith acts of collaborationand competitiveness.Collaboration and competitiveness are also veryimportant features of the performanceof acts such as thescoring of boundaries by batsman and the dismissal of these verybatsmen by bowlers in thecourse of playing a gamesuch as cricket.Expressing myself alternatively,I ask: (1) whetherbase hits,boundaries and touchdownare possible without collaborationand competitiveness?(2) ifplayers and spectators can graspthe meaning of base hitsand boundarieswithout knowing the significance of collaboration and competi- tiveness?

My responseto bothquestions are negative.I wouldthus say thatany attempt to offer an understandingof theperformance of West IndianTest cricketersand theirwatchers wouldbe inadequate,if it is notconcerned with explicating collaboration and competitive- ness.If such explicatingis to be done,it wouldhave to takethe form of a sociolinguistic interpretationofthe meaningful nature of collaboration and competitiveness. My reference to interpretationis not meant to be confinedto an analyst'sinterpretation of cricketers' collaborativeand competitiveefforts. I am pointing,also, to theanalyst's recognition and examinationof watchers'sociolinguistic accounts of these efforts (Cricket commentators included). These two events- definitelycompetitive in nature- I view as fertilesources of analysis.The firsttook place duringthe second Test Match (1988) Pakistanvs. WestIndies andis aboutPakistani player, Abdul Kadir's unsuccessful appeal to umpire Barker for West Lidiancaptain, Viv Richards,to be ruledout. The second,which occurred in Barbados duringthe fourth Test Match (England vs. WestLadies 1990) is aboutBarker's decision to rule Englishbatsman, Bailey, out,a decisionpreceding the furoreto whichI referred earlier.Let me providesome additionalbackground in orderto putthe events in proper perspective,hi the '88 Test Richardsneeded to play a long and substantialinnings to 71

preventthe West Indies from losing two Tests in a threetest series. When he had reacheda hundredin theWest Indies second innings radio commentator, Tong Cozier, was prompted to say:

... this has been a tremendousperformance by Richards.Here he is comingback into the West Indies team.He missedthe first Test. He was out following theoperation he had. The teamhad lostthe first Test Match.There was theattitude on thefield which was down;and here'sRichards, now liftingthem back up withthis tremendous innings. And now he's beginning to dominate.And forRichards, personally, a veryim- portantTest Matchhere, in thathe reallyhas asserted himselfwith his batting,his leadership.He has lifted theside.

However,this is whattook place whenKadir bowledthe second deliveryof a new over- his-seventy-seventh - toRichards. "c. Here comes AbdulKadir - on theway now to Richards- ((extremelyloud appeal from Kadir)) rappedon thepad it pitchedoutside the leg stump- a long way ( ) notout says umpireBarker - Richardscome back - THERE'S no QUESTION thatthat ball was pitched well outsidethe leg stump( ) umpireBarker says not out ( ) in additionAbdul Kadir went rightacross - in frontof umpire Barker ( ) KadirTHROWS theball downon thepitch ( ) I wouldestimate here Gerry that the ball was pitchedoutside the leg stump( ) Richardswas back-tryingto turnit on theleg side ( ) I don'tknow what you've made of it G: Yes - itwasn't the flipper - bit in addition- Kadir- addedto Barker's difficulties by running acrossim C: - And Kadir - ah - ump - Kadir pointedto ump - to the squareleg umpireand - uhm suggestedto Barkerthat he ask him((laugh fromCozier)) but- ah Salim Yusufhas now - - goneinto the one side ( ) I - Richardswas RIGHT back on his stumps ah butfrom our vantagepoint here - itlooked SO muchas ifthe ball pitchedoutside leg stumpand came in andhit him ( ) and- eh - uhcourse they're nearest to the action down there ( ) uhbut umpire Barkersaid Kadir had run in frontof him ( ) butthere was a lotof - goingon - uhGAINwith theumpire not having made the decision ( ) and AbdulKadir THROWED theball intothe ground- Salim YusufWALKED awayinto the on side ( ), therewas CHAllengingof the - - umpire'sdecision once more( ) and - uhGAIN we've seen it so oftenin testcricket 72

