Passing on the knowledge

SUNIL Narine would be the first to admit that no player, whether he is Don Bradman, Len Hutton, the three Ws, or many others, is greater than the game. They found the game here and here is where they left it.

Sunil has had a tough time in his career, which has left him with some scars.

He was a surprise selection by the Kolkata Knight Riders when he was first chosen, for a princely sum, but he hasn’t looked back since.

Now he is being called to return to the West Indies team when he’s quite comfortable, enjoying franchise cricket, plus games for his club, without the limelight trained on him. He’s 35, and will be turning 36 on May 26.

His challenging times began more than ten years ago, when he was called for throwing. It happened more than once.

Something like that could put one off as a cricketer. My belief is that is what helped to nudge Sunil into retirement.

He went through a lot of work, for which I sincerely admire him, for the strength of character he showed, plus the eternal discipline he needed, knowing he would be closely observed with every ball he bowled. That constant situation he faced every time he played and was called upon to bowl, being under the microscope, must have been nerve-racking.

Although his action has been passed as fair for international games, it would not be the same. An umpire can still deem it unfair if he thinks it is, though currently there is the assistance of the camera. Though the negative publicity he might receive would not be worth the sacrifice.

At his age he wants to put something back into the game and assist young cricketers to play and understand the game and develop their knowledge. One must comprehend and appreciate his situation, empathise with him and allow him to enjoy his retirement in peace, coaching youngsters and enjoying their blooming to maturity.

He comes across as being quite satisfied with his ambition and seems very happy to be able to give something back to the game he loves. Hence, he will experience the same satisfaction in seeing the youngsters under his guidance, grow in wisdom and improve their proficiency.

It may be no coincidence that Bryan Charles has risen to prominence this year while working alongside Narine at the Queen’s Park Cricket Club. He’s a naturally gifted bowler, but one can see his newfound confidence, which is all he needed, and he should be ready to be gradually introduced into international cricket by being included in the West Indies team to tour England this summer. It might be just what the doctor ordered for this fine cricketer, who is also a decent batsman.

It is interesting to learn that the unused, stalled, Pan Trinbago estate along the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway is to be converted into a cricket academy for the skilled youthful cricketers of Trinidad and Tobago.

These fine ideas sometimes seem to backfire, with their main purpose – to improve and develop cricketers – becoming stunted through a shortage of proper management. Take the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, for instance, which is a misnomer, as it is not an academy, but a stadium that hosts international and interterritorial games. It is a magnificent arena with many facilities for not only blooding youngsters, but also to teach them the rudiments of the sport.

Nonetheless, it is such a fine cricket ground that games have been played there successfully. Despite that, it was not the main purpose for which it was constructed. It was designed for the development of young cricketers, but has never been used as an academy.

Let’s hope that this new cricket academy, to be erected on the wasted space once intended for Pan Trinbago in east Trinidad, financed partly by the Indian owners of Mumbai Indians, will fulfil its mandate to be an academy in the truest sense of the word: an association for the promotion of cricket development for youth.

It would defeat its purpose if not properly managed, always with an eye to ensure that suitable schooling in the basics of the game is properly administered, to guarantee that the cricket education of the youngsters will be paramount in its endeavour.

A footnote: It is praiseworthy of the Red Force team to climax their season with two magnificent victories against Jamaica Scorpions and CCC Marooners. It’s a pity they weren’t more consistent.