ST LUCIA: Of all the islands in the Caribbean, St Lucia comes closest to that perfect picture postcard one can send home. The run way of the George FL Charles airport is no wider than the national highways in India. The terminal is no bigger than the press box of Cuttack’s Barabati stadium. Flanking the airport are two roads, one of them passing by a cemetery before providing a sneak peek of a quiet and beautiful beach and pristine blue water. Beyond that is a green volcanic island with pretty houses, winding roads and beaches.
But Test cricket comes to St Lucia in confusing times. Not only were the St Lucia Zouks eliminated from the Caribbean Premier League play-offs on Thursday night, more shocking news followed with Darren Sammy more or less announcing his international retirement after he was informed that besides losing his T20 captaincy, he didn’t merit selection to the West Indies team anymore.
“I got a call yesterday morning, it was probably 30 seconds, from the chairman of selectors telling me that they have reviewed the captaincy of T20 and I won’t be captain anymore of the T20 team, and my performances doesn’t merit selection in the squad,” Sammy said in a video put out on social media, hours after scoring a brave 40 in vain. “That’s okay. I have always believed West Indies cricket is not about Darren Sammy,” he said.
It marks an unfortunate end to one of the best captains of West Indies in recent years. More than his skills with the bat and ball, Sammy was valued for his leadership that gave West Indies two World T20 titles in the last four years. He was always ‘in it to win it’. But as has been the trend with West Indies, those who could have made a difference have been slighted by indifference.
{{/usCountry}}It marks an unfortunate end to one of the best captains of West Indies in recent years. More than his skills with the bat and ball, Sammy was valued for his leadership that gave West Indies two World T20 titles in the last four years. He was always ‘in it to win it’. But as has been the trend with West Indies, those who could have made a difference have been slighted by indifference.
{{/usCountry}}END OF IT
In an island as small as St Lucia, news spread quickly. “I think this will be it. It will take a long time for another cricket er from St Lucia to make it that high again,” said a porter outside the airport near Castries. The only other cricketer from St Lucia, Johnson Charles, is yet to break into Tests.
Big boys’ cricket has arrived but taxi driver Garvin said the CPL has stolen the show. The decline of Test cricket’s popularity has a lot to do with that, as has been the case on other islands. But in St Lucia, it’s hard to imagine why people would show up at a stadium named after their local hero to watch a match that doesn’t feature him.