Holding Owes Windies Team an Apology
Tue, Nov 26, '02
When Michael Holding uttered his ill-timed and ill-conceived
remarks after the sixth ODI between India and the West Indies, he
set off a maelstrom of speculation and caused more than a few
raised eyebrows across the region. Especially amongst the many West
Indian fans scattered around the globe.
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Writing in the Hindustan Times in a weekly column, Holding
speculated: "Though the newspapers will record that India won the
toss and, as predicted, elected to bat second, could someone please
let us know who really won the toss?" ?
I am not going to bore you readers with all the details. But,
where does Holding get off pretty much accusing Hooper and the rest
of the WI team of match-fixing?
I say the rest of the team because Holding, in his broad
indictment, continues: "It was imperative that the lower order,
led by Ridley Jacobs, concentrated on occupying the crease for 50
overs...That could not have been uppermost in their minds, as
Jacobs certainly would not have taken a single at the beginning of
an over to expose (tailender) Pedro Collins for the next five
deliveries. Those three-and-a-half the West Indies missed out on
could have given them another 15-20 runs that could have made a big
difference. But then again, a win for the West Indies would have
meant a 'dead' seventh one-dayer at Vijayawada."
So now he has also managed to open a wide enough umbrella to indict
Ridley Jacobs; probably the last player who truly bleeds West
Indian burgundy.
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Jacobs, Hooper and the rest of the West Indies team (hell, the
entire Caribbean) deserve better than this.
We all know Holding is given to histrionics and tantrums. Anyone
remember him breaking down in tears in Australia after being
deprived of an LBW decision? Or does anyone remember him
soccer-kicking the stumps in New Zealand? Or, of more recent
vintage, his tantrum and ill-timed comments regarding the
suitability of Bourda as a test match venue? Not that Bourda is any
great shakes as a Test Match venue, but this statement came because
a match was rained out.
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Holding followed up those contretemps with his refusal to do TV
commentary during the South Africa tour of the Caribbean, all
because Carl Hooper was appointed captain. Lucky for him that, Sky
took him back into the fold instead of recruiting someone like
Fazeer Mohamed, or Mark Neita, or any other Caribbean commentator
not given to reacting in haste and repenting at leisure.
Why would Holding, as a former stand out West Indian fast bowler,
savage Reon King's nascent career with the damning phrase "Can't
bat, can't bowl, can't field" when, in truth and in and in fact,
Reon King was nursing a stress fracture of the foot. Has he
apologized to Reon King yet?
Where was Holding's selectorial insight and savvy when as Alan
Butcher wrote in the Cricketer International of May 1998, "The mere
mention of the continued absence of Franklyn Rose was enough to
make the usually laid back Michael Holding become
uncharacteristically animated." Where is Holding on Rose now? Where
is the reprobation for his fellow fast bowler on his legal battles
with the law?
Holding, should really embark on a course of self examination, and
really examine his role as a commentator for the de facto outlet
for West Indies cricket.
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Carl Hooper has admirably taken the high road in all this stating
that "Holding's comments are not even worth a reaction. Toss is a
matter between the two captains and the match-referee and they
don't have a confusion on the issue. The rest is unnecessary
frills." Holding, as graceless as ever, responded by calling
Hooper?s comments "insipid and irrelevant."
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The only insipid and irrelevant comments in all this are the
comments emanating from Michael Holding.
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In these days, match fixing is a serious charge to level at a
former teammate and captain of any world team. Therefore, when
Holding feels a stupid comment about to emanate from his lips, he
should reach for the 'off' switch on his microphone.
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Until then, he should immediately issue an apology to Carl Hooper,
Ridley Jacobs, Rahul Dravid, Mike Proctor and the entire West
Indies team. Fans around the Caribbean should demand this.