Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
R. Rose
June 27, 2008

No bottles, please

What a good thing that we in SVG have a “No Bottle” policy for Carnival and other major events. Correctly speaking, it ought to be “NO GLASS BOTTLES,” since plastic bottles are very much in vogue these days. So the local cricket and security officials must have at least felt relieved that it was mainly plastic bottles available when cricket fans vented their pent-up frustrations at Arnos Vale on Tuesday.{{more}} The occasion was the first West Indies – Australia One-Day International which wound down to a disappointing finish.

The bottle-throwing incident, at the fall of Darren Sammy’s wicket, has overshadowed the rest of the match, and is the subject of discussion at local, regional and international levels. Not surprisingly, there has been strong condemnation of the actions of those fans who indulged in the bottle-throwing incident. International sport is rather severe these days on host countries and venues for such unsports-manlike behaviour and we may yet suffer the consequences for such interruptions.

Regrettably the incident occurred in circumstances when it mattered not if the umpires were considered to be right. But this was no knee-jerk, spoil-sport action. Sammy’s dismissal was rather the proverbial straw which broke the camel’s back. The crowd disturbance was rooted in a succession of umpiring decisions against the West Indies which were not just dubious, but in some cases downright outrageous. In spite of the weakness and inconsistencies of the West Indies players, the outcome of the Test series itself may have been much different, had the umpiring been of a higher, more acceptable standard.

This is not to justify the reaction of some sections of the crowd, but fans all over the Caribbean have been voicing their concerns about these decisions and the apparent lack of any indication by cricket authorities that the umpiring was sub-standard. Indeed I heard fans saying “Dey better doan come with dem b-s-t when dey playing at Arnos Vale.” In other words there was a bottled-up sense of injustice which erupted in SVG (perhaps because we have a volcano here) but which could very well have happened in Jamaica, Barbados, St. Kitts or Grenada.

Part of the frustration relates to what Caribbean people regard as the historic spinelessness of regional cricket officials to stand up for the region’s interest. Contrast the docility of the West Indies Cricket Board with that of the militant Board of Cricket in India. The Indians raised strong objections when their team touring Australia fell victim to a number of poor decisions by the umpires. The protest led to the Caribbean’s premier umpire, Steve Bucknor, being withdrawn. Pakistan had similarly objected strongly to umpire Darryl Hair causing the International Cricket Conference to drop him temporarily from its panel. So wha’ happen to the West Indies Board? Dey leave dey mout’ in dey moma?

That is the backdrop to Tuesday’s unfortunate incident. It cannot be condoned and should never have happened. But it is a clear message, wrongly expressed, that Caribbean cricket fans are not prepared to tolerate perceived injustices. We are not known to be poor losers and the lack of success of the West Indies team in the 21st century has helped us to accept defeat, but in fair conditions. Just as fans, and players, must accept responsibility for conducting themselves in a sporting manner, so too do umpires have a similar responsibility for overseeing the game in circumstances where competence, efficiency and fairness are perceived by all.

What will be the repercussions, for the West Indies, St.Vincent and the Grenadines as host nation, and Arnos Vale as an international venue? Will the West Indies Board, especially now that it has many choices in regard to venues, tend to bypass Arnos Vale, using the bottle-throwing incident as justification? Is the regional Board satisfied with the level of umpiring we have had so far in the series? Will it register any such dissatisfaction with the ICC? There are more question than answers!

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    12 left homeless in mid-day fire at Richland Park
    Front Page
    12 left homeless in mid-day fire at Richland Park
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    A fire that destroyed a multi-family complex in Richland Park on Monday has left at least 12 people homeless, including a 23-year-old mother of a six-...
    PM responds to US military strike on small boat off Venezuela
    Front Page
    PM responds to US military strike on small boat off Venezuela
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves has responded to reports by the United States administration that its military had carried out the bombing of a boa...
    Building material disappear from the Mary Hutchinson Primary School
    Front Page
    Building material disappear from the Mary Hutchinson Primary School
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Police investigators on Union Island are said to be looking into the “disappearance” of building materials that were sent to the Southern Grenadine Is...
    What’s new at Fitz Hughes Government School?
    Front Page
    What’s new at Fitz Hughes Government School?
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    by Grace Francis After sharing a small space for over a year, children and teachers at the Fitz Hughes Early Childhood Centre went into brand new prem...
    MRI-6 donates over $70,000 for school meals for vulnerable students
    Front Page
    MRI-6 donates over $70,000 for school meals for vulnerable students
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Several secondary schools and special needs institutions across St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) have received $5,000 donations towards meals for s...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    News
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...
    PM Gonsalves heads delegation to Ethiopia
    News
    PM Gonsalves heads delegation to Ethiopia
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is leading a delegation to the East African country of Ethiopia; the delegation left the state on Wednesday, Septe...
    New Port to be opened on October 24- PM Gonsalves
    News
    New Port to be opened on October 24- PM Gonsalves
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The modern port in Kingstown is expected to be handed over to the government just before this country celebrates its 46th anniversary of political ind...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok