Clean sweep in London (10 November 1998)

10 November 1998

Clean sweep in London

Tony Becca

It is said that all is well that ends well, and as far as the West Indies tour to South Africa is concerned, that may well be so - especially for the West Indies players, the United Cricket Board of South Africa, and the South African fans.

Based on their stand following the sacking of captain Brian Lara and vice-captain Carl Hooper and the removal of the two players from the team, the players must be happy, for although the details of the London talks are not known, it is obvious, despite the talk of a "misunderstanding between the two parties", there was little compromise but that the players won a sweeping victory.

A compromise is a little give and a little take, and the London talks ended with the players getting everything and the Board, despite what it may say, nothing.

Lara and Hooper left the team in Bangladesh, encouraged some others not to leave London for Johannesburg, informed the Board that they want to talk, or else, and when, after failing to attend a meeting to which they were called, they were fired, the players came together and said, no Lara, no Hooper, no tour.

The players got what they wanted at the beginning and at the end.

Regardless of what the protest is now said to have been about, it started off with a call for more money, and according to word coming out of South Africa, they will get it. Lara and Hooper are also back.

Ali Bacher, his UCBSA colleagues, and the South African fans - especially the blacks in places like Soweto and Alexandra, must also be happy. Bacher and the UCBSA have got what they wanted - and so too the fans. The tour is on with the West Indies at full strength, the UCBSA's money will not go down the drain, and the fans will get to see what they have waited on for so many years.

What impact the impasse of the past eight days and the conclusion will have on West Indies cricket, only time will tell. It is possible that future West Indies Cricket Boards will still be able to lead in the interest of West Indies cricket and not only that of the Test players.

A precedent, however, has been set, and it is also possible that following what many still believe was a stick-up of the Board, the players will become a law unto themselves.

Hopefully that will not happen. Hopefully the players, who probably were not behaving selfishly, but really believed they had a cause and were prepared to fight for it, will take their victory in stride and in the interest of West Indies cricket, let good sense prevail in their dealings with the Board - especially if there was in fact some "misunderstanding" on their part.

Hopefully also, and especially if there was indeed some misunderstanding on its part, the Board will take its defeat in good spirit and although the temptation must be there, instead of walking away, continue its efforts in building a solid foundation for the further development of West Indies cricket and its cricketers - all of them.

Yesterday's statement read well, but it did not ring sincere. The pen may indeed have been the pen of the Board and the Players' Association, but the words, it appeared, were the words of politicians from both South Africa and the West Indies - politicians who wanted to save a tour which many consider more than cricket.

The Board, misunderstanding or not, never had a choice. It is one thing to stand up to players. It is something else to stand up to politicians - especially in a region like this where so many things depend on favours.

Source :: The Jamaica Gleaner (https://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/)