ANTIGUA: The Caribbeans islands are full of colourful, animated characters who have tales to tell and opinions to share, all in good faith and in a disarmingly bindaas manner. The other day, a cabbie here in Antigua had something interesting to share. Asked if one could possibly meet
Sir Vivian Richards
, the cabbie got animated. "Hey, I too am a Richards...
Linden Richards
. And I'm a fully ICC qualified umpire." After fiddling around with some papers in the dashboard, Richards declared, "Hey, let me show you the proof that I'm a qualified umpire. I've got papers here in my car." He came up with a crumpled piece of document, saying, "Look here." Why then did he drive a taxi?" "They did not give me any opportunity. I stood in two regional games and that's all," Linden said.
No takers for Test cricket?India and West Indies teams were greeted by largely empty stands when play begun in the first Test on Thursday at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Grounds. By the time it was lunch, a few hundred fans had gathered to watch the two sides play some absorbing Test match cricket.