Cariah – Great example for West Indies cricketers

Yannic Cariah (pronounced "carrier") has proven to all and sundry that hard work pays off. He has been in fine form, bowling his leg spin and googlies, and his batting has been impeccable.

His performances were accomplished during the first half of the Regional Super50 Cup, which bowled off on October 17. Cariah produced performances that coaches and captains dream of inspiring in their players.

At the height of his skills, at the age of 31, and with the work ethic that got him there, he is the epitome of the classical cricketer.

There are cricketers with more natural ability than Cariah, and those who will practise just as hard.

But combining the arduous efforts needed, plus the love of the game, knowing how to fit well-meaning advice into one’s demeanour, is the secret of continuing success. Cariah has worked for hours in the indoor nets at the Oval, and he is relentless in his application. His performance thus far is just a reward for his effort.

It only goes to prove that those who approach their practice with confidence and the correct strategy will find that all the other attributes will fall into place when summoned for their use in a match.

One must observe the determination, the instinct for winning that is developed with constant practice, and the concentration, in addition to the cricket intelligence that grows in the hard-working cricketer, will breed success – and that is the reason one is playing the game professionally: to win. There’s no other practical reason.

And Cariah said so himself when interviewed after one of his player-of-the-match awards.

He said after the Harpy Eagles game: “The most important thing for me is that we win the game. I play cricket to win cricket games, so I think it was a total team effort on the day.

"I thank God for the performance I had today and it’s just to keep getting better.”

He’s ambitious and kept working on his game through all the years of not being selected, both for TT and the West Indies teams.

However, this year, he has come out blasting as a result of the activity in the nets, not giving up, just working on his ability relentlessly.

In 2022, he got an opportunity on the West Indies team, primarily as a leg-spinner, without the selectors knowing his ability to bat. He bowled reasonably well, but below what he’s capable of.

After a few useful knocks deep in the batting order, recognition started flowing his way as an all-rounder. At present, he has fully matured after his selection with the WI; he improved his performance through the self-confidence gained, plus his positive, never-say-die attitude.

As for his achievements in the first three matches he played in the last two weeks, after the abandonment of the first game at the start of the CG United Super50 Cup against Combined Campuses and Colleges: he collected 14 wickets and has not been dismissed in the three innings for a total of 147 runs, being the architect of the three wins.

Congratulations, Cariah, keep practising long hours regularly, and good luck in the future. Maintain your present attitude and don’t allow anyone to sway you from it.

The Cricket World Cup has certainly made jaws drop throughout the cricketing world. Imagine the mighty England as defending champions, propping up the points table at the halfway stage. Who would have guessed that?

Who could fathom Afghanistan, with little recognition on the world cricket scene, defeating England in a World Cup fixture? Or the Netherlands whipping South Africa, then putting a good hiding on Bangladesh?

The progress of sides like Afghanistan and the Netherlands, leaving WI behind like exhaust fumes in the wind – and Cricket West Indies, new administration or not, don’t know what to do.

WI players ought to be encouraged by their coaches to practise determinedly, continuously and assiduously. This they have to do, if they’re going to catch up. If they fail, they ought to be replaced until the right combination is found.

Let’s take a leaf out of Yannic Cariah’s book and practise endlessly if WI cricket is to improve. It’s the only way. Tough practice sessions with regular cricket leagues, especially four-day ones, plus lectures.

By the way, Afghanistan and the Netherlands have English coaches, and they are playing a top brand of cricket.

England’s cricket appears to have hit the doldrums. It seems to be a deficiency in leadership, with players lacking enthusiasm and passion, whether batting, bowling or fielding.