Well, I signing off from the forum for a while till the Test series start.
I have enjoyed participating in the various discussions and hope i aint vex anybody too much - including any player that might happen across this wonderful Windiesfans.com forum
In the future I will use this topic to talk out loud to myself about all sorts of stuff that might not be of interest to anyone on the main topics (In a previous forum incarnation i came to learn that having a little bolt hole in cyberspace that you can retreat into is useful sometimes). Every now and then things can get a bit hot online so this will be my cooling down place.
Allyuh take care and keep the cricket gyaff going and leh we rally round the west indies forever.
Ciao for now
Last edited by howzdat on Fri May 24, 2013 7:14 am, edited 2 times in total.
As i intimated in my first post on this topic, this is the place that I will turn to when I feel like posting something that is slightly off-topic.
This time i am drawn to explore the term "our generation" that mikesiva used on the topic: http://www.windiesfans.com/forums/viewt ... 478#p16478" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Thanks mike.
Initially I started to think about the idea of an our & their generation in a strictly cricketing context. However, as my thoughts developed I began to ask myself whether taking time to examine it in a much broader caribbean cultural and political sense could help us gain some fresh insights into the issues underlying the continuing depressed state of cricket in the region. While wondering what 'elements' mikesiva would use to establish a demarkation between the our and their generation, I also wondered which of the camps I would fall into...
My Generation
GENERAL FACTS: Considering my birth against the United States Census Bureau which classifies a baby boomer as someone born during the demographic birth boom between 1946 and 1964; I was born much closer to the end of this period than the beginning. I also belong to the generation for which radio was the primary medium for mass communication on a national and regional basis.
CRICKETING FACTS: As a young boy I saw the New Zealand team containing players of the Glen Turner, Bev Congdon play West Indies in the caribbean. At similar age I saw the Pakistan team containing Zaheer Abbass play in the West Indies. I saw the late Roy Fredericks face Dennis Lillee in the caribbean. I saw the Chappell brothers play the West Indies and whilst glued to the radio as Australia inflicted the 5-1 series defeat on the West Indies I can remember Roy Fredericks remarkable 160-odd during that series. On a regional level I remember Inshan and Imtiaz Ali together with Raphick Jumadeen in the TT team. I remember Lawrence Rowe's remarkable performances in his all too brief test career career.
EDUCATION: I was schooled in the region prior to the regional CXC examinations during the time when history was studied via The People Who Came series of text books. I studied Arithmetic, Geometry and Algebra in high school via 3 BIG fire-ass text books that served us through our secondary school years.
CULTURE: I remember to the performances of the late Louise Bennet. Paul Keens Douglas I love to this day.
Now cos i is a nice guy ah gon leave allyuh wid a wicked, wicked tune for sweeten yuh ears. If you kow it from fus time it come out, tek care yuh children dem doan think that madness tek you over as you start to dance yuh ass off!! Enjoy: " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
So these are sone of the things that I cound amongst my 'our generation'. So how does 'my' generation differ from or match with yours/theirs? Next time amongst other things I guh talk about my more formative cricket-loving years.
Last edited by howzdat on Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
A Jewish fella once said to me that the 'problem' with peoples of African descent is that they generally tend to live peacefully alongside all other peoples/races of the world; and they do this wherever they are in the world.
With reference to the "Our/their generation/" topic that i started to explore in this post, I see that mapoui has written a two posts, here and here that to my mind fall within the our generation category.
What mapoui has done is go back into the history of the game and unearth a story that illustrates an invaluable cricketing lesson that will stand the test of all times. The question I ask is this: Does the 'their' generation engage themselves in the game/life in this manner? Is their love for the game such that they, like mapoui, feel inspired to learn more about the exploits of players from yesteryear? Do they read or are books passe to them?
Do the hairs on the back of "their generation necks" prickle when they picture in their own minds what it took to achieve the sort of excellence that our cricketing heroes have gained renown for? Are they motivated to EMULATE these exploits, knowing that in doing so their own accomplishments will also become part of the folklore that generations afterwards will look back upon in awe?
Before the age of ten I had discovered from one of my friends that his father had a treasure trove of Wisden Almanacs! Ah boy!!! In my mind I can now picture the big, thick book and its yellow coloured cover weighing heavily in my hand as i would spend long afternoons and nights reading up on cricket history. Honing my love for the great game and familiarising myself with players and matches of note.
With my WI supporters hat on I particularly remember a match report and picture in which the exploits of the great Rohan Babulal Kanhai was featured. Thanks mapoui for those posts.
Last edited by howzdat on Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks, a great, vivid post. Reading of Kanhai like that reminded me of when my brothers and I would be sat around the radiogram, like religous devouts, listening to WI play. How would lick our lips in anticipation whenever Lloyd and Kalicharran would come together at the crease! Wah! And we would know we were in for a special treat if both of these players each got off the mark with a boundary. Oh boy, the partnerships those two used to put together.
Maybe it is a Kanhai spirit that the batting lineup, or dare i say team, misses right now. A batsman possessed of such breathtaking boldness that bowlers would appear to become mesmerised whenever he is at the crease. Where has that spirit gone?!
I remember back in the day there was a guy played for Guyana and a few games for the West Indies. If he was upset about something he would become a real 'ignar' at the crease and he would demolish any bowling. The faster the better. His name is Sewdatt Shivnarine. I wonder if anyone on the site remembers him? Am not sure of it is 100% true but there is a story that he got so mad about something during a representative game that he came to the crease with bat, gloves and no pads - that was a statement of intent. Where has such spirit gone?
I am sure we all have noticed that on their day the top, top, class batsmen seem to have the uncanny ability to 'make the bowlers bowl exactly what they want' - the line, the length and the pace; and the ball just keeps disappearing all around the park. It is almost as if the bowler gets transfixed by the sheer brilliance of the batting.
From a WI point of view Sir IVA Richards was one such player who on is day could exert such a mental stranglehold on a bowling attack. BC Lara was another. Oh how we could do with a few such players now! Batsmen whom the God's themselves seem to smile down upon. By all accounts Kanhai himself was such a player.
Last edited by howzdat on Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
Have just read the GAYLE BREAKS SILENCE ON WICB TREATMENT post and am left with an awful feeling of despondency about the immediate future of West Indies cricket! Till I get the chance to study all the publicly available documents relating to matters between Gayle and the Board I perhaps ought to keep my comments to a minimum, however the result is not good for West Indies cricket.
Yes, I have posted some critical views about what i see as Chris's shortcomings as a batsman BUT it doesn't mean that i fail to appreciate the awesomeness of some of his performances.
P.S. Having checked the records I note that Chris was dismissed 'run out' in his first test match for West Indies - the only ever time he lost his wicket in that manner. And now by his own words we see that he feels he has been 'run out' of West Indies cricket. What a shame!
Last edited by howzdat on Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
to the performances of the late Louise Bennet. Paul Keens Douglas I love to this day. 
ah gon leave allyuh wid a wicked, wicked tune for sweeten yuh ears. If you kow it from fus time it come out, tek care yuh children dem doan think that madness tek you over as you start to dance yuh ass off!! Enjoy: