'Sir Viv' defends Sarwan
Stabroek News
July 4, 2002
Sir Vivian Richards, Chair-man of the West Indies cricket selectors has defended young Guyanese batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan describing him as a player for the future.
And he has rejected calls for disciplining the stylish right-hander who gave away his wicket playing rash shots when looking set in both innings of the First Test against New Zealand in Barbados.
"Not one bad match is going to spoil my show. He only needs to work on prolonging his concentration. We all believe in instinct and here is the instinct in operation once again," said Sir Viv.
The Antiguan 'Master Blaster' was speaking during the Second Test in St George's, Grenada, on the Cana-Radio Cricket Plus radio programme.
Sir Viv said he has great confidence in his fellow selectors, Gordon Greenidge, the hard-hitting former Barbadian Test opening batsman and Trinidadian Joey Carew, an outstanding national captain and left-handed batsman, serving his third consecutive term on the panel.
"In Greenidge, with over 100 Test matches under his belt and Joey Carew, you can't have a wider range of knowledge to turn to," said Sir Viv.
The selectors have come under fire recently from critics for the selection of Adam Sanford the Dominican fast bowler instead of Darren Powell, the Jamaican all-rounder recalled from the Windies "A" in England who played in the First Test but was dropped for the second.
"I have always felt that when a player performs badly he should be given another opportunity.
"We felt Sanford bowled badly in Barbados but he knows what he feels to win. It's a situation just like Sarwan, We are not going to chastise an individual for making a mistake," he said.
"We are at a critical stage in West Indies cricket. But it's a challenge. Whatever decisions we make there is no defending or justifying in any quarter as has happened in the past. Criticism in a constructive way, however, I can handle," said Sir Viv.
The former West Indies captain said the Caribbean team is a long way from finding the formula for winning consistently again but this can be achieved with the next generation of Test players.
He said what the Caribbean needs right now are players who can bat and bowl a bit, genuine all-rounders around whom a winning unit can be built possibly in time for the World Cup next year in South Africa.
"The West Indies tours to Sri Lanka and India later this year should gave a valuable indication of the players who can do the WI proud in future," Sir Viv said.
He said touring was the best time to groom players and the players should start learning to live like family and when each cricketer knows exactly what needs to be done, only then an idea of where the West Indies team would like to go will emerge.
He said he harbours no animosity following his failure to land the job of coach of the regional team which went to Guyanese off-spinner Roger Harper close to two years ago.
"I would not be here if that was the case. I would be totally annoyed and anti-West Indies cricket establishment. I know we make mistakes but we can all forgive but not forget because then you will have no indication what you can do in the future," he said.
"I have no animosity or jealousy against anyone. Once you do the right thing, and we all want to do the right thing, we can work together for the betterment of West Indies cricket," said Sir Viv.
He said he is not averse to travelling around the Caribbean watching regional matches scouting talent and welcomes visiting the cricket grounds once again describing it as a sacrifice he is willing to make. (Trinidad Newsday)