we've seen in red stripecup cricketthis year where the authorityof the umpirebeing questionedon - undoubtedlyout in themiddle - by players- who - really- shouldknow better( ) the umpirecould do NOthingabout it - in othersports the umpireCAN do somethingabout it ( ) buthere - in cricket- theplayers are expectedto takethe umpire's decisionas itis given G: Yes Tony - an I think- in factduring the lunchhour - Intikaaband I were havinga discussionabout - whatis needed- forthe control of thegame - and I thinkwe've gotto movewith the times and introduce - some punitive measures - forthe introduction of say - thegreen card, the yellow card and the red card - andpenalise offending players - by - nuh - bynot having them - ahm- on thefield - forvaiying lengths of time according to the- to thekind of offence- uhm- forinstance - ifyou get a - a yellowcard - youprobably go off fora periodbetween lunch and tea or - forsome such time - or a coupleof hours - un until someREAlly - all theattempts by authorityto - appealto the- youmight say thèdecency ofthe players - or notonly that - 1 - donbelieve a lotof the players realise that they harm - thatthey do to cricket- whenthey behave in thisway - becausethey have come up through thesystem themselves - they've been to school- they'vebeen to college- they'vebeen to university- they've played in theirnational teams - and- theyplayed in theirclub teams - andAll throughthat system - theumpire is requiredto uhm- to - yo - to makesure that the conductof the game is maintained( ) andonce you have this sort of NONsense going on - andthis is whatyou might call virtualhooliganism - ah (mhm)afraid - ahm- itis notgonna do cricketany good good ( ) and I thinkthat the - theInternational Cricket Conference which - really- is almosta toothlesstiger - ahm- had to - do somethingabout ahm - the behaviourof players C: Well - 1jaz Ahmedis up therenow - an he's comeup - and he's talkingto umpireBarker aboutthe leg - beforedecision ( ) umpireBarker - 1 knowim fromBarbados - he's a very cool individual- and whathe said to AbdulKadir when the appeal went out was-was that Kadirwas rightin fromof him ( ) he couldnot give the decision because he couln'tsee ( ) and he's sayingthe same thing now to-to Imran who's comeup to have a wordwith him ( ) ah - he said thesame thingto AbdulKadir ( ) I jaz said Richardswas rightback and in frontof thestumps ( ) that- of course- does NOT meanthe batsman is outbecause if the ball pitchedoutside the leg stump- there'sno way he can be out ( ) my immediate impressionwas thatthe ball DID pitchoutside the leg stumpand come in toRichards - and takehim on theback foot as he wentback trying to turnon theon side. G: Well - yuknow Tony - also - ah - thereare two things to someof these - (MMM) - appeals - one is - ah - ignoranceof the law - andtwo - the- thepoint is thatyou 'r virtuallytrying to 73

cheat- an a lotof that goes on in Testcricket today

Duringthe course of thefourth Test Matchbetween England and theWest Indies in Barbados(1990) Richardsand Barkeragain figuredprominently. Here is some relevant background. England's1990 tour of the West Indian team was regardedby virtually all supportersof WestIndian cricket as an eventthat would end in certaintriumph for the West Indian team. Thatwas notto be, though.The WestIndies had lostthe first Test andwere almost certain tolose thethird, had rain not disrupted play. The Englandteam had been doing unexpected- lywell. I suggestthat the unexpected good performance by England was notmerely a basis toheightened interest in thegame on thepart of West Indian people. Its sudden impact was, also,a powerfuland significant disruption of their taken-for-granted West Indian sense that Englandwas going to be trounced.I submit,also, thatdisruption constituted a very substantialbasis to rejectionof the taken-for-grantedand seriousanalysis of the sig- nificanceof West Indian Cricket.

