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West Indies cricket will never be without its records. Neither will West Indian society be without its mysteries. Cricket and its love of creativity; West Indies and its search for integrity, are as inevitable as ‘south’ of Obama is Republican.
Master Chris Gayle, the undisputed gorgon of the 20/20 game, has dedicated his mind-blowing, record-blowing, magnificent monument of batsmanship to you, me, all of us, who constitute that torn fabric and fractured family called the West Indian supporter. We have wallowed this past week in his willow blazing trail, and we are happy to be alive to see the sight and to tell the tale.
Chris is no ordinary creature of the crease. He stands astride like a colossus cast in a kiln of ill-intent. He is for sure a force unleashed upon a game grown to boredom of late in drama beyond the boundary rather than within.
In this IPL lashing – a century and three quarters in a third of the time – we have seen something altogether new and heard something old and familiar.
New is the mind made up to rule the world in much the same way that Bolt has banished the unruly and punished pretenders to his throne. Old is the engagement of solidarity with his West Indian world, which he celebrated in recognition and appreciation.
Together, we have good reason to imagine the remaking of a hero bred to greatness within a legacy which, when respected, empowers and defines excellence on its own domestic terms.
This is precisely what I read Viv to have said when he reported on Chris’ crossing. Viv spoke of the return home of a spirit to its ancestors who are never happy with the loss of its latest lion.
And there is more! Much more!
West Indian society is sorely in need of leaders whose lessons are told in scripts of success and words of wisdom. The IPL, like the UN, is a forum within which records rather than rhetoric will stand the test as contributions to nation-building and the advancement of civilisation.
Gayle’s return to his roots, Viv implied, is a route many heroes have taken. It should be seen properly as a declaration of future intent.
Here is why. Raising his bat for all who stood in awe, was but the formal expression of manners within the moment. But raising his words in tribute to his West Indian beginning is in itself the hallmark of a maturing long prayed for and now to be guided to its fulfilling destiny.
The linguistic return of the giant, whose words have echoed in every corner of our culture, has already sent a formal message to selectors and administrators. It is that with care and concern from here on in, all can be well in the Windies.
New chapter?
But critically, Gayle regained is a phenomenal development in all quarters of the world that love our game. The task now before us in the Windies is to work with the gorgon to turn this capital, this maturity of the bond, into a revenue rush for him and us.
We do not wish to have his social capital washed up in foreign franchises that cannot possibly understand what it means for a small community to produce a global brand. The loss of Jamaica’s Red Stripe to Irish Guinness, and Bajan Mount Gay to French Reme Martine might be the way of globalisation or imperialism, but for sure it represents impoverishment and marginalisation as a future norm.
Chris reworded and reborn is the regional premiere cricket brand that has broken out into a lunar space. The joy in it all is to hear, as well as to see, the flight of this bird of might dressed in a language of liberation long spoken from Headley to Holding, Learie to Lara, and Sonny to Sammy. Genius is endemic to the West Indian world and Gayle has bolted in a fashion long familiar.
Words without runs, so to speak, are like a political manifesto deemed non-binding. They betray before they are discarded. But runs before the world followed by words addressed to the base bring tears of joy to an otherwise dreary sporting expectation.
Maybe I am getting ahead of myself. But many have said that Chris has had to carry too many Caribbean crosses and that he has every right to be cross with the Caribbean. The discourse now has to engage with his crossing over, or crossing back!
When I heard his words I confess to remembering earlier idyllic times when he was invited to represent the UWI Vice Chancellor’s X1 against the mighty Australians in 2003 at the 3Ws Oval at the Cave Hill campus.
Out of form, and out of favour with selectors, he did exactly what as organiser I asked him to do. Put the Aussies to the sword and return to the top of the West Indies order.
He scored a patient century; it was skillfully crafted and punctuated with power and class. It was an expression of a determined mind at work. He took over the university. It was the first century at the just inaugurated 3Ws. This is his legacy. From the university he returned to the top of the Windies order.
Today, as I scrutinise his IPL bombing for meaning and significance, I am also reflecting upon the case study of his 3Ws century a decade ago. His words have resonated in the walls of the university where his ‘record’ is displayed.
