Dear Editor,
All Guyanese are indeed hurt by the manner in which our star cricketer Shivnarine Chanderpaul was treated. Reflecting on the issue at hand, any patriotic Guyanese would feel hurt to know that there is a Guyanese on the selection panel, moreso in the person of Clive Lloyd who would know how close cricket is to all Guyanese.
Unable to recall the full details, this is what I remember. Clive Lloyd was dropped from the West Indies team. The match was played at Bourda. The leader of the government at the time told the West Indies Cricket Board “No Lloyd, no cricket in Guyana.” The board gave in to that demand and Lloyd was allowed on the team though he was not in Guyana at the time. Every effort was made to have him reach Bourda to play for the West Indies. He was airlifted by helicopter from the airport to Bourda Ground, and received a hero’s welcome from the spectators. He went in to bat and scored a century.
Fast forward to Chanderpaul. He is in his forties and about to retire, with less than a hundred runs from surpassing another great West Indian batsman. What is so difficult about giving that historic send-off into retirement by allowing him to play his final Test at home?
We would have indeed be setting a good precedent for other selectors to follow in making certain critical decisions. Maybe a young player can beg the selectors to be omitted and give the Tiger that well deserved hero’s farewell.
Yours faithfully
Jocelyn Morian
