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Injustice! St Kitts? tale of woe
There is discontent over the way WI players are treated here, writes Atreyo Mukhopadhyay.
It takes some time to soak in the natural beauty of this island. Once that sense of getting overwhelmed sinks in and the mind becomes receptive to other things, St Kitts can tell a story it doesn't like.
There is widespread discontent in this section of the Leeward Islands over the way the men who matter in West Indies cricket treat players from this place. Till date, there have been just six from St Kitts and Nevis to have played international cricket and locals say it's because of politics.
“No doubt players from our country have to work doubly hard to come in reckoning for selection to the West Indies side,” said former middle-order batsman Keith Arthurton. “No matter how they perform in domestic cricket, the break never comes. One need not go further than looking at what's happening with Runako Morton.” Morton is a top-order batsman who did well against Zimbabwe and New Zealand just before the India series, but has just played a one-day match after that. He comes from Nevis, which is the smaller of the two islands which constitute this country.
The local media have been rather outspoken in its protest against the team's persistence with Daren Ganga after repeated failures (before the third Test, that is) and the opener was even asked at a press conference who is godfather was! Brian Lara wasn't spared either and was asked whether non-cricketing reasons played a part in Morton's exclusion.
"Ganga has done well here, but what was he doing before that? He averages around 24 and did nothing creditable after scoring two tons against Australia in 2003. He keeps getting chances because there is a lot of politics in West Indian cricket," said Arthurton, who runs a cricket clinic, apart from being involved with the national academy of St Kitts and Nevis.
“Morton is just one example. Players from this place have historically been subjected to stepmotherly treatment. Be it Elquemedo Willett, who was the first player from our country to play for the West Indies, or the others who followed in his footsteps, all made the cut only after prolonged struggle."
Arthurton added that a number of players from this place are regulars in the Leeward Islands side, which is a conglomeration of five countries and takes part in the Caribbean first-class competition. "The road stops suddenly after that. Merit doesn't matter, closeness with people who make decisions does," Arthurton said.
If the song is to be believed, an island never cries. But despite all its natural treasure, St Kitts does cry when it comes to cricket. Its gaining status as an international venue has not been able to heal this pain.