Thus,when the scene of Test Match Cricket shifted to Barbados, the analytical attention of Barbadianand otherWest Indiansupporters must have been directedto mattersof crucialsignificance: whether and how the West Indianteam could emergevictoriously fromthat Barbados game. Their focus must have been well placed on thefourth afternoon of thematch when England was in verygrave danger of losing.The West Indianswho wouldensure defeat would be a fearsomeand efficientbattery of fastbowlers. So when umpireBarker ruled England batsman, Robert Bailev. out(caught behind the wicket) as a resultof a veryquick delivery down the leg side fromCurtly Ambrose, a leadingspark in thatbattery, victory was wellwithin the West Indian grasp. The WestIndies did defeat England. Victory was not,however, divorced from a context in whichthe circumstances of Bailey's dismissalwere linked to controversypart of which was initiallyaired on televisionand also one ofa sequenceof events about competitiveness discussedin the Caribbean.What follows is a transcriptof the televisiondiscourse the co-conversantsare: AW Greigand G. Boycott(Tirey'), formerEngland captains, and M. Holding,former West Indian fast bowler. These speakers are identified by the initials of the surnames. G: Oh - he's gotim - caughtbehind - downthe leg side - VTVRichards (ah - uh wo) I TELL you what- theumpire wasn gonna GEEV that( ) Richards( wo) - CREated( wha) on he RAN downthe wicket doing that little weegle with his hand - andI REALLY didthink that theumpire had decidednot out and gave thebatsman out late ( ) NOW - theumpire's havinga wordto Stewartout there who's indicatingthat it hithim on thethigh pad - and 74

THAT - REALLY was veryinteresting ((Action Replay)) now you're gonna have to watch Richardshere - and theumpire ( ) thiswas a VEri controversialdecision - therecan be ABsoLUTElyno doubtabout the fact that the umpire was walkingaway - 1 don'tthink he was shakinghis head ( ) well Richardsgot heez way - and Bailey - a verydisappointed Baileyis out( ) itsten fii, three ( ) TEN fiithree - Englandin all SORTS oftrouble - andwe havea secondnight Watchman ( ) one ofEngland's great fighters - little Jack Rüssel is out there- fourslips and a gullya - a forwardshort leg - a leg slip ( ) whateverhe looksthere's a close catcher( ) and at themoment - Stewarttaking control out there - he's notentirely happy- becauseViv Richardsis - in pointof fact- mavingthe field - and Alec Stewart- quiterightly saying to JackRüssel - holdit, he's stillmaking field changes - Well on the righthand side ((referringto a groupof spectators))they are ABSoLUTEly out of their skeens( ) Vic Richardsno - wanderingaround ( ) ((Replay))this is thewicket - theLB W whatdo youthink 'Firey' B: Well - ah think- thaa couldbe out( ) problyheetting leg stumpor even jus missing- bitI av no trooblewith that - withthe batsman playing on theback foot G: Spose theonly question was - was it goingover the top ((Replay )) see ifwe can giveyou anotherview of that - 1 don'tthink it was - 1 thinkit's fairenough - theone beforeis theone thatwe reallyhave to query( ) Well - Viv Richards- again veryexcited there - why wouldn'the be - he's captainof theWest Indies - an they'remaking a comebackin this series B: Well - 1 doon'tmind Veevian Reechards or anyplayer being eekcited and uh - joomping oop in theair - thrilled- whenthe decision goes forthem - butah do objectto anyplayer ronning- careeringtowards the oompire - whenthe oompire had obviouslynot given th baatsmanout - rooning- chargingtowards in-an putting him oonder pressure - andthen he actuallygives the baatsman out - thaatcaant be right- eet ees notnice fu creekit- an I - certainly- don like eet G: Well - GeoffBoycott's so disgusted- he's packedhis bags and he's leaving( ) Michael Hulding'sabout to movein ( ) andthe crowd down there have broken into song ( ) thy are SOW SOW happy( ) Well - Michael- Hulding'sgot a littlebit of a smileon hees ficetoo - Michael- firstof all - thatah - thatwan down the leg side - You saw thaton replay- What did youthink H: Well definatelyon replay- Tony- youcould see thatit did - definately- did touch the thigh 75

