High interjectory -Low interjectory - the process of selectology and others I have forgotten, are phrases, originated from the thought process of the incomparable, Fred Wills, as he described the action on the cricket ground. Reds Pereira, Toney Cozier, Henry Blofeld, John Arlott, Everton Weeks described the action in their various styles and colorful word play. They were the cream of the crop.
I am particularly fond of Joe Doolam, Ben Doolam, Poonai, Burlin Shaheed, Kanhai, Butcher, Fredericks, Kallicharran, Ancell Hazel, Isaac Suienarine, Randolph Etwaroo, Milton Pydanna, Randolph Ramnarace, Anand Sookram, Lal Munilal, the Sebalack brothers, and Hector Ousley.
They are my favorite cricketers. I testify No. # 64 Village Cricket Club, 1966-1972, is my favorite. I confess Joe Doolam most popularly known as Joe Best is my all-time favorite cricketer. During the period, 1966-1972, I shadowed Joe Doolam, at rice fields at no. #63/64 Village, and Black Bush Polder, at rice mills. I also frequented the cricket matches. He participated in Berbice. The most enjoyable periods were when Roy Fredericks showed up. He did so on about three occasions. I have fond memories of being in the presence of Joe Doolam, Randolph Etwaroo and Roy Fredericks. I eagerly look forwards to games against Port Mourant. I would cherish the opportunities to simply shoot the breeze with Burlin Shaheed, Isaac Suienarine, Anand Sookram, and Randolph Ramnarace, and a few others. I also loved watching Ancell Hazel, Lal Munilal and Joe Sukwah and that squad of ball beaters excepting Leonard Baichan, known as Rose Hall.
It is possible there were better periods of cricket in Berbice, than during 1966-1972, if it were, then that or those periods were extra-special. Thus, my favorite Berbician cricketers appeared in Davison Cup Club Cricket matches and represented Berbice in inter-county, Guyana in regional the West Indies and the University of the West Indies in various matches.
I knew Pydanna in New Amsterdam. He and his brother were known as Primo. I firmly believe Sydney Jackman was the best wicket keeper ever produced in Guyana. However, I found his behavior absolutely repugnant. My recollections of my experiences with Joe Solomon and Leslie Amsterdam were totally disastrous and putrid.
My favorite Berbice eleven would be Joe Doolam, Burlin Shaheed, Anand Sookram, Isaac Suienarine, Kanhai, Butcher, Fredericks, Kallicharran, Randolph Etwaroo, Milton Pydanna, and Randolph Ramnarace.
My favorite Guyana eleven would be Kanhai, Butcher, Fredericks, Kallicharran, Milton Pydanna, Randolph Ramnarace, Colin Croft, Lance Gibbs, Clive Lloyd, Philbert Blair, and Edwin Mohammed
Roy Fredericks, Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Seymour Nurse, Collie Smith, Gary Sobers, Deryck Murray, Wes Hall, Charlie Griffith, Roy Gilchrist, and Lance Gibbs with Conrad Hunte as the twelfth man, are the cricketers who comprise my favorite West Indies’ test match team on any surface in any country.
Those are the folks I grew up admiring . . .
The three W’s, Walcott, Weeks, and Worrell, the outstanding spinners, two pals of mine, Ramadhin and Valentine and Robert Christiani were on their last licks.
Lloyd was making loud noise with the bat. He was scaring batsmen into long singles with his arm while fielding in the covers.
Fredericks didn’t make his test match debut until 1968 in Australia but he was and is my favorite opening batsman and favorite player against real fast and hostile fast bowling in conditions suitable for fast bowlers.
I believe neither a combination of Lloyd’s nor Richards’s teams, 1974-1991 nor that of original foursome West Indies fast bowlers and/or 1950's edition featuring the three W’s and the two front line spinners would defeat that team of 1957- 1969 in a five-match series in any given condition. Emmanuel Alfred “Manny” Martindale, Leslie George Hylton, Learie Nicholas Constantine, and Ernest Albert Vivian “Foffie” Williams formed what must be considered as the original West Indies foursome, at Old Trafford on July 22-25, 1939. How quick they really were? Remains unknown . . . Constantine had been bowling in international cricket at least since 1923. That’s at least sixteen years. I don’t think Constantine could have been nearly as fast in 1939 as he was in 1923. That’s simply not humanly possible. After all he was 38 years old in 1939. Therefore, I concluded Roberts, Holding, Croft and Garner were faster than Martindale, Constantine, Hylton, and Williams. Were they much better? That’s also unknown.
I still think Roy Gilchrist was the fastest bowler ever to set a foot in international cricket. Lance Gibbs was simply the best spinner of them all. Rohan Kanhai was the most imaginative wizard with a cricket bat in his hands. That then is cricket to me.
What are your views? Who would comprise your favorite teams at Inter - County, national and international arenas?
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