Dear Editor,
Congratulations are in order to the Berbice Cricket Board of Control (I hate to see the word ‘control’ in the title of any organization) for launching what they call the “BCBC All Time Xl.”
It is my hope that this is not just a decoration exercise, given that Christmas is right around the corner, but a serious step towards the development of cricket in Berbice and by extension, Guyana and the West Indies.
However, a number of issues centred on the selection of this ‘All Time Xl’ puzzle me. The team was apparently picked by “3 former long serving administrators” who were mandated to pick a team which (a) identified the 11 greatest players to represent the county over the years and (b) comprise the following: two opening batsmen, four middle-order batsmen, one wicketkeeper, one all-rounder and three bowlers.
A number of questions arise immediately. The following 4 are in immediate need of some answer. Perhaps, if time does not permit, response to question 4 will suffice.
Why was the selection of this team placed solely in the hands of the 3 esteemed gentlemen mentioned, given the high profile nature of such a team and importance of selecting the ‘best’ possible Xl?
There’s an immediate concern with criteria (a) and (b). Isn’t it possible that criterion (a) – ‘11 greatest players’ mismatches criterion (b)?
What criteria were used to pick this team apart from the composition specified?
On what grounds is Mr Leslie Amsterdam (with all due respect to his time in leadership at the BCBC) in this team ahead of Leonard Baichan?
Surely, from a purely cricketing standpoint, unless his stats are dramatically deceiving, there’s little evidence to support his elevation to a “Berbice All Time Xl” before Mr Baichan.
A number of prominent names are also missing from the list of considered players: Leonard Baichan, Ivan Madray, Suedatt Shivnarine and Romain Etwaroo come to mind immediately. Three of the 4 listed players represented the West Indies in Test cricket.
If we are to truly use these names to act “as inspiration to the present generation of cricketers especially, those at the junior levels,” then we owe the youths a complete truth.
It is my sincerest hope that someone from the selection panel or from the BCBC responds accordingly.
Yours faithfully,
Len Singh