' pad - butwhat I can'tanderstand is hy'Firey is so upset- itas happenedbufore in the game - it will happenagain - so - whyget so upset- theumpire made his dicisian- he's baak in thepaavilian - itwasn't good - greatfu the game - but-iy- it's ovuh- it as appenedbufore - as I said - manytimes - andit willhappen again G: I rememberin fact- ithappened to you- in ah - Ustreliawhen Ian Chappelgot a beegnick anddidn't go ( ) itworked the other way around on thatoccasion - justas a pointof interest - on on Richards'scharging down there - itlooked jus fufu me it lookedfur a secondas if Lloydbarker actually made up ees mind- he actuallymide the decision from about FOUR yourdsto what- perhaps- that'sexaggerating - but from about three yourds to theleft of thestumps H: Yes - LloydBaarka - apparently- was cunvinced- orhe thought,that at the biginning - that it wasn'tout - he tookah couple ah steps- away fromthe stumps - and then- made the dicisian G: Well - thisis MalcolmMarshall - he's decided- well - he hasn'tdecided because - actually - Ian Bishop's offthe ground- it mayjust be that- ah - he's twistedsomething - any thoughtson that H: * ' Ah - Fireyjust wrote a notethere Tony about the-saying you should ask me aboutkicking thestumps over in New Zealand((serious tone of voice)) I don'tmind you asking me about thatAT ALL - as a matterof fact((serious tone and rapidspeech)) I wouldn'tmind him takingthe SEAT and askingme himSELF ((Boycottinvited by Grieg to takea commentaryposition)) B: Well - yousay thaat Michael - cool andcalmly - becauseeet went West Indies way - buteet caam be rightto put pressure on theoompire ( ) I mean- youplayed a longtime - andyou wentand kicked down the stoomps in New Zealandwhen you were upset H: ((Serioustone and rapidspeech)) Yes - "Firey""- that'sdefinately right - but- 1 was out there- on thefield - YORE notOUT there- Are yu- yur- up here- in tbestands - it's uh LOT easierto be calmand cool up hereIYsn't it B: You can'troon towards the oopire 76

H: I'm not - sayingyu kean ( ) there'sNO way I'm goingto difendVivion Richardsfor runningtowards the umpire((serious tone» NO WAY kean I difendthat - but - it as happened- there'sno pointgetting all thatfirey about it - ((serioustone and rapid speech)) ' yername is shlieady'Rry - Geoff- takeit easy B: Well - when you see thingslike thatwhere all countriesof the worldhave theirown oompires- thenYOU'VE GOT to takethe point of ImramKhan that it is timefor neutral oompires- because wheneverit happens- in Englandand AustraliaWest Indies - every cuntrythat's touring will say 'look - yurfavourites to thehome side' - and that'swhy neutraloompires will have to comein H: I'm in totalagreement with that - 'Firey'- I've alwayssaid thatI thoughtneutral umpires wouldbe thebest thing for the game ( ) umpires- will makemistakes - people mightsay - - - - - theyare likkie bit biased but at least thefact they they are NOT fromeethe^ country eitherof the the countries taking part - theyare - theplayers are more willing to acceptthem as mistakes- so I am notagainst neutral umpires at all. B: DEFInitely - youMOOST have neutraloompires so thatyou takeaway theemotion - no side can say - well you favouringone of theother because you're a homeoopmire - and - theythey've had thaatfor many years in eentemationalsoocer wherethe referres aie alwaysneutral - andits REALLY timethe I.C.C. gottheir act together and sortedeet out- because nobodywill tellme as an Eenglishmanwatching I am - no doubtabout it - you wantWest Indies to win and I wantEngland to do well - I've got to see thatas a home decision G: Well - 1 think- peifaaps- now that'Firey's' had hees littlesay thereand uhm- Michael- haveyou finished - haveyou god anythingelse youwanted to say afterthis H: Notreally Tony - 1 - 'Firey'-jes - taking- wasjust talking about emotions - he certainlygot emotionalabout all this- hu huhu

B: Yes - well - 1 woos alwaysbrought oop fufair play - simplythaat - 1 liketo coompetehard - 1 likeit to be tooughout in themiddle - butI DO likefair play - andeh - ah doonthink it was verynice 77

