BLASTING FOR RUNS

 BLASTING FOR RUNS

(Title acknowledged from a book by Kanhai with the same name)

Harry Bissoon 9/06/2021

In the 50's and early 60's when I had just crossed over that threshold that led into my teenage years, and when Bookers held sway, with a tight grip, over the land, cricket was the king of sports in my village, on the north eastern coast of South America. Soccer(football), volleybal, basketball,  and horse racing, were also popular sports, but didn't create the same excitement and intense expectations that cricket did. Cricket was the one underlying factor that held the colorful social fabric of the community together, unmindful of the diversified structure of its makeup.


The Springlands cricket ground, I in my village, which was managed, and controlled by Bookers, as they also did with the Springlands Race Course, and most of the other sporting activities, hummed with active and vibrant anticipation during the weekends. 


I was one of the waterboys when these games were played, and our tasks were meticulously supervised by the skilled and efficient groundsman, whose name became synonymous with groundsmanship. His craft allowed him to produce a batting pitch, and outfield that added to the well-oiled machinery that ensured entertaining games that were played under his watchful supervision.We were consumed by the beautiful sound of bat and ball, taking out water and sodas to the players, at predetermined intervals, walking on the green, well prepared field of fast moving balls. Our little hearts pumped and raced with excited achievement. We got to see the players up close, and even shook their hands!


The most exciting matches were the county championships, when teams clashed for the Davson Cup. The highlight of this championship was when Springlands played against Port Mourant. The small, freshly painted pavilion was filled to capacity,overflowing unto the fringes surrounding the ballfield, just beyond the boundary line. Fans jostled,  and ran unto the field, to touch three players who were quickly emerging as the best that the competition could offer. The growing fame of ROHAN KANHAI, BASIL BUTCHER and JOE SOLOMAN, playing for Port Mourant, followed them to our village, and cricket became alive!  People, from near and far, came out in large numbers to watch them as they excelled in gamesmanship, hitting the ball to all parts of the ground, and demonstrated class in the outfield, as they performed with a precision that left spectators in awe.


Notwithstanding, the Springlands Cricket Club also had great players, such as Karia Chanderpaul, Saranga Baichu, Sonny Moosammy, Henry Pestano, Bob Jagan, and Hector Ousley, but the batting machine, made up of Kanhai, Butcher and Solomon, was too much for the home team. The pace bowling of Saranga was a force to reckon with.Karia had a glorious cover drive. Hector was a superb hitter, who preferred to score his runs in boundaries. Kanhai, Butcher, and Solomon, along with Karia, Saranga, and Moonsammy went on to play for Guyana. The trio from Port Mourant went on to play for the West Indies cricket team where they became legend!

From L to R - Kanhai, Butcher and Solomon

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