COMMENTARY By DR. DHANPAUL NARINE Cricket: The Game is Bigger Than Us The captain of the West Indies Test team is more powerful that many Pres- idents and Prime Ministers. The West Says Sir Gar \ eld Sobers Indies is the only place on the planet Cricket then is the glue and to show glimpses of team and I believe that is where eleven players are chosen from that binds the West Indies. the skills that once mes- the way the game should Eleven players from dif- merized the cricketing be played. Records I have different countries to represent a nation. ferent countries battling world. broken, some I have set the enemy for supremacy Pooran promised and but the game is far big- This creates its own the three W’s, Rohan bring the Caribbean into he delivered and the fans ger than the individual. Dr. Dhanpaul Narine problems and also has Kanhai, Collie Smith, our living rooms. The dif- are grateful. There was I believe that we should its advantages. In the old and others, that put their ferences between big and Sew Shivnarine sitting always play as a team and career I looked up to the days insularity and indi- stamp on the game. By the small and undeveloped next to Gordon Greenidge we should never be selfi sh people that have helped vidualism were common time West Indies toured and modern are blurred. and Joe Solomon while in whatever we do. The me and motivated me. themes in West Indies England in 1963 many We are more concerned Shivnarine Chanderpaul game is bigger than all of My role models are Sir cricket. But a smart cap- knew that West Indies about the performance of swapped stories with Al- us. When we understand Garfi eld Sobers, Wes Hall tain was able to bring out was a cricket nation. It the region as opposed to vin Kallicharran, Ramna- what the game is all about and Rohan Kanhai. There the best in the players and may have its own forms of an individual country or resh Sarwan, Clayton West Indies cricket will is also Lance Gibbs. He to instill in them the im- government but the people player. Cricket becomes Lambert, Pedro Collins blossom again.’ was my fi rst captain when portance of playing for of the West Indies looked the healer and Sir Garfi eld I was sixteen and played country. to the team to bring glory. leveler that see addressed the for Guyana. When I made Frank Worrell articu- While the politicians have the performance importance of my debut I was sitting in lated this vision. The Ca- to answer to local constit- of the team as the team. He the same dressing room ribbean was more than a uencies the West Indies more important said, ‘whatever with these great men. No geographical expression, captain has the entire En- than personal sta- I have achieved innings can beat that!’ a collection of territories glish-speaking Caribbean tistics. A barefoot it was done Shivnarine Chander- separated by the Carib- on his shoulders. His job lad from Port through team- paul has served West In- bean Sea and trapped by is to make the fans happy. Mourant or San- work.’ Was Wor- dies cricket for over twen- the tides of insularity. Eric If a person is not interest- ta Cruz can work rell’s team great- ty years and he has played Williams argued that the ed in cricket he or she is hard and be able er than Lloyd’s? with some of the greatest destiny of the far-fl ung bound to be caught up in to greet the Queen Sir Garfi eld said names in the game. His territories lay in its ability the euphoria that victory at Lords. that the yard- exclusion from the 2015 to speak with a common brings or the ‘long faces’ There is no stick for judg- West Indies team that voice. that is the image of defeat. doubt that so- ing greatness faced Australia started a Cricket became that When West Indies won cial media has in a team must controversy. Public opin- voice. Worrell saw the po- the World Cup in 1975 brought cricket not be based ion seemed to suggest tential and power of unity there was surfeit of good- closer to the fans. on how many that his exclusion was in cricket. It was under his will and celebrations in Gone are the days matches were premature and some ques- leadership that West In- the region and the people of a scratchy tran- played by them tioned whether Chander- dies thrived and became were happy. When last did sistor pasted to or how many paul was axed for reasons unoffi cial world champi- a politician make the peo- the ear to listen to victories they other than cricket. In any ons. When his team left ple happy? the commentar- Sir Gar \ eld Sobers, cricketer’s greatest all-rounder, won. According event he was not given Australia in 1961 there As Clive Lloyd apt- ies. If only John and a respected \ gure in the Caribbean. to Sir Garfi eld, the send off that WICB was a parade of thou- ly puts it when the West Arlott could have ‘ Worrell had a President David Cameron sands to bid the players Indies cricket team does teamed up with Tony Co- and Mahendra Naga- great all-round team. The had promised for cricket farewell. No other team well there is a spring in zier and Alan McGilvray mootoo. Lloyd team had the great- heroes. had since received such the step of the Caribbe- in the same box with wi- At another table Merv est fast bowlers in any era Chanderpaul was re- an accolade. Worrell ‘the an. There is nothing like fi and skype! Cricket fans Dillon, Gus Logie and in one team. They could luctant to comment on jolly good fellow’ had victory to reinforce brag- in New York were treated Larry Gomes talked about be called express bowl- these matters. Is he writ- rescued cricket from the ging rights and open a to a rare event when some old times while Faoud ers. They caused many ing a book that will in- doldrums. He had brought fl oodgate of goodwill. of the West Indies legends Bacchus was gracious to problems for the opposi- clude everything about the the Caribbean closer. The Caribbean is more teamed up to play in two a young cricket fan Rusat tion. But when it comes controversy? What was The plantations in the at ease talking about the T20 games. It was the who sought autographs. to leadership I would say the special relationship Caribbean became the performance of the West brainchild of Trinidadian But all eyes were on the that Frank Worrell in my between Chanderpaul and nursery of many famous Indies team rather than and Florida businessman gentleman in the far cor- estimation was the better Lara at the wicket? Ac- names. There were Lea- discussing the latest GNP Pooran Ramnanan to in- ner. He had come straight leader. He had a team that cording to Chanderpaul, rie Constantine, George per capita or immigration vite the legends in New from JFK Airport to the he had to nurture and he ‘It was a pleasure to bat Headley, Garfi eld Sobers, in the region. York to meet and greet banquet and was prepared did it well.’ with Lara and to be at the to play a long innings! Alvin Kallicharran other end watching him. I He was Sir Garfi eld So- (Kalli) played many have never seen any play- bers, simply the greatest great innings in his dis- er with the skills of Lara. cricketer ever. Dr. Donna tinguished career. Which He would sometimes hit a JAIPRAKASH RADHAMOHAN Hunte-Cox, the Consul was his greatest? Surely ball to the boundary that General of Barbados to the innings in which he I would choose to leave Attorney and Counselor at Law New York, and a relative demolished Dennis Lillee alone. He was that good. of the great Sir Conrad in the 1975 World Cup It was unbelievable the Real Estate Contracts and Closings Hunte, greeted the guests. must be high on the list. power he would get in . Page 30 Landlord and Tenant She reinforced the impor- But Kalli had a totally his strokes. Brian is the tance of cricket as a unifi - different answer. He went best batsman I have seen.’ Probate and Administration of Estates er in the Caribbean. down the philosophical Chanderpaul has a lot Criminal Law Immigration Sir Garfi eld Sobers path. Cricket for him was to offer and a Test-play- spoke in the same vein. not about records. It was ing country will do well Personal Injury Wrongful Death Aug 15, 2015 He said, ‘ for me it was about life and offering re- to have him as its bat- Family Law/Divorces not about individual spect to those that set him ting coach. The legends scores. Every run I scored, on the path. Kalli said, ‘I brought glory to the West Matters Involving Guyana Law every wicket I took was don’t think about my best Indies. Their performanc- (Transport, Title, Power of Attorney, Deed Poll etc) done for the West Indies. or greatest innings. I think es made us realize that as- It was never about me. about the people that have tute leadership is essential It was always about the created my destiny. You for regional cooperation PH : 718-835-8768 team. In my cricket career can make records and big and that cricket and poli- WestIndian .