Protest group greets England

Press, 28 January 1986, Page 21

Protest group greets England

NZPA-AFP Barbados

The England cricket team were met by about 30 demonstrators when they arrived in Barbados yesterday at the start of their three-month tour of the West Indies.

Chanting “no sport with apartheid”, the small group gave the touring party immediate notice that they could be in for a stormy time. The protesters, thought to be students and members of the Southern Africa Liberation Committee, were objecting to the presence in the England squad of four members of the 1982 rebel tour to South Africa — Graham Gooch, Peter Willey, John Emburey and Les Taylor.

The four were banned from tests for three years for taking part in the 1982 tour, and their return to international cricket raised opposition in the Caribbean. The demonstrators came as close as 2 metres to the England squad, but were separated by a glass partition.

Peter Short, Barbadian representative of the West Indies Cricket Board of Control, commented: “This is unfortunate, but I don’t think there is that much antitour feeling in Barbados.”

The most volatile opposition is expected in Trinidad next month.

When England cricketers were last in the West Indies, in 1981, the second test in Guyana had to be cancelled. Guyana has been left out of the itinerary this time.