Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
Sports => Cricket Anyone => Topic started by: Tallman on April 13, 2011, 06:54:04 PM
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http://www.youtube.com/v/9l7qIFu3YDk
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The new generation should see this. I think a part of the problem is that dem fellas eh ahve no shame..and pride....
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YES i need to see this!!
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Is not that they have not pride. They do have pride. They just not good enough!!!!!!
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I just want to see them head-bussin, jaw breaking 90mph bouncers over and over again.
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Official Website: http://www.fireinbabylon.com/
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When the West Indies were the West Indies....
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‘Fire in Babylon’ brings great nostalgia
Published: Sun, 2011-04-17 20:40
Colin E H Croft
Colin E H Croft If you have not yet heard of “Fire in Babylon”, I expect that you certainly will, in the very near future too. It will definitely, definitively, soon be coming to a cinema, an arena, or some very VIP event, near you! “Fire in Babylon” is a film; a very special film. It describes, with a truly interesting slant; severely politically; the annals of West Indies cricket, circa 1975 to 1985, when West Indies cricket had just started its incredible period of excellence. One could only dream, now, for the return of such exploits!
West Indies did not lose a Test series from 1980 until 1995, with only two series losses – Australia 1975-6, a 5-1 drubbing by Greg Chappell’s boys, and New Zealand 1979-80; 1-0; played with much acrimony – in the 20 year period between 1975 and 1995! “Fire in Babylon” depicts the very start of that period! Last weekend, for once, I felt like a very important person in West Indies cricket. I was invited, by the film’s producers, to attend the premier, in Jamaica, of the film. Now I know what Denzil Washington, Angelina Jolie, Ice Cube, Cathleen Zeta-Jones and Will Smith endure when tripping the red carpet!
This special Caribbean and world premier of the film; only shown at London’s film festival last year, to great ovations and acclaim; also coincided with the launch of West Indies Cricket Board’s 2011 Digicel Cricket Series, featuring Pakistan and India. What great, wonderful cricket we have to look forward to! Among the 500 attendees to last Saturday’s night of great nostalgia and gala, ‘M-Ceed’ by broadcaster Simon Croskill, were Jamaica’s Minister of Youth, Sports & Culture, Mrs. Olivia “Babsy” Grange, former Jamaican Prime Minister, Edward Seaga, and West Indies Cricket Board Vice President Dave Cameron. The film features music and oratory of Bunny Wailer, Bob Marley & Wailers, Gregory Isaacs, Burning Spear, King Short Shirt, and the most devastating fast bowling and power hitting ever seen anywhere!
There were also West Indies cricket royalty there too, including me, I guess. We nearly made up a full West Indies cricket team, had we been in our pomp; some might say that even now. Most featured in the film—Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Lance Gibbs, Jeffrey Dujon, Chris Gayle, Jimmy Adams and me. Hey, that is not a bad line-up! We would have a great fast bowling attack, our best spinner ever, a brilliant wicket-keeper, and two batsmen who could hold their own well in West Indies cricket history.
All that we would need is Clive Lloyd, as captain, batting all-rounder Sir Viv Richards, heavily featured in the film, and Andy Roberts, Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes, who also featured well there too. Both the Jamaica’s Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, and WICB V-P, suggested, in their addresses, while acknowledging cricketing excellence of that time, that they simply hoped that the film would act as a great inspiration to the present and future West Indies cricketers. If only we can be that very lucky!
As if to confound that thought, Dave Cameron also praised Jamaica for winning the final of regional four-day competition, our premier cricket competition, in two days, beating Combined Campuses & Colleges. To mention cricket excellence, and a championship 1st class four-day game, between our two best teams in 2011, that ended in two days, mind you, must be a massive but obviously odious oxymoron! Yet, the possibilities are also still infinite, starting in 2011. When Clive Lloyd started his sojourn as West Indies captain in 1974-5, while he may have had thoughts of what he needed, he certainly had no idea that things would evolve so stunningly well by 1985. Life has a way of sprouting up great surprises!
That Lloyd was so successful very had much to do with his age and seniority that he had over most of his team - a ‘father figure”. He was a full generation ahead of most of the players he captained. Only Deryck Murray and Roy Fredericks, as regulars, could have been judged as being in Lloyd’s age group. Of the rest; the bowling “fire” came then from Holding, Roberts, Garner, Croft, Malcolm Marshall, Wayne Daniel, Sylvester Clarke, all extremely athletic, intelligent, totally fit and talented fast bowlers.