His grace has touched us deeply. Welcome back, Brother Gayle.
by SIR HILARY BECKLES
http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/news...s&NewsID=30305
Master Chris Gayle, the undisputed gorgon of the 20/20 game, has dedicated his mind-blowing, record-blowing, magnificent monument of batsmanship to you, me, all of us, who constitute that torn fabric and fractured family called the West Indian supporter. We have wallowed this past week in his willow blazing trail, and we are happy to be alive to see the sight and to tell the tale.
Chris is no ordinary creature of the crease. He stands astride like a colossus cast in a kiln of ill-intent. He is for sure a force unleashed upon a game grown to boredom of late in drama beyond the boundary rather than within.
In this IPL lashing – a century and three quarters in a third of the time – we have seen something altogether new and heard something old and familiar.
New is the mind made up to rule the world in much the same way that Bolt has banished the unruly and punished pretenders to his throne. Old is the engagement of solidarity with his West Indian world, which he celebrated in recognition and appreciation.
Together, we have good reason to imagine the remaking of a hero bred to greatness within a legacy which, when respected, empowers and defines excellence on its own domestic terms.
This is precisely what I read Viv to have said when he reported on Chris’ crossing. Viv spoke of the return home of a spirit to its ancestors who are never happy with the loss of its latest lion.
And there is more! Much more!
West Indian society is sorely in need of leaders whose lessons are told in scripts of success and words of wisdom. The IPL, like the UN, is a forum within which records rather than rhetoric will stand the test as contributions to nation-building and the advancement of civilisation.
Gayle’s return to his roots, Viv implied, is a route many heroes have taken. It should be seen properly as a declaration of future intent.
Here is why. Raising his bat for all who stood in awe, was but the formal expression of manners within the moment. But raising his words in tribute to his West Indian beginning is in itself the hallmark of a maturing long prayed for and now to be guided to its fulfilling destiny.
The linguistic return of the giant, whose words have echoed in every corner of our culture, has already sent a formal message to selectors and administrators. It is that with care and concern from here on in, all can be well in the Windies.
New chapter?
But critically, Gayle regained is a phenomenal development in all quarters of the world that love our game. The task now before us in the Windies is to work with the gorgon to turn this capital, this maturity of the bond, into a revenue rush for him and us.
We do not wish to have his social capital washed up in foreign franchises that cannot possibly understand what it means for a small community to produce a global brand. The loss of Jamaica’s Red Stripe to Irish Guinness, and Bajan Mount Gay to French Reme Martine might be the way of globalisation or imperialism, but for sure it represents impoverishment and marginalisation as a future norm.
Chris reworded and reborn is the regional premiere cricket brand that has broken out into a lunar space. The joy in it all is to hear, as well as to see, the flight of this bird of might dressed in a language of liberation long spoken from Headley to Holding, Learie to Lara, and Sonny to Sammy. Genius is endemic to the West Indian world and Gayle has bolted in a fashion long familiar.
Words without runs, so to speak, are like a political manifesto deemed non-binding. They betray before they are discarded. But runs before the world followed by words addressed to the base bring tears of joy to an otherwise dreary sporting expectation.
Maybe I am getting ahead of myself. But many have said that Chris has had to carry too many Caribbean crosses and that he has every right to be cross with the Caribbean. The discourse now has to engage with his crossing over, or crossing back!
When I heard his words I confess to remembering earlier idyllic times when he was invited to represent the UWI Vice Chancellor’s X1 against the mighty Australians in 2003 at the 3Ws Oval at the Cave Hill campus.
Out of form, and out of favour with selectors, he did exactly what as organiser I asked him to do. Put the Aussies to the sword and return to the top of the West Indies order.
He scored a patient century; it was skillfully crafted and punctuated with power and class. It was an expression of a determined mind at work. He took over the university. It was the first century at the just inaugurated 3Ws. This is his legacy. From the university he returned to the top of the Windies order.
Today, as I scrutinise his IPL bombing for meaning and significance, I am also reflecting upon the case study of his 3Ws century a decade ago. His words have resonated in the walls of the university where his ‘record’ is displayed.
His grace has touched us deeply. Welcome back, Brother Gayle.
by SIR HILARY BECKLES
http://www.barbadosadvocate.com/news...s&NewsID=30305
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