It's an honour, says Bishop (19 February 1999)

19 February 1999

It's an honour, says Bishop

Kwame Laurence

Members of Trinidad and Tobago's Busta Cup squad were fine-tuning themselves for tomorrow's key semi-final encounter against Guyana at Guaracara Park. However the cricketers chose to work out at the Queen's Park Oval where current West Indies skipper Brian Lara, under fire of late in the wake of the regional team's disastrous tour of South Africa, Phil Simmons and Ian Bishop, three of the most experienced players on the team, had a close watch at the session.

"To captain your club, to captain your country. Anything like that is an honour."

Ian Bishop's name has been called more often than most in the current West Indies cricket captain debate.

And just before padding up for a knock in the nets, at the Queen's Park Oval yesterday, the Trinidad and Tobago captain hinted that he would not be averse to taking over from compatriot Brian Lara, if asked.

"Walsh has done it, Lara is doing it, Viv has done it. It's an honour. That's all I can say. I don't think it's something that anybody can refuse."

The 1999 regional first class season has so far been a successful one for captain Bishop.

He led the country to second spot in the Busta Cup round robin play-offs.

The runner-up berth earned T&T home advantage for the semi-final showdown against Guyana, which starts tomorrow at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre.

Bishop and company opened the season with a big innings and 37 runs triumph over the very team they face for a spot in the March 20-23 final.

"That victory was an early morale booster and gives us the psychological edge, but we still have to perform on the day and that's what's important."

Daren Ganga during his knock in the nets.

But T&T will have to out-perform a team that is significantly stronger than the one they hammered in mid-January. Clayton Lambert, Keith Semple, Neil Mc Garrell and Reon King are all back in the Caribbean, following West Indies senior team duty in South Africa.

But so are T&T's Lara, Darren Ganga and Mervyn Dillon.

A Jacques Kallis delivery in the third ODI in Durban left the current West Indies skipper with a chipped bone in his right wrist.

But Lara, who did not make the trip to Anguilla for T&T's final round robin game against the Leeward Islands on the weekend, was at the Oval yesterday and took part in fielding practice.

"We're glad to have him back and hopefully he'll have luck on his side and can go out there and do as well as he wants to. He's obviously one of the best players in the world today, and I know he's going to be wanting to do well for Trinidad and Tobago."

The inclusion of Ganga in the Leewards game cost Leon Romero his opening slot. And with Lara back in the fray, there is likely to be a middle order casualty for the semi-final showdown.

But with Dennis Rampersad, Lincoln Roberts, Richard Smith and Phillip Simmons all getting among the runs this season, the selectors have a bitter/sweet problem to deal with.

However, the rare embarrassment of riches scenario is no cause for complacency.

"It's cricket and if a team plays well and has a few blessings they can win. So, we're not going to underestimate them. It's very important to get to the final and win; very important for T&T cricket; very important for us as players because we have not won it for some 12 years now. Our team goal is to win the Busta Cup."

Bishop explained that having a common goal has helped a great deal in making 1999 a highly fulfilling season.

"Because the guys are like-minded, the captaincy role is enjoyable.

"Seeing guys perform to their full potential, seeing younger guys enjoying it and improving and seeing some of the more senior guys enjoying it as well is very, very rewarding," Bishop ended, "so I'm enjoying it."

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)