By: ray

ray — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:44:29 +0000

A lost chance…..
Immortality beckons as Ganga sheperded his charges for one last fling. For a change the odds seemed to be in their favour as they defeated NSW just days previously and became the darlings of the tournament. Ah, but this is a different day, an opponent with a different mind set. With the element of surprise neutralised and adrenalin gushing…..a different situation. Can Ganga inspire and bring out the best one ‘mo’ time?
Alas! It was not to be as Brett Lee, arguably the best fast bowler in the world, and four other Australian test players handed them their first defeat.
A marvellous opportunity presented itself. The West Indies needed a captain. Here is Ganga, simply put, the best captain in the West Indies. Bar none! Rather than appointing Ganga the captain, Clyde Butts said “Gayle was the unanimous choice”. For this idiotic unanimous selection Butts, Jumadeen and Haynes should submit their resignation pronto. By seemingly denigrating Ganga’s record Butts brought, inadvertently, the spotlight on his less than stellar test career – 7 matches, 10 wickets at an average of 59.50 – 1 wicket every 26 over , according to cricinfo.
The West Indies Cricket Board should have demonstrated the existence of cohones, to escape the culture of ineptitude and incompetence to the infinite power.
West Indies cricket is in such a precarious position, such dire straits, that West Indians cannot help but look at other teams’ behind. Perpetually it would seem. Putting some of these teams in the rear view mirror seems like a terrific idea. Unfortunately, the WICB, in its infinite wisdom has decided to maintain the status quo.
To those of you, and I know there are many, who say Ganga cannot make the team (you may want to re-examine the captaincy record of Lara), I say make him a specialist captain. Australia, England, India employed this model in the past with some success. And, oh, by the way, it’s not as though WI has a plethora of world class batsmen!
Simply put he is the best captain in the WI. A highly cerebral bloke, bright and articulate, a leader of men, a man of principles, an attorney in the making, a man with immense captaincy acumen, he may very well be the man to lead a renaissance in WI cricket fortunes.
Though not clairvoyant, I see a 3-0 Australian whitewash of the West Indies down under.

Comments on: Gayle the overwhelming choice, says chairman Butts

By: ray