- Gonsalves Acknowledged the role of selectors for taking a chance on Joseph
St Vincent’s (SVG) Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves publicly complimented the West Indies cricket team on their incredible triumph, particularly Shamar Joseph, a young 24-year-old Guyanese fast bowler who has seemingly sprung from nowhere in competitive first-class cricket.
Joseph got seven wickets to help the West Indies win a Test in Australia for the first time since 1997.
Gonsalves said the selectors should be commended for considering him and his ability, and he hasn’t disappointed given the chance.
“When you look at beginnings, this is essentially a fairy tale beginning. You get five in one inning and then seven. That’s the equivalent in terms of having two test hundreds; a five-wicket haul is the equivalent of a test hundred.”
“I feel pretty sure that given his head and what he did in the first test, if he didn’t get his toe burst, broken, or both in the second inning when Sinclair was something like 14 or so not out, And you remember that Sinclair made 50 in the first inning? The West Indies more than likely would have made a few more runs than the 193 they made in the second inning.”
Gonsalves said Joseph is correct to be emphasising the team all the time.
“I think this will go somewhere, and this young man, 24 years old, talking about solidarity, talking about his team and what they do together, and whom he has learned from, has more to learn. All these are fantastic signs of the development of a finished personality.”
Joseph, who resigned his job as a security guard only 18 months ago, found plenty of pace at the Gabba to shred through Australia’s batting order.
He needed treatment before play—at one point, he considered not going to the ground for day four—but recovered to bowl nearly 12 match-winning overs.
#ShamarJoseph had a broken toe and still produced one of the greatest performances of all time.
This is what sports & professionalism about; displaying unimaginable courage and grit without entering the battlefield. Will we ever learn! #AUSvWI #Cricket #WestIndies pic.twitter.com/iapYUY5u2O
— Fraz (@NthngMtrs) January 28, 2024
