Says Cosmo Hamilton
Just as the leadership of the APNU+AFC coalition with some measure of prescience presented the electorate with a poignant if simple mantra “It Is Time” -that would appropriately signal the end of the 23 year reign of the PPP/C in government, the very same theme, though for a very different reason is applicable to bring closure to the stellar 21 year career of the illustrious son of the soil West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul. It is time. Bad things must be brought to an end and it is a truism that ‘all good things will come to an end’. So is the span of the PPP/C and Shivnarine Chanderpaul polar opposites covering almost identical years; one was great for Guyana and the Caribbean.
Unfortunately for purely sentimental reasons a contentious debate rages on about the end of Chanderpaul’s Test career as one of the most prolific batsmen ever to play for the West Indies. It is a debate that ought not to have taken place and perhaps would not have, had the slender south paw from Unity on the East Coast of Demerara, like Clive Lloyd and the West Indies panel of selectors as well as Coach Phil Simmons, seen the writing on the wall. And according to Lloyd and company the writing on the wall says that Chanderpaul’s considerable skills that have served him and West Indies cricket so well for the better part of 21 years in amassing a monumental 11,867 runs in 164 Tests at an impressive average of 51.37, have eroded.
Though Chanderpaul might beg to differ with that opinion, Lloyd’s claim is bolstered by the hard evidence of numbers – the statistics which indicate that over his last two tours – three Test matches in South Africa and three home Tests against England, Shiv has averaged an anemic 16.63 in 11 innings with a top score of 46. Understandably the stubborn lefthander who has experienced such significant success throughout his lengthy career would rather not end it on a series of low scores. But consummate professionals are at times hard-pressed to accept that their skills have diminished – that their reflexes have slowed and their movement is compromised naturally by Father Time.
In Shiv’s mind he has done well at the highest level against the best that the world has had to offer for so long that he may have construed his recent failure as simply a loss of form, or perhaps as one of the world’s foremost accumulator of Test runs and cognizant of his place in history and particularly in the lore of West Indies cricket, he considers himself a mere 87 runs shy of overtaking former captain Brian Lara who has scored the most runs in the history of West Indies Test cricket – 11,953 over his phenomenal 16 year career. Addressing that issue, Lloyd the convenor of selectors speaking on behalf of his panel said, “As you may notice he has been given quite a lot of games to probably try and get close to that and he has not looked the part.” Said he, “That is why we’ve decided that now is the time for a change.”
Though Chanderpaul has not officially spoken out on the issue he has had much support from various quarters throughout the Caribbean for his apparent position of ‘not yet ready to retire’.
In my view the selection panel and coach Phil Simmons have been unjustifiably pilloried for their firm position on the issue. The West Indies Players Association president and CEO Wavell Hinds in a strongly worded statement said “We are very disappointed in the manner in which Mr. Chanderpaul was treated. WIPA believes the process of omitting Mr. Chanderpaul was untidy and distasteful.”
Former West Indies captain Brian Lara also directed harsh remarks at the selection panel.
The stylish left hander in an acrimonious comment said “This has absolutely nothing to do with runs or numbers. It has to do with respect, and Chanderpaul has earned the right to say goodbye in an acceptable way. “In fact” said Lara, “he should be allowed to do it in his own way.” Further Lara said “The manner in which they deal with their players is despicable and should no longer be tolerated. When you look back to so many of our heroes and the manner in which they were dumped,” he said, “it makes you shudder,”
Meanwhile former West Indies fast bowler now well-known commentator Michael Holding in rare agreement with Lloyd and the selection panel said, “I don’t believe that cricketers should just get a series for getting a series sake. I don’t think that Chanderpaul has proven in recent times that he is still a good enough player to be playing for the West Indies.”
Sports is a business. International Cricket is an integral part of the panoply of sports. Ultimately the selection panel whomever they might be must be commissioned to put the best team on the field and treat the sport with integrity. And no individual is bigger than the game. Shiv ought not to end his distinguished career on an unsavory note.
Twenty-one years ago someone was omitted for a certain promising, precocious, unorthodox batsman to make his debut in Test cricket before his home crowd at Bourda in Georgetown. It is time for the baton to be passed.
Shiv has done yeoman service for the West Indies and should be honored in no small way by the Board with events throughout the Caribbean in the very near future that would appropriately recognize his hall of fame career. As for Guyana, one might suggest to the Minister of Education, the Honorable Rupert Roopnarine who referred to Chanderpaul’s omission from the West Indies team to play Australia as ‘distressing’, that he name the main pavilion at the National Stadium – The Shivnarine Chanderpaul Pavilion and present the Guyanese icon with a lofty national honour.
