Dear Editor,
A few weeks ago a former National Youth Cricketer now a popular cricket writer and commentator stated in his column that the poor spectator turn-out at the national cricket stadium is partly to be blamed on the economic state of the country. However, his comments are based on purely inappropriate considerations. While many would concede that the current state of the economy is not that healthy, we are surely seeing that bright light at the end of the tunnel.
The quality of West Indies cricket at present leaves much to be desired, and until the players’ performance improves those many empty seats will always be there. While it is my view that the selectors are giving it their best shot, the players themselves are not there as yet, although in the end we should support them.
I was fortunate to see all the Test matches and limited overs cricket played at the historical Bourda cricket ground, once described as a billiard table and happy hunting ground for batsmen. This was starting with the 1965 Australian tour, when the team was regarded by many as the best Australian Test team consisting of Bobby Simpson, Bill Lawry, Graham McKenzie and Wally Grout. But they were evenly matched by Gary Sobers, Rohan Kanhai, Wesley Hall and Jackie Hendricks. Bourda always used to be full to capacity, and because of the distance and the mode of transportation available in those days the people from the regions used to ensure they travelled the day before and stayed cramped in hotels or at the homes of relatives or friends, so they would be in the line to purchase tickets as early as 5 am. It was worth the wait then, and this was a trend which continued for decades.
In the Caribbean cricket will always be our number one sport, particularly in Guyana. I will not mention what to my mind is responsible for its rapid and consistent decline.
Cricket regionally and internationally is competing for the advertising dollar and sponsorship with other sports, and we have to produce batsmen at least half as good as Brian Lara and Shiv Chanderpaul; bowlers half as good a Walsh, Holding, Marshall and Garner; and wicket-keeper batsmen as dependable as Dujon, and then and only then will we get back to winning ways and our stadiums not only here in Guyana but across the region will again be full to capacity.
A lot of people mainly our youths prefer to remain in the confines of their homes and look at basketball matches featuring Curry, James, Westbrook or Durant, or look at football matches in Spain with Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo, Bale and a host of others. It is my belief also that a show at Providence featuring a Trinidadian chutney singer or a Jamaican reggae artiste, will also fill the stadium.
I am saying again that the economy has nothing to do with it.
Yours faithfully,
Archie W Cordis