Commencing with this April Issue, WI Wickets monthly
editions’ center-pages will be dedicated to respective
laurels and darts listings of those currently involved or
associated with West Indies cricket that are deserving
of such awards. Laurels will be awarded to those whose activities
within the governing past month have been deserving of the
highest kudos. Likewise, darts will conversely be thrown at those
whose conduct has been most unbecoming. There will be five
laurels awarded each month but only three darts will be thrown.
April Laurels:
The West Indies Academy Team and Coaches for their
outstandingly encouraging performances in their two played
matches in this year’s 2023 Inaugural Headley-Weekes Tri Series.
The Academy team scored a resounding surprising win over the
far more experienced Team Headley in the opening match of the
tournament. They also secured a draw in their second-round
encounter against Team Weekes.
Most impressively, three of the five centuries scored during
the tournament’s first two rounds were by Academy batsmen.
Jamaica’s Kirk McKenzie 221, Guyana’s Kevlon Anderson 153 and
Barbados’ Kevin Wickham 121 all scored impressive centuries
under the Academy’s banner.
There were also some equally impressive and encouraging
performances by the Academy’s young bowlers. After two rounds
of competition, Academy bowlers occupied eight of the top ten
positions in the leading wicket-takers standings. Skipper Nyeem
Young was at the top of the chart with 6 wickets followed by
Joshua Bishop 6, Johann Layne 5, Ramon Simmonds 3, Kelvin
Pitman 3 and McKinney Clarke 3.
Well done lads!
Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) President Hilbert Foster for
his unselfish dedication to duty. Stricken by a life-threatening
illness this past February and warned by his doctors that cricket
administration related stress could potentially cause his demise,
Foster was nevertheless back in full command of the BCB’s
affairs during the month of April. Under and as a direct result of
Foster’s astute leadership, the Berbice Cricket Board now ranks
as arguably the most dynamic cricket administrative Board in the
entire Caribbean!
The Caribbean Premier League for its typically early announcement
of its 2023 schedule, months before the tournament’s August 16
commencement. The CPL has also announced that this year’stournament will be staged on the banner of its new tittle sponsor, the Caribbean-based Republic Bank.
Jatin Patel the India-born, USA-based host of the Cricket Show
and Founder of the Cricket Hall of Fame, for his tireless dedication
to the further promotion of West Indies cricket. Mr Patel
scheduled and hosted an April 25 episode of his Cricket Show
specifically towards the further promotion of Alvin Kallicharran’s
recently published Guyana’s Pocket Dynamo Illustrated Children’s
Storybook. As a non-West Indian Mr Patel’s meritorious act
of kindness was in stark contrast to that of the host of the
Caribbean’s self-acclaimed most popular cricket Radio Show who
had earlier scheduled an appearance for both Kallicharran and the
book’s author Tony McWatt only to subsequently withdraw his
invitation without notice or explanation!
The Antigua 4Knights, Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Vivian Richards,
Sir Richie Richardson and Sir Curtly Ambrose to whom heartiest
congratulations are in order following the April 29 Official
Launching of their long-awaited Academy. Conceived way back
in 2014 by Antigua’s then Sports Minister EP Chet Greene, the
4Knights Academy has endured several stops and starts during
the now almost nine years that have passed since then. Kudos,
therefore, to each of the knighted gentlemen, deservedly
recognized internationally as four of the greatest cricketers ever
produced by the West Indies and seen by the rest of the world,
for having persevered in their belief of both the Academy’s
necessity as well as its viability!
April Darts:
Cricket West Indies for embarrassingly shoddy, apparently
almost non-existent, marketing promotion of the 2023 Inaugural
Headley-Weekes Tri-Series first and second round matches. Both
matches were played in front almost completely spectator empty
stands at the CWI Headquarters Coolidge Cricket Center.
A travesty given the prestigious title attributed to the tournament
as being sated in honour of two of the greatest batsmen the
West Indies has produced and the world has ever seen. It was
also an abomination that the Academy players, some of the
brightest rising stars of West Indies cricket and many of whom
were making their first-class debuts were denied the privilege of
doing so in front of not even a handful of spectators.
The Jamaica Tallwahs, for the now officially confirmed reports
of their incomprehensible decision to trade their Caribbean
Premier League 2022 title winning captain Rovman Powell to the
Barbados Pride for this year’s tournament. If Powell’s reported
forthcoming exit does indeed become a reality, it will make him
the third international marquee T20 Jamaican-born player to have
left the Tallawahs within the past five CPL seasons. Powell’s exist
will follow the acrimonious exits of Chris Gayle in 2020 and Andre
Russell in 2022.
Andre Russell for indirectly and unnecessarily disrespecting both
his country Jamaica, as well as the wider Caribbean region during
a recent India Star Sports interview. Russell was gushing in his
praise of the India Premier League Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
for its exemplary treatment during his now nine-year longstanding
association with the franchise. In so doing, however, Russell also
threw both Cricket West Indies and his Caribbean Premier League
Jamaica Tallawahs under the bus by indicating that KKR’s provided
treatment has been much superior to that which he has received
from any other cricketing