Windies anthem to be redone


Stabroek News
April 17, 1999


The West Indies Cricket anthem will be redone to correct the much talked about inaccuracy in the lyrics which inadvertently excludes Guyana's involvement.

Guyana Cricket Board present Chetram Singh Chetram Singh said yesterday he has been assured by West Indies Cricket Board marketing director Chris Dehring that the adjustment will be done after the current tour by Australia is finished.

Released this year in time for the Australian tour, the anthem, composed and performed by popular Trinidad musician David Rudder refers to the participating countries as islands excluding Guyana, one of the founding countries of the sport in the region, which is the lone continental territory and by far the largest.

Singh said he was told by Dehring that the problem was an oversight and that it would be corrected. The anthem has been used widely in the territories which hosted games in the Test and one-day series so far. It is debatable whether the anthem will be fully accepted when the tour comes here for the Guyana leg next week.

Singh said security will be tight for Wednesday's one-day International at the GCC ground Bourda where 125 policemen will be deployed mainly to deal with pitch invasions by spectators.

The GCB president said the penalty of expulsion of spectators who invade the pitch will be rigidly enforced.

Singh disclosed that the paying crowd capacity for the GCC is 10,200 and even if tickets are sold out the match will not likely be televised live in Guyana.

He expects the West Indies Board to stick to its policy of not allowing live coverage wherever matches are played. He however added, that the last one-day international in Grenada was an exception. " Grenada was a special case as the match was being played for the first time at the new facility and it was sold out two days in advance," he disclosed.

Tickets for Wednesday's game is going fast as the Rohan Kanhai, Kenny Wishart and Lance Gibbs were sold out yesterday. However, tickets were available for the Clive Lloyd, Shell, Banks Mound Stand, Schoolboys and Rails up to press time. Sales will continue today and tomorrow from 9 am to 2 pm.

Meanwhile entries for the Bowling for Dollars competition ended yesterday afternoon. Seven ticket holders each from Caricom countries which hosted ODI or Test matches will have an opportunity to win US$1 million.

The seven lucky participants will be flown to Barbados for the preliminary competition next week Saturday while the final is set for the next day--Sunday 25.

The draw to determine the seven lucky ticket holders is set for tomorrow in Trinidad.