Cricket commentator and former national cricketer, Tom Lafond, has expressed serious concerns over the ommission of Kavem Hodge from the Winward Islands 2011 and 2012 cricket team and said that the Windward Island selectors appear to have a history of marginalizing Dominican players.
During a broadcast of the Leeward Island Guyana Regional match, Lafond said there were serious concerns about the vision, objective, and strategy of Windward Island selectors.
He said after Hodge returned from the Under Nineteen (19) West Indies tour of India he should have been selected as a permanent fixture on the Windward Island team because during that tour Hodge achieved the second highest aggregate score of the series, second only to Craig Brathwaite who went to make the senior West Indies Team.
“Kavem Hodge is the future of Windward Islands and West Indies, and all of us in the Windward Islands should develop a strategy to prepare him for West Indies and the first step begins with making him a permanent part of the Windward Islands team,” Lafond pointed out.
Lafond went on to say that Hodge scored a century in Australia against sensational teen fast bowler Pat Cummins, who is now a member of the Australian Team. “Craig Brathwaite is on the Barbados national team, Why is not Kavem Hodge on Windward Islands Team?” he queries.
According to Lafond during the Windward Island’s last match against Jamaica, all of the batsmen failed to perform except Andre Fletcher. “So why is Kavem Hodge, who is already an Under Nineteen successful West Indies Cricketer, being left out of the team?” he asked.
Lafond concluded, “Let’s hope that Windward Island selectors take a closer look at the current players and recognize that Kavem Hodge together with players like Johnson Charles, Gary Mathurine and Shane Shillingford are the future of Windward Islands Cricket and include them permanently on the Windward Islands team. Kavem has already demonstrated that he has what it takes to excel at the International level and has been playing more international cricket than the majority of the players on the team.”
Awah wii! I strongly believe he deserve an opportunity to be on the team. The young man works hard all the time. Break Liam neck on the team. His father also! Liam haven’t achieve shit for Dominica and forever have a place on the team. Predujice even in sports.
Much has been said and little is actually being done to correct what most certainly is a problem in the west indies (windwards Islands)cricket.
Two of the things that borders me most in sports are; Wanting to win at any cost and the gravest of all the embracing of mediocrity.
Kavem has represented the West Indies U-19 team on at least 2 separate occassions. On both he was the second leading scorer to only Craig Brathwaite. After Kavem’s recent performance for the West Indies team he has secured a sure pick for any assingments of the West Indies U-19 team. For me that is not mediocre by any stretch of the Imagination as the West Idies selfish minds would wish they could have find something better elseswhere.
At the recent windward islands cricket competition no one individual performed and an as such justifying the pick of anyoneof these current players is most certainly embracing what is mediocre particularly if they are to embrace it above kavem.
To talk about Kavem’s youthfullness and keep the ” experience” is down right ludacrist in an attempt to win.
The young man’s potential has been realised lets try to win with his talent and as well as embrace his promise.
The west indies cricketing body is looking at the boy…. Lets allow them to see him .
Lets for once look out for the true interest of the, both windwards and west indies, and lets stop deep our noses in people’s crack and wear ” PEANUT BUTTER” on them and be proud of the ills that we commit…..
Do not worry one day you will make it. I am so happy ur family is in England. You will definitely get exposure there. Cannot wait for u 2 finish college. By the time they hear the shout you will be long gone just memories to Dominica.
I love cricket but the way things going and as far as i can see u wasting ur talent here. I am Dominica but too much things are happening here.
We all know as long as SEBO is manger Kavem will never get a game that greedy man Sebo will never pick Kavem over his son LIAM who is out of shape and unfit, Liam can play but not like Kavem, get Sebo out he is a sorry and greedy man. SEBO is punishing all other Dominicans young players becasue his son did not make the West Indies Team, about two or three years ago when the WI selectors came to Dominica to watch Shane Shillingford play, Sebo wote a nasty report about Shane, if Sebo son cannot make it then no-one else will.
