Fan Reaction: Why? Why? Why?

Oct. 3rd, 2008
Once again I would like to congratulate the Guyana team for winning the Ed Ahmad Cup 20/20 competition. I am a very loyal cricket fan who comes out every week with my friends to support this team. The committee should be applauded for an excellent job, and as I looked around, it appeared as if there were no other committees from any of the other participating countries, as united as the Guyana organization.

However, I need to make a comment on an issue I observed at last Sunday’s final between Guyana and Jamaica. I think everyone wants to see a good game of cricket when they come out to the ground. I come from Berbice and know that we have one national player Vishal Nagamootoo, who also hails from that part of Guyana. This young man served Guyana at the national level for over nine years, and he is probably the best wicket-keeper batsman in the New York region. However, as wickets were falling towards the end of the Guyana innings, I was confused to see Kevin Darlington, Karan Ganesh and Bhim George batting before Nagamootoo.

I asked my friend who was going to the restroom at that time to check and see if something was wrong with Vishal, and if that was the reason why he was not batting, before the aforementioned players. When he came back, to my surprise he told me that nothing was wrong with Vishal, only that he was batting at number 10. I said to my friend; my God how the hell could the captain of the Guyana team do something like that. I know he is the winning captain, but how does someone humiliate a national cricketer like that in a final. To my disbelief, neither the manager nor the coach had any explanation for what took place.

Please, Guyana committee do not drive us away from coming to the park to support our country. Our captain needs to be told about this selfishness and seek advice from the senior players, there are ten other players in the team not Steve Massiah alone, and he cannot win the championship alone. As a loyal cricket fan someone needs to address this issue or else cricket fans will soon become more vocal at the ground, and it may become ugly.

You guys have been doing a fantastic job over the past couple of years, keep up the good work and do not let a single individual tarnish the name of this very hard-working organization. Steve is young and very arrogant and such an attitude will not take him anywhere, he needs to look a those West Indies players that behave like him and see how far they went.

Remember cricket is a past-time sport here, not a profession, and you need to pull yourself together and take a page out of Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s book. Also, Mr. Massiah please seek advice from your senior players like “The Beast” McGarrell, Dhaniram, and others. Massiah you also need to stop opening the batting, you’re not an opener, especially when you have the likes of Dhaniram in only a 15-overs game.

The Guyana organization also should get rid of people like Mr. Gonzalves, he’s not fit, he’s too fat, always injured and only wants money, and more importantly he hasn’t produced or delivered, and give someone else a chance. As I looked around, but not wanting to mention names, there are a lot of guys who are making runs and are actively involved in cricket. Let Gonsalves go and get into shape. You also have one of them who only likes to drink rum and hang out late, he might be a talented cricketer, but show us when was the last he made any runs. Whatever happened to Kallicharran and Kingston? I saw a young Guyana team lead by Dhaniram against Trinidad & Tobago, and what a sight it was to see these youngsters in action. They were so energized, and we were so relieved and happy, to not see Steve Massiah leading those youngsters. It was so nice to see them all get a chance to do something and perform on the big stage.

Thanks,
Raj Persaud
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