H: Kea - Kean I ask youa questionbufere you fo 'Firey'- haveyu evah - stand- stooduo for a caught- behindand given not out G: Now - thequestion there from Michael Hulding is - haveyou ever stayed when you - nicked wan B: Certnlynot - whashould I do that- has theoompire given me out Lbdoob yu when I wasn't ( ) whatI'm talkingoobout is actuallyrooning towards the oompire an tellingim what deecisionto make- thaatcaan't be right- 1 mean- ifhe'd uh givenBailey out - evenif he wasn'tout Bailey would have had to go - butit joos lukesbad whenplayers on thefield roontowards the oompire H: Yes - 1 wouldagree with that - definately G: Well - whadan interestinglit'dl dibite that was - I'm surewe can carryit on tomorrow- in FACT we're gonnainsist on earringit on tomorrow((laugh)) een fact- we're gonnainsist on carryingit on tomorrow( ) theumpires ( ) in keepingwith consistency - bang on ten minutesto six haveoffered the light to theEnglish batsmen ( ) an thy've dididudto tikeit youngAlex Stewarthas - done a sterlingjob forEngland - hees stillout there - havinga deescussionweeth Deff Geoff Dujon ( ) he obviouslywasn't happy with that decision - and it looksas ifDujon - maynot be too sureabout it ( ) Well - we wontknow - thefact of the matteris- you got to acceptthe umpire's decision at theend of the day ( ) and ah - thatwas a veryinteresting little dibite by two gritecrigiters - two griteguys who've been there beforein their time - thy've beenunder pressure - fromumpires - thy've ah - benifitedfrom good and bad decisionsalike ( ) ((ohm)) that'tthe way the gime is () as far as I'm concernedthe umpires so farthis year have been pretty good ( ) thatwas a veryunfortunate incident- becausethere's NO doubtthat the ball flickedthe thigh pad ( ) ah thinkMichael Huldingconceded that ( ) Geog Boycott'spoint - eh think- forcefullymide - as usual ( ) woos thatah - the ooh littlebit of extrapressure that was put on by ( ) Viv Richards chargingdown the wicket- perhaps( ) was the thingthat made the umpiregive that decision( ) well - so be it - when- everyonewikes up in themorning ( ) thepipers will say thatBailey was out- caughtDujon offthe bowling of Ambrose - as indeed- it sayson that battingcard - forsix - and theWest Indian fast bowlers have - REAlly- been on firehere thisevening - two fu six to Ambrose- one furseven to Bishop - Marshalljust bowled thewanover because Bishop was offthe ground ( ) andEngland are fifteen fu Three ( ) and thatis REAlly- goingto Mike - therest die - littleless palatable( ) thyneed three hundred andfifty-six to winwhich won't happen. 78

Finally,cricket is supposedto be a "gentleman's"game. In conditionswhere collabora- tionand competitivenessexist, it would- by no means- be inappropriateto examinethe genteleman'sgame in relationto them. Conclusion

I have soughtto lay a foundationfor participation of ordinary Caribbean people in the cricketingarena. I believethat if suchparticipation is examinedseriously by Caribbean governmentsa strongbasis to unityand, ultimately, socio-economic progress could be created.And it is fromthis basis thatthe foregroundwhich threatens the progressof CaribbeanCricket could be madeto recedeor removed. I am also sayingthat it is through an understandingof thesociolinguistic dimensions of whatis trulyCaribbean that West Indianleaders and ordinary Caribbeanpeople can benefitboth economically and culturally. Withinthe last three decades much interest has beenshown in thematter, what does it meanto be a Caribbeanperson? This is a matterwhich has been lookedat frequentlyin termsof how fulllanguage status can be givento vernacularlanguage with whose use ordinaryCaribbean people have beentypically identified. I would like to suggestthat, for thefirst time, users of this language, a universalmedium for the production of ideas about cricket,would be givenan opportunityto see thatthe knowledge they construct is used to deal withWest Indian problems. In turn,West Indian governments would be providedwith social situationsin whichthey would be muchbetter positioned to makejustifiable claims abouttheir understanding of ordinaryCaribbean people.

In thisregard, Manley's comment is mostappropriate. He says thatat a politicallevel Cricketis themost completely regional activity undertaken by thepeople of CARICOM memberstate s itis also themost successful Caribbean co-operative endeavour, and thus is a constantreminder to "a peopleof otherwise wayward insularity of the value of collabora- tion."

