BY ANU DEV
“Rally, rally round the Amazon Warriors Never say never Pretty soon the runs are going to flow like water” – adapted from David Rudder, “Rally Round the West Indies”
Cricket’s always been one of the things that has brought us together as a Caribbean people – never mind that it’s the source of some of the fiercest arguments you can imagine. Now that the Caribbean Premiere League (CPL) is back – and we’re all rallying around our own Guyana Amazon Warriors to raise the trophy this year.
One of the many things that I really like about this tournament is that some young, local cricketers are getting a chance to play. This opportunity will both give them an opportunity to experience what it’s like playing with and against international players and also a chance to shine and be recognised. With the other tournaments like the IPL, CLT20, and Australia’s Big Bash, there are so many new players that impress us who eventually make it onto the national team. Hopefully the same will happen for the West Indies; we’ll discover some new talent to revive the current team that seems to be unfortunately lost in the doldrums.
With the CPL we’re rooting for our country – GUYANA! The Guyana Amazon Warriors are OUR TEAM!!! It’s Guyana versus Trinidad, or Guyana vs Barbados – not West Indies against the rest of the world. It’s a powerful thing, this nationalistic feeling – I’m getting chills just sitting down writing about it, remembering what it was like when our Warriors kept winning over the last four years. It’s a whole new adrenaline rush when it’s your country’s team that wins. It’s your country’s flag that you’re waving; your country’s colours that the players are wearing; it’s you, the Guyanese people who are being represented. All within the Caribbean family of course!
In Guyana, we don’t have trouble ensuring sold-out matches with a jam-packed stadium, we’re always starved for more cricket. I’ll bet my bottom dollar this set of matches in the CPL will be the same. Did you notice even in Florida it’s mostly expat Guyanese who show up?
We Guyanese know that the CPL is a wonderful opportunity for families or friends to hang out together to enjoy a sport that’s brought together so many generations of sport enthusiasts. And we’ll show up to cheer on our boys.
There’s this indescribable feeling of pride you get when you’re looking at your home team play. Never mind all of the players on the team aren’t Guyanese: they’re wearing our uniform, our colours, we feel that same sense of them being a part of our team, of being ours.
Another nice thing I’ve noticed about the CPL, is that there are so many of the older West Indian players from the ‘golden age’ of West Indian cricket getting involved, whether in coaching capacities or giving their input in other ways. It’s like three sets of West Indian players being brought together – the past, current and future.
So let’s wave our flags, let’s raise our glasses, and let’s lift our voices and shout, “Go Amazon Warriors! Go all the way!! This year is your year.”