By Bryan Davis

The good news first. I would like to congratulate two sports people whose company I have had the pleasure to enjoy in my playing days and in my days of service to the game of cricket. I refer to Alvin Corneal and Ann Brown-John.

They were both awarded the Humming Bird Medal Silver for their contribution in their sporting field.

Alvin’s prowess on both the football and cricket fields is well known and documented. His continuing devotion to sport, by sharing with us his knowledge and expertise in newspaper articles and on radio and television is admirable. I opened the batting with Alvin for Trinidad and Tobago in quite a number of games and although we both eventually moved into the middle order, we were still teammates when we first won the Shell Shield trophy (the prize for which regional teams first competed for championship honours in first class cricket) in 1970 and repeated in 1971. The most unforgettable innings in my estimation that Alvin ever played, was in the second innings against Jamaica when we were looking for quick runs, aiming for a declaration, searching for the outright victory which would give us the trophy for the first time. He scored 103 not out and along with Joey Carew, the captain, lambasted the Jamaican bowling in a partnership worth 202. We went on to win the match with a day to spare. I have no doubt Alvin would have played cricket for the West Indies and maybe have devoted more time to cricket if he was not such a talented footballer. He represented the British Caribbean football (West Indies) team in 1959 on their tour of the United Kingdom and was a super player for his nation and his beloved Maple Club, giving many years of pleasure and enjoyment to those fortunate enough to have witnessed him on the playing field

For many years the Brown family strove for perfection on the cricketing field and to increase the popularity of women’s cricket. I remember those years when the publicity was scant, a mere line or two in the dailies rather infrequently. There has never been a more devoted family to the sport of cricket when rewards were not forthcoming, but the game itself and the love of it was the only motivation. If I recall rightly, Merry Girls was the name of the team and for a time I thought they were the only ones who played as I had not heard of any others! Ann and her sisters, backed by a determined mother who loved the game passionately, did all they could under difficult circumstances, to pursue their dream; which was simply the development of women’s cricket so that other women would derive the same pleasure from the game that they did. Ann eventually made it to the West Indies Cricket Board as the first woman on the board’s cricket committee after she had served on the local board for a while. She was also an integral part of the World Cup 2007 committee. She used her influence in these positions to advance not only T&T’s cricket but West Indies women’s cricket. Now we have the West Indian ladies qualifying for World Cup cricket and playing in numerous international tournaments. I worked with Ann on the West Indies cricket committee for a few years and she was a very bright presence at those meetings.

It was certainly a joy to serve with Ann and to be a part of Alvin’s cricket, for it is from such sporting passion that horizons expand.

This column extends its congratulations to you both

Now to the bad news. There is no agreement as yet between the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players’ Association. Sir Shridath Ramphal has chucked in the towel and the next step is the Caribbean Court of Justice. I could not believe this when I first read it. This is so serious that the parties in their stubbornness refuse to give way. I disagree with those who believe that the WICB should capitulate to WIPA and select all those players who now consent to being available. It means that anytime they are annoyed about anything they can refuse to play and embarrass the group of nations they represent then be reinstated at their pleasure. Well, no self-respecting management can function that way for that means they can always be held for ransom.

The way I see it is that the players should be allowed to do what they do best, that is to play cricket. They do have a body which is their representative that should be fighting their cases while the cricket is going on. This is not like struggling for decent wages for some starving factory worker to support his family; we are dealing here with very highly paid sportsmen. Contracts and delayed payments? Let Dinanath Ramnarine argue the case using transparency, publicity and whatever other ideas he can muster, but don’t stop the cricket; for the game and everybody suffers; the West Indian fan, the players, the small vendors at international matches, all round goodwill etc.