SEBO MUST GO!
THE INJUSTICES OF DOMINICAN CRICKETERS BY IT’S OWN NATIONALS AT THE HELM…
We’ve all at times, have felt that we’ve been wronged, victims of crimes,
and for justice we’ve longed.
Injustice is stale, but a sad fact of life, to see evil prevail, when wickedness is rife.
And what of that man, forced living it rough, working out his plan, for he’s had enough.
And what of the fair go? when you refuse him labour, since money is slow,
yet you’ve enlisted/hired your son, your neighbour, a villager/parishioner, a friend etc etc.
You’ve judged those you penalise badly, though they are D/cans, they would’ve helped you gladly, despite your status.
And what about those from other parishes, they’ve got the skills of a champ, you must be crazy, to render them useless.
Now think about the cost, and what we stand to lose, when innocence is lost,
The cause of abuse.
Then there’s the anguish and grief, as we see on the news, attacks for a belief, no right to choose?
And then there’s a crash, and a life sadly perished, drinking that stash,
A life to have cherished.
And then there is greed, focused only on the buck, not giving to need,
Saying ‘bad luck’.
I can go on and on and on, of all the evils to be hurled, let’s not carry on,
THE INJUSTICES OF DOMINICAN CRICKETERS BY IT’S OWN NATIONALS AT THE HELM…
what we dominican expect when my dady is the coach,do u want him to droup me for him, even if the hole of dominica and the rest of the caribbean no that am not that good and am holding onto someone place on the team.well as long as sebo is coach i his son we play and that it like it or not that dady team and am his child.
i beg to concur. Why is Liam S on the Windward team?
Isn’t it ironic that insularity has found it’s way into the Dominica psyche? Why do we always have to think somebody is out to get us?
Take it easy Tom.
When once upon a time, almost the entire winwards team was made up of Domincans, we were all delighted. Our time will come again. All our complaints ain’t gonna change nutton.
I am fully in agreement with the position expoused by Mr. Lafond; this is knowingly or unknowingly, a most horrendous crime!!
kavem may have to skip to another island in other to get a chance, and the name of Dominica will only be mentioned as his land of birth.But they ought to remember that in life what God has said is yours will always be yours no selector is greater than the Lord. Go Kavem Go
liam that need to be out,smdh
All now we should boy cott the cricket match going on here in Dominica.Winward cricket selectors and management has no vision, Because they did not make it to the west indies side their heart is bleeding and they dont want any one to make to the west indies. Shane is their because of his talent and he is the one who is keeping the winward together by taking wickets.Liam will nver make it to the west INdies, Never!!!!, he has no raw talent he is just trying to play cricket.They need to rest him.If Kavem had a name or a tittle to himself he would be on the winward side a long time .People take my advice boycott the cricket .
Winward Island has never been able to identify young talent and how to push them. They killed Mervin Matthew and now are doing the same with young Kavem. Barbados knows how to identify young talen. See how far Kraig Brathewaite has reached because B/dos identified him long time ago and are pushing him. Every time Kavem has played for WI U19 he has been a top performer. Isn’t that enough to tell Winward that we need to push this guy to develope him for the future? When are we going to start, after we have discouraged him? Winward Islands seem to be very good at that. Please let us not do to Kavem what we did to Mervin Matthew. He was definitely a propect which we killed.
back tom 100% liam needs to be drop and kaveem should replace him afterrall kaveem is a much beter all rounder than liam
THE SAME HORSE MANURE THAT GOES ON IN THE SENIOR WEST INDIES TEAM IS THE SAME IN THE WINDWARD’S SELECTION.YOU HAVE SIMMON YOU IS A VERY CAPABLE WICKET KEEPER, INSTEAD, THEY PLAY RANDIN AND DROP ROACH.IN THE WINDWARD’S TEAM, THE SAME MAMBO, YOU HAVE FLECHER WHO HAS DONE INTERNATIONAL DUTIES FOR WEST INDIES AS A KEEPER,YOU PLAY LYNDON JAMES AS KEEPER AND YOU DROP AN ALLROUNDER LIKE HODGE AT HOME.