The batting “fire” was also as dynamic, determined and destructive as ever—Fredericks, Haynes, Greenidge, Alvin Kallicharran, Lawrence Rowe, Viv Richards, Larry Gomes, Collis King and Lloyd. Even the wicket-keepers were in a special class of their own— Deryck Murray, Dujon and David Murray. Babylon has not changed much, at least not geographically. Politically and cohesively, we are much further away from where we were back in 1979-84, the absolute apex of West Indies cricketing supremacy. After all, we still have to show passports to traverse from one part of Babylon to the next!
So Pakistan is here, for two Tests, five ODI’s and a T-20, with India to follow, for three Tests, five ODI’s and a T-20. If the experiment and suggestions are correct, then there should be much more fire in the bellies of those who have been selected to represent us here in that region from Jamaica, in the north, to Guyana, in the south, that is sometimes favorably, maybe even romantically, called Babylon! While the initial T-20 and first two one-day internationals, against Pakistan, will serve as warm-ups for especially the Tests, the names selected for these games in St. Lucia tell many stories. The West Indies have issued a statement that experienced seniors Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shiv Chanderpaul have not been permanently axed; a play on words. They simply will play no more! Dead!
But WICB have stuck to its guns. When I spoke to chairman of selectors, Clyde Butts, a few weekends ago, he confirmed that there would be upsets, upheavals and uproar, with good things in mind. Consistency, though, is the main key. Players have shown themselves in our T-20 and earned selection. That Christopher Barnwell, Guyanese batting all-rounder, Danza Hyatt, Jamaican opening batsman, Ashley Nurse, Barbadian bowling all-rounder, and Marlon Samuels and Lendyl Simmons have all been selected for the 1st T-20, and Davindra Bishoo too, shows great gumption. We hope that it is real fire!
For the 1st two 50-over games, also against Pakistan, Dwayne Bravo is back from injury, Kirk Edwards and Devon Thomas retain their World Cup places, and, very pleasantly indeed, Leeward Islands leg-spinning all-rounder Anthony Martin have been selected. Martin really deserves his selection. Great! If players already selected, and those who will also play in Tests, have what it takes is certainly another matter. I know that Shahid Afridi, Pakistan’s ODI captain, Misbah ul Haq, his Test compatriot, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s overall captain, will certainly bring brimstone to our cricket arenas.
I do not know about you, but if you cannot take heat, leave the damned kitchen. It is that simple! Our players desperately need fire in their bellies. We cannot afford to be what we have been since 1995 anymore, certainly not what we have been over the last year, especially ending with the whimper of ICC CWC 2011. We need boldness, honesty, endeavor, enterprise, blood even, real fire in Babylon! Enjoy!
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One cricket team stood up to that most fearsome attack the world had ever seen...Pakistan was that team,unlike other teams they didn't complain.
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The new generation should see this. I think a part of the problem is that dem fellas eh ahve no shame..and pride....
ENTTTTTTTTTTT
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Not even bullpistle wakin up dem fellas
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I saw it tonight at the Tribeca Film Festival. The problem with TFF is the fact most tickets are "sold out" long before it reaches the public domain. They have the option of lining up 45 mins before the movie to attempt to get a seat which is what I ended up doing. Fight nearly break out as people jostled to get a place at the head of the line. (It was real Indian in the line so you know is either a Bollywood flick or cricket showing!) Anyhow, I got in and the director gave a few mins introduction and then the documentary started.
Honestly, all WI people should watch this thing. Real moving and it does a great job of depicting the importance of cricket to our region back then. It real sad to watch how things are with our cricket now after watching something like this. We have no cause now. Is all man for himself and to hell with everybody else. This documentary along with Beyond the Boundary should be mandatory secondary school material.
I too young to really recall them glory days but I can see this really bringing back some serious pain and joy for the old timers. Sadly, it is something we will never repeat as a region.
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I saw it tonight at the Tribeca Film Festival. The problem with TFF is the fact most tickets are "sold out" long before it reaches the public domain. They have the option of lining up 45 mins before the movie to attempt to get a seat which is what I ended up doing. Fight nearly break out as people jostled to get a place at the head of the line. (It was real Indian in the line so you know is either a Bollywood flick or cricket showing!) Anyhow, I got in and the director gave a few mins introduction and then the documentary started.
Honestly, all WI people should watch this thing. Real moving and it does a great job of depicting the importance of cricket to our region back then. It real sad to watch how things are with our cricket now after watching something like this. We have no cause now. Is all man for himself and to hell with everybody else. This documentary along with Beyond the Boundary should be mandatory secondary school material.
I too young to really recall them glory days but I can see this really bringing back some serious pain and joy for the old timers. Sadly, it is something we will never repeat as a region.
