Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
THE YEAR 2004 will be history in a few hours and before they ring in the new year, before they join hands and burst into the singing of Auld Lang Syne, people, including sports fans, will be raising a toast to its memory and especially so to the great, unforgettable memories.
Unfortunately for cricket fans, in Jamaica and throughout the West Indies, the great, unforgettable memories have been few and far between.
Unlike the glory years of the past, unlike, for example, 1969 when Jamaica won the regional four-day title, the then Shell Shield, for the first time, 1988 and 1989 when they won it back to back, and unlike 1950 when the West Indies thrashed England in England for their first victory away from home.
Then 1965 when they defeated Australia for the first time, 1975 and 1979 when they won the World Cup, and between 1977 and 1994 when they were the best in the world, but for a few individual performances, a pair of which led to a surprising West Indies victory, the passing year is leaving behind nothing great or unforgettable.
DISAPPOINTMENT
In a year during which they were beaten by Barbados in the final of the Carib Beer International Shield after a wonderful start to the match, in a year during which they failed to make it into the second round of the limited-overs President's Cup after starting as favourites, Jamaica were disappointing and so too the West Indies who lost twice to England, once at home and once away from home.
In eight Test matches against England, the West Indies managed to draw only one, and apart from conceding some huge totals, were routed for scores like 47 at Sabina Park and 94 at Kensington Oval.
What was really disappointing, however, was the dramatic and regular collapses that saw the West Indies losing 10 wickets for 30 runs at Sabina Park, eight for 49 at Kensington Oval - including four for three while Matthew Hoggard was taking a hat-trick, seven for 39 at Edgbaston after chipping to 221 for two and 297 for three, five for 10 at Edgbaston after going well at 172 for three, and nine for 78 at Old Trafford after being well placed at 88 for one.
In the midst of the many disasters, however, there were a few memories to cherish - and none more so than Brian Lara's world record 400 not out against England at the Antigua Recreation Ground, Shivnarine Chanderpaul's 128 not out and 97 not out against England at Lord's, Christopher Gayle's 105 against England at The Oval and, of course, the West Indies victory in the ICC Champions Trophy.
After scores of 23 and 0, 0 and 8, 36 and 33 and with England three-up and hunting a clean sweep, Lara turned up at the ARG and batted like a man possessed a man deciding that come hell or high water, England would not enjoy the final satisfaction of a whitewash of his team.
Joining the action at 98 for two after winning the toss and deciding to bat on a perfect pitch, Lara, 10 years after caning England on the same ground for a world record 375 not out, batted for 778 minutes, faced 582 deliveries, stroked 43 fours and struck four mighty sixes before the West Indies declared at 751 for five.
STROKEPLAY
As far as exciting strokeplay was concerned, it was not one of Lara's best. It was simply an innings of character an innings which, coming a few months after Australia's Matthew Hayden had erased his previous world record, underlined his class.
It was if Lara was saying to Hayden, "I am the best, that record is mine, and I am taking it back".
Chanderpaul's performance was a masterpiece and although Gayle's effort, unlike Lara's at the ARG, did not save the West Indies from the embarrassment of a whitewash, it was exciting from start to finish.
In one of the fastest innings of all time, the big left-hander, batting at No. 1, was dismissed at 155 for four after batting for only 138 minutes, after facing only 87 deliveries, and after smashing one six and hitting 18 fours - including, early in the innings, in the third over of the innings, six in one over from fast bowler Hoggard.
The best performance in 2004, however, the one that stunned the world and left West Indians cheering for days, was the victory in the ICC Champions Trophy, and remembering that the West Indies, set a target of 218, were on the ropes and falling at 147 for eight, a special toast should be raised to Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw the unlikely heroes who confidently rescued them with a brilliant, stroke-filled and undefeated partnership of 71.
