This year’s rebranded CLOBI Challenge, a scaled down version of the CLOBI Cup with just two teams, England and the West Indies, has been weighed in the balance.
The West Indies, with some younger legs like Pedro Collins, Mervyn Dillon, Rawl Lewis and Floyd Reifer – all still under 40 years old, easily won the first two matches last Friday and Sunday night before more than 4 000 fans.
The two oldest members of the West Indies team, Gordon Greenidge and Collis King, both 60, rolled back the years with their batting, even if the former took his time in doing do. Thelston Payne, at 54, also showed some slick glovework behind the stumps.
Reifer, as expected, since he still plays first-class cricket, was able to do what he was unable to do in his chequered international career – make a half-century while captain Carl Hooper, as usual, briefly teased his loyal subjects with a few vintage shots before getting out in soft fashion.
In last Friday’s opening game, Curtly Ambrose showed that he still can maintain an immaculate off-stump line and length, bowling “down the corridor of uncertainty” and putting the ball down on a penny.
It even prompted some spectators to remark that Ambrose can still bowl better and even faster than West Indies’ captain Darren Sammy.
Kenny Benjamin and Collins, playing in the tournament for the first time, were a handful for the Englishmen, whose main batsmen, Mark Ramprakash and Neil Fairbrother, never got going.
The England team lacked the stars of yesteryear and it would’ve certainly been refreshing had more members of their 1994 team, which ended the Windies’ era of invincibility at “The Mecca” were here.
Barbadians would surely relish seeing the likes of popular players David Gower, Graham Gooch, Alec Stewart and Ian “Beefy” Botham.
However, most of these past stars, who are now in their late 40s or mid-50s, were unavailable due to commitments as television and radio cricket analysts.
From a West Indian standpoint, Brian Lara should be a must. His presence would almost certainly result in a capacity crowd, something which for all his popularity, Hooper has been unable to do.
Others like Richie Richardson, Jeffrey Dujon, Gus Logie, Ian Bishop and Roger Harper could also stimulate more interest in rolling back the years and adding to the nostalgia.
While the concept of the Theme nights was welcomed, it was noticeable that post match entertainment was lacking.
To this end, I’m suggesting a Spouge Night, featuring Richard Stoute, the Draytons Two among others with hits from the late Jack Opel or a Calypso Night, going down memory lane with the Merrymen and Sir Don with hits from Lord Radio and other pioneers of the art form.
