West Indies hold ‘stop-work’

Press, 25 February 1980, Page 30

West Indies hold ‘stop-work’

By

R. T. BRITTENDEN

St o p-work meetings have come to cricket. The action of the West Indies players in not taking the field at the appointed time after tea yesterday is without precedent in this country. It gave a sour touch to an absorbing day’s play, but it was not the only unharmonious note struck during a fierce struggle. The crowd of 12,000, which paid $20,000, had cause to complain about the iack cf action in the last period of play. Not that it was entirely the West Indies’ fault. Only 22 overs were bowled in the last two hours. There was not only the late appearance of the West Indies side, and a quite apparent lack of interest in getting on with the game. Soon after the game resumed Geoff Howarth reached his century, and that brought swarms of children on to the field. Later there was a change of the ball, and drinks, and an injury to Howarth, who was struck on the face by a ball from Croft, which came from the batsman’s gloves and took skin eff the left side of his face. But the action of the touring team in staying inside its dressing room is very hard to condone. Although no-one is saying anything, officially, it seems quite clear that the West Indians were very unhappy when an appeal for a catch at the wicket, when Howarth was batting against Joel Garner, was turned down.

Disappointment in the heat of test match is natural and inevitable. But the petulance shown by the West Indies players at Carisbrook and Lancaster Park is a sad commentary on the course cricket is taking.

If this is what fame and fortune mean in cricket, they are hardly worth having. Something better than childish petulance is expected of some of the finest players in the game. It was all the sorrier, i 1 because until lunch on the third day, it had been an apparently happy match, and the West Indians had contributed to the enjoyment, not only through their playing skills. There was a delightful moment on Saturday afternoon, when the umpires were conferring over an appeal against the light. The West Indies captain, Clive Lloyd, crept up, ear cupped, in a gorgeously theatrical approach of the villain. And after lunch yesterday, when the West indies players went back on to the field, some of them shared a soccer ball . with one of the youngsters still on the ground, j with a bit of back-heeling, ;■ a shot at an imaginary goal. These were spontaneous, ! friendly gestures thoroughly appreciated. But the Sunday crowd had much to enjoy, apart ! from the sunshine which ' brought a startling display ' of bare torsos. The “C’mon” music, which has I found little favour with players or public, was not ! heard at all, which was a blessing. There was keen interest in a cricket-ball throwing contest at the lunch inter- : val. It was won by John Stapylto n-Smith, of Christ’s College anjd Camp ' Bay, from Rod Latham ; and Craig Burtt Stapyl-ton-Smith’s best soaring i throw was measured at a I remarkable 101.5 m.

The gate takings for the tour have now reached i $200,000, only $30,000 short of the break-even point