SOLID and magnificent batting, superb devastating bowling, exciting and electrifying fielding, world-class leadership, are only some of the hallmarks of Guyanese contribution to World Cricket and West Indies Test cricket in particular, over the last 75 years.
West Indies played their inaugural Test series in 1928 against England in England. Cyril Brown and Mauruis `Pacheco’ Fernandes were the two Guyanese, who played in that first Test match at the mecca, the most famous Lord’s ground.
Fernandes captained the West Indies in his second Test match. Bourda was the ground where West Indies won their first Test match. A Guyanese was captain, and the irony of it all the Caribbean Colonial Masters were defeated. It was a stunning defeat for England and full respect was gained by the Colonies. Cricket was the vehicle to our success, it is today the Caribbean unifier.
CAPTAINS
The rebuilding and consolidation, the period when West Indies Cricket was at the helm of world cricket, Guyana produced three consecutive captains for the West Indies.
Rohan Bholalall Kanhai, the pugnacious and one of the all time world-class stroke players was appointed captain against Australia in 1972.
He took a young team to England and won the Test series 2-0. Kanhai strengthened the fitness policy and instilled iron discipline in the new look West Indies Test team.
The habit and strict policy of winning, the moulding and creation of the best team in the world was under the astute captaincy of Clive Hubert Lloyd.
Out of desperation and in search of a captain, when world cricket was in crisis, the golden boy from Port Mourant, the classical and attractive stroke player, Alvin Kallicharran was appointed captain of the West Indies team.
The honest, sincere and patriotic Guyanese always loyal to his country and people did not creed for the glamour and money, and captained the team with pride.
Kerry Packer’s circus ended and Lloyd returned at the helm of West Indies cricket. He was responsible for the establishment of the famous four pronged pace attack. While instilling his talented side with professionalism and determination to win consistently, he united the disparate threads of the separate nations that make up the West Indies and was the powerful force that gelled them into an admirable winning team.
Michael Manley said, “The West Indies are Third World countries, but we belong and are in the first World of Cricket”.
Lloyd was the longest serving West Indies captain. He was at the helm for 74 Test matches. He skippered the team for a total of 26 matches without a defeat and won 11 consecutive Test matches; in the process he humiliated and white washed teams and made captains depart from Test cricket in tears - Kim Hughes, Oh! Kim Hughes.
Clive Hubert Lloyd piloted the all powerful West Indies cricket team to two consecutive World Cup victories. He is the only captain to appear in three World Cup finals. Five Guyanese were in the first World Cup squad. However, Clive Lloyd, Rohan Kanhai, Alvin Kallicharran and Roy Fredericks played winning innings, while the master spin bowler and the record holder Lance Gibbs gave valuable support.
Carl Hooper also rose to the helm of West Indies cricket. He skippered the team in Test cricket and World Cup. While Carl was at the helm he cajoled and nurtured Guyanese Ramnaresh Sarwan, who is presently aiming for the skies. With Hooper’s exit from the captaincy, the talented flamboyant, stylish, approachable and pleasant Sarwan was appointed vice-captain of the present West Indies team.
BATSMEN WITH DISTINCTION
The five Guyanese West Indies captains played in a total of 359 Test matches amassing 23,952 runs among them, with 59 Test centuries and 115 fifties. Three of these captains have been “Wisden Cricketer for the Year. Kanhai in 1964, Lloyd in 1971 and Kallicharran in 1983. The diminutive Roy Fredericks was “Wisden Cricketer of the Year” in 1974 along with the great son Lance Gibbs who also was a “Wisden Cricketer of the year” in 1972.
Roy Fredericks will always be remembered for his magnificent 169 of 145 balls at Perth against Australia. However, Roy told me his best innings was against England at the Oval.
Kallicharran registered 4,399 runs in 66 Test matches. He made his Test debut with a Test century at Bourda and went on to score another century in Port-of-Spain. He registered 12 Test centuries, but “Kalli” will always be remembered for his World Cup innings when he thumped Lillee and Thompson all over the ground.
Rohan Kanhai stroked 6,227 Test runs with 15 centuries and his 150 against England at Bourda will live on in our memories. Kanhai’s batting drew positive remarks from the great Sir Donald Bradman. He never played for the record books, but he played the game his way.
The outstanding Basil Butcher finished his Test career with 3,104 runs in 44 matches, hitting seven centuries.. Who could forget his electrifying 133 at Lord’s in the 1963 Test when he saves West Indies from almost certain defeat.
Clive Lloyd - “Burnham Magic” played in 110 Test matches, accumulated 7,515 Test runs with 19 Test centuries. Lloyd was the first West Indian to play 100 Test matches. As captain he scored 5,223 runs from 74 Test matches.
Carl Hooper has the distinguished record as being the only person in the history of the game to have scored over 5,000 runs, then taking over 100 wickets and over 100 catches in both Test cricket and One Day Internationals.
Batting, glorious batting was seen at Bourda when Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit a magnificent century off a mere 69 deliveries against a strong five frontline Australian bowlers. He is the only batsman to register three Test centuries at Bourda.
Chanderpaul and Sarwan both hit magnificent centuries in the last innings of the last Test match against Australia as West Indies recorded the highest forth innings score 418 to win a Test match. Sarwan’s last Test innings is a clear indication of great things to come from a great batsman in the making.
FIELDING
While some cricketers achieved greatness with runs and others by taking wickets, Joe Solomon has the distinction of twice running out batsmen to take the last wicket in a match. The most famous of the two being when he ran out Australia’s Ian Meckiff at Brisbane in 1960-61 series for the first ever historical tied Test match.
Lloyd was one of the best fieldsmen in the covers. He thrilled thousands of spectators as he moved in the field and swooped on the ball and returned to the wicket.
Roger Harper and Faoud Bacchus were also cat-like fielders in the field. Batsmen had tremendous respect for them and before a team started to bat they knew that they had to be very careful when taking runs against these prolific men when they were on the field.
BOWLING
Lance Gibbs was one of the best off-spinners to grace the cricket grounds across the world. He once held the record as the bowler with the most Test wickets, 309. He captured a hat-trick when he claimed the wickets of Ken Mc kay, Wally Grout and Frank Mission. Our own Colin Croft bowling with tremendous pace stunned the senior West Indies fast bowlers when he captured eight wickets for 29 runs in Port-of-Spain against Pakistan in 1977.
AADMINITRATORS and TECHNICAL PERSONNEL
Stephen Camacho was a long serving secretary to the West Indies Cricket Board. He was later elevated to become Chief Executive Officer. He was indeed the most successful West Indies Cricket Board Administrator. Guyana’s Cricket Board President Chetram Singh is a current member of the West Indies Cricket Board and seems certain to be the next President.
Berkley Gaskin, Lance Gibbs and Clive Lloyd were among those that excelled in the capacity as managers, while Basil Butcher, Roy Fredericks and Joe Solomon were very good selectors. Rohan Kanhai, Clive Lloyd and most recently Roger Harper were highly successful coaches. Today Harper is the head coach of the West Indies Cricket Academy.
West Indies cricket in its 75 years as a Test-playing nation has enjoyed the invaluable contribution of the many talented Guyanese.
Chanderpaul has established himself as probably the most dependable batsman in the present West Indies Test team. Sarwan is on the road to greatness, while several young players are sure to blaze the trail towards greatness.