Well said Monty :beermug: Like a Bollywood flick he :rotfl:
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Thanks for the review, Monty! Can't wait :beermug: :thumbsup:
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I saw it tonight at the Tribeca Film Festival. The problem with TFF is the fact most tickets are "sold out" long before it reaches the public domain. They have the option of lining up 45 mins before the movie to attempt to get a seat which is what I ended up doing. Fight nearly break out as people jostled to get a place at the head of the line. (It was real Indian in the line so you know is either a Bollywood flick or cricket showing!) Anyhow, I got in and the director gave a few mins introduction and then the documentary started.
Honestly, all WI people should watch this thing. Real moving and it does a great job of depicting the importance of cricket to our region back then. It real sad to watch how things are with our cricket now after watching something like this. We have no cause now. Is all man for himself and to hell with everybody else. This documentary along with Beyond the Boundary should be mandatory secondary school material.
I too young to really recall them glory days but I can see this really bringing back some serious pain and joy for the old timers. Sadly, it is something we will never repeat as a region.
yuh ent even tell nobody yuh was going... alright...
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I get tickets for tonight... no line up and jostle for me!
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so wha you think of it?
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Seen it yesterday in Brixton. Absolutely brilliant. A must see for all english speaking caribbean people.
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will take it in :beermug:
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De movie did not work. Is de same tata we seeing from de batsmen.
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De movie did not work. Is de same tata we seeing from de batsmen.
:rotfl:
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De movie did not work. Is de same tata we seeing from de batsmen.
:rotfl:
Guys, is this movie currently showing in NY? If so, I will check it out. I can't make any judgement now. But from Savannah and Contro. reactions, I feel I know what they have concluded. Even in the golden days of cricket their was plenty of "bad habits" on the team. The difference between now and then is winning. What they used to get away with then, they can't get away with it NOW. But I will reserve judgement. Leh me see the FLIM fuss.
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Listen nah man, de trailer showing Viv being carried off by de crowd...bat up in de air saluting the throngs. Now we have Captain Sammy de Snake from Sesame Street leading we out for the toss in a maraoon pajamas. Is what kinda pappy show we come to boy? We need to re-brand because dem Good Friday bobolee maroon pajamas does only remind me of ineptitude and plenty licks. Massa day eh done. It come back as soon as we put on dat blasted colour. De fire in Babylon get out like ah wet matches in de rain. De only person who could smoke in dis rain is Julian Hunte with he big forehead ever backward never. Dis movie will depress me for sure because past pride and achievements cannot cure de present pain.
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http://www.setanta.com/ie/Articles/2011/06/04/Simmons-reels-in-the-years/gnid-96245/
Simmons reels in the years
by Nick Royle , 04 June 2011 comment
Jayasuriya set for ODI swansong Sammy eager to turn things around... Colly eyes England recall
As the ball from Ian Bishop reared up off the pitch and into the unprotected face of England batsman Robin Smith, commentator and former England captain Tony Greig delightedly squealed 'Oh, he has hit him. That may have broken his jaw."
Watching a charity screening in Dublin of the film about the great West Indies team of the 1970's and 1980's, 'Fire in Babylon', the guest of honour smiled at the brutality of the bowling attack on the big screen.
Current Ireland coach Phil Simmons was part of that legendary side, making his Test debut in 1988 as part of a West Indies team already unbeaten in a Test series for eight years, and set to extend that flawless run for seven more years.
He alone in the room knew what it was to face Bishop. And Malcolm Marshall. And Joel Garner. And a whole generation of West Indian fast bowlers capable of bowling bouncers at over 90 miles per hour.
He alone knew what it was like to be hit full on the head by one of those deliveries. Ironically, it was not one of the great West Indians but an Englishman who did the damage, albeit one born of Jamaican parents.
On 25th May, 1988, 53 not out in the first game of the West Indies' summer tour of England, Simmons was hit on the head by a bouncer from Gloucestershire's David Lawrence in fading light at the County Ground.
Simmons was rushed to hospital and underwent emergency brain surgery at Frenchay Hospital.
It was weeks later that Simmons learned how lucky he had been. Not only had his heart stopped, but he had been extremely fortunate that the incident had happened in Bristol. Then, as now, the city is the UK's centre for neurological surgery.
"It was only some time after that my wife told me the whole story, and how lucky I had been. I learned that there was a major neurological hospital in Bristol, and that I got the best care I could have done," he said.
"I wasn't wearing a helmet, but after that I always did. It shocked a lot of the players I played with as well. Gus Logie was at the other end when I got hit, and from that moment on he always wore a helmet as well. We went from being a generation of players who rarely wore helmets, to one that usually did."
