Failure breeds success

THE 11TH staging of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is now history. Appropriately, the chemistry and tenacity of the Guyana Amazon Warriors prevailed, and it is fair to say, they are deserving champions.

Their triumph is as much a life lesson as it is a sporting one.

Guyana Amazon Warriors were the beaten finalists in the CPL on five occasions prior to their recent victory. The odds were heavily stacked against them given their record in finals. However, their cohesion and intense desire to win drove them to unprecedented levels of consistency. To further solidify this point, they finished at the top of the points table. Imran Tahir deserves plaudits for his leadership and captaincy. A golden season capped off with CPL silverware!

Apart from a lopsided contest in the final, there were some interesting talking points throughout the season. In keeping with the constant evolution of the game, the red-card rule has divided opinion.

Trinbago Knight Riders captain Kieron Pollard did not mince his words on what he thought of the rule. We fully understand that time is a vital commodity for organisers and broadcast partners. However, the very fabric of the game should not be compromised for speed of play. A fine balancing act needs to take place.

Who are the next T20 superstars from the Caribbean?

I was more impressed with the players who got opportunities at the back end of the tournament. Keacy Carty is not the typical West Indian T20 player. He is not hulk; he is probably Michelangelo. Carty uses artistry to beat his opposition and not brute force. His 83 off 49 balls in his very first match of the season after being called up as a replacement player was simply breathtaking. He also topscored for Trinbago Knight Riders in the final with 38.

Additionally, Shamar Springer sprang to life when he was belatedly added to the Tallawahs’ starting XI. His iconic ‘chest roll’ set tongues wagging and gave us a throwback to the 2016 title-winning West Indies Under-19 team. Matthew Forde was decent although his bowling outshone his batting. Most of the other youngsters, including Kirk McKenzie, flattered to deceive.

What about the overseas imports?

The overseas professionals are not exempted from our appraisal. These guys are paid handsomely so it is incumbent on them to play their part on and off the pitch. The CPL is also a professional space and so the white sandy beaches of the Caribbean should not be the primary pull factor. Martin Guptill, Alex Hales, Azam Khan and Lorcan Tucker were impressive for the most part with the bat. Importantly, Saim Ayub was the standout overseas batter.

On the bowling front, Imran Tahir, Dwaine Pretorius, Mohammed Amir, Chris Green and Waqar Salamkheil were quite good with the ball. Imad Wasim had a stellar season with both bat and ball for the Tallawahs. Mentorship is also an intangible asset that these players brought to their respective teams.

It is worth highlighting that some of our local players have drifted into obscurity. Where are Kennar Lewis and Gidron Pope? If we are serious about developing our local talents, players like these should be taken care of. I am aware of the inclusion of emerging players, but it must be a more inclusive approach. Given the size of our talent pool, we cannot afford to identify a few talented players while losing the others in droves.

How did the teams fare?

Barbados Royals and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots were eliminated at the conclusion of the league stage. Patriots struggled throughout the tournament despite having match-winners. Evin Lews’ struggles highlight the dangers of an extended hiatus from international cricket. He may need to play in other franchise leagues to make a serious claim for a West Indies recall.

ADDED RESPONSIBILITY

Furthermore, I am still not convinced that the added responsibility of captaincy is doing Lewis’ game any good. The franchise may need to identify an overseas captain and then build the core of the team around that player. The rotation of captaincy between Lewis and Sherfane Rutherford was akin to a boat losing its rudder. Barbados Royals also endured a horrid season. Their inexperience was exposed at key moments in the tournament and their campaign did not really gather any momentum for them to seriously contend for a playoff spot.

The Jamaica Tallawahs and the St Lucia Kings were knocked out during the playoffs. Tallawahs got the better of the Kings in the Eliminator and then the Amazon Warriors sent the Tallawahs packing in Qualifier 2. The Kings gave a good account of themselves after losing their inspirational captain Faf Du Plessis early in the tournament due to a recurring elbow injury.

On the other hand, the Tallawahs had a topsy-turvy season. They started brightly and then suffered five consecutive defeats, which was followed by a string of victories at the business end of the season. Finally, spare a thought for the runners-up Trinbago Knight Riders. Their power-packed team managed to make the final after finishing at the bottom of the pile in last year’s edition. Sadly, they played their worst match on the biggest night and that is the difference between winning and losing a tournament.

I am not sure if the West Indies are closer to completing their jigsaw puzzle. They would be encouraged by the stupendous form of Shai Hope, who was named Player of the Tournament. Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd and Gudakesh Motie also played instrumental roles in taking their respective teams to the final.

Sport is a microcosm of life and the Guyana Amazon Warriors have taught us a vital life lesson. Your drive to win must outpace current and impending adversities. Their trophy drought has ended, and the accolades are rightly pouring in like the waters from the Kaieteur Falls.

Sport Pulse and Sport Matters are fortnightly columns highlighting advances that impact Sport. We look forward to your continued readership.

Andy A. Spence is a cricket enthusiast who has been following the sport from a very tender age. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Language, Communication & Society and an MA in Linguistics, both at The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. He can be contacted at andy.spence16@yahoo.com.