Let me initiateclosure to mywork by urging political leaders to thinkvery seriously aboutoccupying this position. I also believethat C.L.R. Jameswould urge them too. James (1963) asked:what do theyknow of Cricket who only Cricket know? He repliesby saying thatWest Indians crowding to Tests bring with them the entire past history and future hopes of the Caribbeanterritories, he adds thatwhile Englishpeople have a conceptionof themselves"breathed from birth" and a nationaltradition constituted bv events,persons and institutionssuch as the Chargeof the LightBrigade, Drake, Nelson, Shakespeare, Waterloo,the fewwho did so muchfor so manyand Parliamentarydemocracy, under- developedcountries have to go backcenturies to rebuilta tradition. We of theWest Indies have noneat all, nonethat we knowof. To [WestIndian Test Matchcrowds] the three W's, Ram andVal wreckingEnglish batting help to filla hugegap in theirconsciousness and in theirneeds. In one ofthe sheds on thePort-of-Spain wharf is 79 a paintedsign: 365 GarfieldSobers. Should West Indian leaders take the aforementionedposition, many a Matthew Bondmancould rise to the top of the Test Cricketarena and in the processof their movementenjoy financial comfort in a climateof economic progress. Finally,one ofthe first steps the leaders should take is toset up a CaribbeanInstitute of Cricketwhich would operateunder the joint supervisionof CARICOM, as well as the Universitiesof theWest Indies and Guyana,institutions located in territorieswhere Test MatchCricket is played.A primaryaim of theInstitute would be to examineculturally possibleways in which social action is performedin the Test Cricket Arena. A majoraspect ofthe inquiry should be conductedby conversation analysts, those social scientistswho are prominentlylocated within the field of moderninterpretive Sociology and one of whose majorinvestigative goals is examinationof thesequential organisation of discourse.Fur- ther,pursuit of the goal is guidedby adherenceto a postulateof adequacy. Adherentsto thepostulate means that analytical constructs devised to describesocial actionshould be understandable,not just to an anylsther/himself, but understandable also to a social actorand fellow actorsin termsof theircommonsense interpretation of everydaylife (Schultz, 1970, p.279). In otherwords, conversation analysts seek to ensure thattheir technical terms have ordinary application. They have also arguedlegitimately for sociologiststo emphasisethe importance of languageuse to social interactionand have stressedthe significance of understanding the everyday world through an examinationof language. The boundariesmay appear to be distant,but much more than the field is wideopen.

FOOTNOTES

- 1. Thisarticle appeared in theEnglish newspaper, The Mail on Sunday p.72,22/4/1990 2. Thiscomment of Lloyd's appearson p. 32 ofthe Red StripeCaribbean Cricket Quarterly (ed) TonyCozier: Vol. 1, No. 4, 1991. 3.Cozier'sstatements appeared in theBritish daily, the Independent, 1lth April, 1990. 4.1twas A.W. Griegand G. Boycott,two former England captains, umpiring at theTest match level.Transcription symbols used in thisand the other conversation are: (( )) Doubleparentheses indicate physical action that accompanies talk. : A colonwithin a workindicates lengthening of soundthat follows it. A shortuntimed pause within an utteranceis indicatedby a dash. (2.6) Whenintervals in thestream of talk occur, they are timed in tenthsof a secondand inserted in parentheseswithin or between utterances. (Mhm) Wordsor stretchesof speechinserted in singleparentheses are of doubtful transcription. 80

THIS Bold faceupper case arrangementindicates extra-loud stress. Whilesingle parentheses appear in thetranscripts, no timingof speakers' pauses is recorded.This is so becauseI haveno interesthere in providing analyses of the sequential organisation of talk.

REFERENCES

Hudson,R.A. Sociolinguistic.Cambridge University Press (1980). James,C.L.R. Cricket.London: Allison and Busby. (1986). LloydC.H. Introduction,in M. Manley.A Historyof West Indies Cricket, London: Andre Deutsh andPan Books (1988). Manley,M. A Historyof West Indies Cricket. London: Andre Deutsh and Pan books(1988). PitCorder, S. The Visual Elementin LanguageTeaching. London: Longman (1966). Robins,R.H. GeneralLinguistics. London Longman (1967). Schutz,A. On Phenomenologyand Social Relations.Chicago: University of Chicago Press (1970). Searle,J.R. The Philosophyof Language. London: Oxford University Press