One team-mate refused to wear protective headgear was the great Vivian Richards, the man who would be Simmons' captain as a West Indies player. The Antiguan, always a single-minded man, felt that it suggested weakness to the opposition.
Richards had strong views on most matters, but particularly on what it meant to be a West Indian cricketer, and he made sure that he imparted to his team the responsibility they had to both represent their people and make them proud.
One of the catalysts for the West Indian improvement came from a chance remark made by Tony Greig in 1976. Greig may have enjoyed watching the carnage in his later years from the commentary box, but he was not so keen facing it in the middle.
The Eastern Cape-born England captain said ahead of the series between the two sides that he intended to make the West Indians 'grovel.' Richards and the rest of the team were appalled by the slight, delivered by a white South African at the height of apartheid.
They vowed to make Greig and England pay for the remark. They would 'grovel' to no man and no team. They wanted to show their pride at being black and being West Indian. They did, and in brutal style.
The West Indies won the Test series 3-0, and the one-day international series 3-0, with Richards collecting two double centuries and Michael Holding and Andy Roberts terrorising Greig and the England batsmen with their hostile bowling.
Even 12 years after that series, Richards made sure that new recruits to the team such as Simmons knew that they were not just cricketers, but ambassadors for their country and the West Indian diaspora in other nations.
"We talked about it when we travelled and played. When we won, it was not for the 15 or 16 of us on tour. It was for everybody in the Caribbean. As a unit, we represented six or seven million people around the world," he said.
The current West Indies side has struggled in recent years, only recently ending a run of 17 Test matches without a win, when they overcame Pakistan in the first Test in Guyana in May by 40 runs.
Simmons believes that there is plenty of talent in the current crop of players, but that the delayed introduction of formal coaching structures compared to other countries has been a factor in the slow slide.
"We still have players like Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who will be classed as great at the end of their careers.
"However, that great team had Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes and the four fast bowlers," he said.
"But they also had walk-on parts for Larry Gomes, Eldine Baptiste, Roger Harper. Now, the structure is not there, the bit-part players have not come through with the same quality."
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http://www.favupload.com/video/3510/#
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Purchased the DVD and took it in a few weeks ago.
One thing that must be emphasised is that this doc. focuses on the rebirt of WI cricket in the late 70s and its meaning to the black populus of England.
You barely saw much footage from the 80s and you think they could've gotten some quotes from Kallicharan and Gomes. I think there was a brief comment from Dereck Murray.
I think this was just a simple documentary that someone decided to capitalize on and release on the big screen, knowing full well how starved our audience is for this kind of info.
I recommend it for two reasons (i) some classic footage all on one dvd and (ii) the younger generation must understand the social impact the WI team had for blacks especially for WI living abroad; akin to Jack Johnson's success and the spin off it had on black America socially and in terms of personal pride.
VB
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http://www.youtube.com/v/9l7qIFu3YDk
I lOve it.. I back on the field come sunday after watching this video eh star.. I was taking a rest for one year but cricket calling me.. I also going out in the memory of one of my fallen soldier Shekhs aravind.. RIP My brother ...
Tell me how ro get this video and where to get nuh..
war
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War,
just google the name of the dvd and "order on line"
I ordered from a Co. in the UK and it arrived in Toronto in less than 10 working days.
VB
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http://www.favupload.com/video/3510/#
Thank you for the upload.
Much appreciated.
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Showing on cable in NY now, took it in a few nights ago, inspirational, echo VB's sentiments, more comments could have been obtained from others who were on that team; nonetheless, well put together. Will get a copy for my records
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Where can I buy a NTSC version of this DVD?
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This is showing this weekend on ESPN Classic.
8:30pm and 10:15 pm today
12:00 am, 8:30pm and 10:15 pm Tomorrow.
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http://www.cricketcountry.com/cricket-articles/Kallicharan-s-son-disappointed-with-treatment-given-to-father/4748
Kallicharan's son disappointed with treatment given to father
Tags: Rohan Kallicharan, Alvin kallicharan, Clive Lloyd, West Indies, England,
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Rohan Kallicharan, son of legendary West Indian batsman Alvin Kallicharan (above), says the documentary “Fire in Babylon” is a “one-sided and ‘politically romantic’ appraisal of how the West Indies rose to prominence, littered with inaccuracies.” © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
London: Aug 16, 2011
Legendary West Indian cricketer Alvin Kallicahran’s son Rohan Kallicharan has expressed his disappointment over the treatment meted out to his father, and other West Indian players of Indian origin.
