Energetic supporters of the Trinidad and Tobago cricket team ran the gamut of emotions yesterday during the nail-biting 2009 Champions League Twenty/20 final in Hyderabad, India.
At several sports bars in Port of Spain, cricket fans-loyally dressed in red-screamed, booed and were even brought to tears as the match played out on big television screens before them, and their team eventually went down by 118 runs to New South Wales.
But even as the last wicket fell, the group applauded the team for a job well done.
’That was a brilliant performance. We never expected to get this far. We have the world looking at us right now,’ supporter Gary Canejo said.
’Eleven men brought 1.2 million Trinbagonians together.’
Despite the heart-rending loss, the consensus remained the Daren Ganga-led team did the country proud and managed to play ’intelligent cricket’.
’You could see the men thinking and planning during the game. That was no vaps, they tried their best,’ one woman said.
In fact, the collective grouse seemed to be the lack of local sponsorship for the team.
’It is totally deplorable that there was no local company or State enterprise name on the jerseys of the guys who represented the country so well,’ one man said.
He said the lack of sponsorship showed the lack of confidence and faith in the ability of local players. He said, just like the Soca Warriors, the local cricket team united the country with national pride.
’The Government does not realise that if they put money behind sports, they could lower the crime rate. I’m sure there was no crime in the last three hours,’ he said.
Earlier, the loyal groups were so hungry for the victory that they cheered and counted even the wides and extra shots, all the while glued to the screens as the match progressed.
’Pollard for Prime Minister!’ was the chant at one sports lounge when Pollard stepped in to bat. His first six caused an eruption of cheers and had everyone agreeing that he was the man to pull the team to victory.
’We still in the game,’ one woman cheered when Pollard delivered his second six from a free shot. The gradual loss of the batsmen in quick order, however, soon left a hush over even the most boisterous supporters.
