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The
Prince and the Tadpole
While
her friend at right has a hearty laugh, there’s
no mistaking her preferred brand of beverage.
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As
the ball crashes into the boundary boards, theatre
stalwart Trevor Jadunath, left, gives 3Canal’s
Roger Roberts a high five.
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Colour
him Mr T&T.
Photos:
Anthony Harris
It
was too early in the day and I certainly hadn’t imbibed
sufficient beverage but I swear I saw West Indies mascot Clarence
the crab, who precariously straddles the dos Santos Stand
at the Queen’s Park Oval, duck when West Indies opener
Chris Gayle hit Irfan Pathan for six. What made last Friday’s
shot an unforgettable one was that the tall, sinewy Jamaican
struck the ball using one hand.
For me, three sixes struck by WI batsmen made my Friday. Beside
Gayle’s six, Brian Lara’s, during a tempestuous
over against Harbhajan Singh, and Dwayne Bravo’s against
Ramesh Powar, were vignettes of an exciting day’s play
that would remain in my memory for a long time.
Of the following day’s play it’s impossible to not
sustain savouring Dave Mohammed’s run out of India captain
Rahul Dravid, off his own bowling.
The Prince of Port-of-Spain and “Tadpole” Mohammed
contributed greatly to my weekend joy, a high I still surf
as I await with bated breath the Soca Warriors first game
in Germany at the World Cup final.
Off the field, I was appalled when, despite all the meticulous
planning and implementation of a supposedly ultra-tight security
system, a couple Indian players could have been injured when
an obviously deranged simpleton of a spectator threw a missile
at them as they attempted to thwart a boundary.
I was equally shocked to see fans emerging from the Oval after
Friday’s game with large coolers, one even having a variety
of liquor bottles (hard) in his drinks chest.
I also know of one licenced firearm holder easily getting
past body and scan searches at the gate with his 9mm in an
ankle holster going undetected and unchecked.
But then that is Trinidad; the rules and laws just don’t
apply to everyone. Once you know a gateman, security officer
or ticket-tearer you could get away with murder and bobol,
literally.
If this is the best security the Oval could guarantee in the
lead-up to next year’s ICC World Cup tournament, I think
I’ll have to do a rain check on attending those 2007
games.
Some people thought it was ridiculous when ICC security personnel
said that even bottles of nail polish in ladies’ handbags
would be confiscated at the 2007 championships. But, anyone
with even the slightest idea of how much damage a small bit
of C-4 or a thimble-full of nitro glycerine can do, would
appreciate just how much more stringent and vigilant security
has to be at the Oval and anywhere World Cup games would be
played.
ComPANions
have fun at Wasa
Ensuring
that they will not suffer the indignity of being beaten in
the Tug-o-War event as happened two years ago, the able-bodied
men and women of the T&T Regiment steel orchestra pull
their way to victory against Sagicor Exodus on the Indian
Arrival Day holiday ComPANions Family Day, held at WASA Sports
Grounds in St Joseph.
Competition
was tough with no team giving leeway on the Indian Arrival
Day holiday when ComPANions hosted its fourth annual family
day and talent contest. Held at Wasa Sports Ground in St Joseph,
the event, which consists of some of the nation’s steel
orchestras participating, attracted its largest crowd to date.
Bathed in blazing sunshine throughout, the day’s proceedings
got going with a “Dance Past,” won by Sagicor Exodus.
Among the bands thrilling spectators in novelty events, football,
cricket and Tug-o-War were BWIA Invaders, Courts Sound Specialists
of Laventille, Sagicor Exodus, Claytones, HCL Valley Harps,
Solo Pan Knights, Pamberi, Clico Sforzata, the National Steel
Orch, T&T Regiment and Sagicor Exocubs.
At the end of the day, the results revealed that Courts Sound
Specialists of Laventille got the most points to emerge Best
Overall Team. A talent contest, held afterwards, ended on
a sour note with members of Pan Knights walking out the venue.
The top three places were filled by acts from Exodus.
On a down note as well, the only officials of Pan Trinbago
to attend and show any support for the effort were president
Patrick Arnold and North Region official Allan “Pablo”
Augustus.
The ComPANions effort is a most commendable one and a positive
venture by steelbands that do not seek the support of Pan
Trinbago. It is definitely a project which demands much more
physical and tangible support from Pan Trinbago’s entire
membership, especially by so-called “big bands,”
which, though choosing not to participate, could at least
send a few representatives.
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