Pointing out to the recently released documentary on West Indian cricket, Fire in Babylon, Rohan said that the story told in the documentary does not cover every one associated with West Indies rise in world cricket. He believes his father’s contribution to West Indian cricket has been ignored.
He was quoted in DNA as saying, “It is a one-sided and ‘politically romantic’ appraisal of how the West Indies rose to prominence, littered with inaccuracies”
Rohan says that though today West Indian team consists of many players of Indian origin, there were days when Indian origin players were deliberately sidelined.
“Whilst I did not believe there to be a race issue in West Indian cricket at the time, the Indian community were left disengaged over a period of time with none of their players in the side. Certainly now, there is no issue, with the likes of Chanderpaul and Sarwan having been integral, and Bishoo, Deonarine, Rampaul, amongst others playing regularly,” Rohan said.
Rohan also said his father was hurt in 1981 when he was dropped from the national side without being informed. “He did not go to the Packer series for the sake of the West Indies team,” he reminds you. Then, there’s this instance which has hurt Kallicharran. He was dropped for the 1981 Australia tour but was never informed.
“Warwickshire played Lancashire in a Sunday League match in August 1981 and Clive did not advise dad that he was to be dropped for the Tour of Australia,” said Rohan.
“The dropping of my father, however, was widely considered to be a slight to the Indian community, and I know of many who found it difficult to support the West Indies without any of their own players present,” he reveals.
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http://www.cricketcountry.com/cricket-articles/Kallicharan-s-son-disappointed-with-treatment-given-to-father/4748
Kallicharan's son disappointed with treatment given to father
Tags: Rohan Kallicharan, Alvin kallicharan, Clive Lloyd, West Indies, England,
Share
68
Rohan Kallicharan, son of legendary West Indian batsman Alvin Kallicharan (above), says the documentary “Fire in Babylon” is a “one-sided and ‘politically romantic’ appraisal of how the West Indies rose to prominence, littered with inaccuracies.” © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
London: Aug 16, 2011
Legendary West Indian cricketer Alvin Kallicahran’s son Rohan Kallicharan has expressed his disappointment over the treatment meted out to his father, and other West Indian players of Indian origin.
Pointing out to the recently released documentary on West Indian cricket, Fire in Babylon, Rohan said that the story told in the documentary does not cover every one associated with West Indies rise in world cricket. He believes his father’s contribution to West Indian cricket has been ignored.
He was quoted in DNA as saying, “It is a one-sided and ‘politically romantic’ appraisal of how the West Indies rose to prominence, littered with inaccuracies”
Rohan says that though today West Indian team consists of many players of Indian origin, there were days when Indian origin players were deliberately sidelined.
“Whilst I did not believe there to be a race issue in West Indian cricket at the time, the Indian community were left disengaged over a period of time with none of their players in the side. Certainly now, there is no issue, with the likes of Chanderpaul and Sarwan having been integral, and Bishoo, Deonarine, Rampaul, amongst others playing regularly,” Rohan said.
Rohan also said his father was hurt in 1981 when he was dropped from the national side without being informed. “He did not go to the Packer series for the sake of the West Indies team,” he reminds you. Then, there’s this instance which has hurt Kallicharran. He was dropped for the 1981 Australia tour but was never informed.
“Warwickshire played Lancashire in a Sunday League match in August 1981 and Clive did not advise dad that he was to be dropped for the Tour of Australia,” said Rohan.
“The dropping of my father, however, was widely considered to be a slight to the Indian community, and I know of many who found it difficult to support the West Indies without any of their own players present,” he reveals.
This is the kind of shit that is embarasses Indian people.
How you could say that Indian players were deliberately sidelined and then say you don't believe there was a race issue.
Perhaps he should've clarified and said that both Indian and African players were deliberately sidelined.
One would think that he knows what he's talking about re. his father and the Packer crisis.
However, I saw an interview with AK in Toronto and when the reporter echoed what his son just said, AK was quick to correct him. He made it clear that he never stayed with the WI due to loyalty. He said the truth was he didn't want to live in Guyana. Warwickshire made it clear to him that is he joined Pakcer, he would lose his County contract. If he left Warwickshire, he would have to go back to Guyana and so for that reason he turned down Packer. This is what AK himself said.
I sure they f*&^k him good with the Aus. they also dropped Grennidge in similiar circumstances a decade later.
VB
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Watch those who have never seen it, or was born after the 80s
http://www.youtube.com/v/1pGENRCEKjk
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anybody hear bout this documentary on 80's WI cricket team?....think it was made in england.
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It was posted here years ago when it first came out.
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anybody hear bout this documentary on 80's WI cricket team?....think it was made in england.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24ScM3BlYMA