Tom is making a credible case for Kavem Hodge but let’s hope that he is not a one time wonder. The selectors must “cultivate’ talent when they find it.
On the other hand, New York’s comment is so very true. Tom Lafond, Lockhart Sebastian and the Shillingfords crippled all budding talents in Dominica. They didn’t give Boniface Xavier and Lambert Henderson a chance to develop. They only selected players from their clubs and within their league.
Tom has not changed. He has the same mentality as the selectors. Here he is asking for “permanent” places for Kavem and the other guys. Hey, Tom, no place is “permanent” on any team.
So many Dominican players were never given a chance. Ask Nanthan, Lafond and the other DCA members how many Dominican players have attended the Sagicor High PErformance Center in Barbados? All of them running their mouth and drinking their scotch and they don’t give two hoots about the young cricketers.
You are one 100% correct. I watched a Dominica team played once and most of the players came from colihaut when the best players were caribs
swag
Great point!
Boniface and Lambert were cricket great players. Tony Alexander was another good player with great potential. Did Tony ever made it to trial?
I for sure would REMOVE permanently Liam Sebastien for the Windwards team. He don’t perform. He should be history. Hodge would be better off on the Windwards team.
I fully support TOM Lafond. What is clearly disgraceful is the use of perpetual underachievers on a team that is painfully weak. Why is Lesporis, “Hit and Miss” Andre Fletcher and even Liam Sebastein on the team? There contributions seem to be invisible and a young talent like Kavern is left out. Kavern would doubtlessly add some grit to this non-existent, brittle middle order. Can’t our administrators see?
When the selectors stop selecting there son and there freind son cricket will advance in Dca and the W/Islands talk to SYBO i sure he can tell u a few things!
sebastian is fighting a loosing battle to get liam on west indies. liam days done put kavem on the windwards and drop liam
I am in agreement. I was very impressed with
his batting in that last tour. Let us hope that when he is selected that he be given a fair chance even if he fails initially. Nothing beats confidence.If anyone knows talent it’s Lafond!
DNO before I give my comment I think you need to clearify something here because the last time I checked, Emanuel Nanton was the president of Dominica Cricket Association and not Tom Lafond, as stated by you. The fact that you referred to it as “Dominica cricket club” I guess you meant to say Cavalieres Cricket Club since Dominica cricket asso. is not a club.
I hope there was not an election and Tom Lafond became the president, which would be a good thing for cricket in Dominica, since Nanton (Mano) has no vision for cricket in Dominica and has only succeeded in killing cricket at a time when we are hosting test cricket.
To the real matter now. I fully support the sentiments of mr. Lafond. How could we have a young man who is on the Windies youth team and scored a century against the Aussies youth in Australia, and yet he cannot be on the Windward Island team? Something has to be wrong with their thinking!
mr. Lafond questioned the vision, objective, and strategy of the windward island selectors but I will even take it a step further and question the vision, objective, and strategy of the windward cricket board, whose president is a young man from Dominica by the name of Emanuel Nanton. Vision starts with leadership and not selectors. Example before West Indies selector pick a team they know who the board wants and who they don’t want. In fact before the team is announced, selectors have to get approval from the board first.
I also agre with mr. Lafond that young players like Kavem Hodge, Johnson Charles, Gary Maturine, Shane, and not forgetting Delorn Johnson should be seen as the future of Windward Island cricket. I was surprised that Delorn was not given a chance to play in Jamaica. Infact last week windiescricket.com picked five young players we should look out for this year, and delorn Johnson was one of them; yet he could not find his way on the final 11. Where are they going with the likes of Kenroy peters and Andre Fletcher who realy do not have a future. Both men should be replaced with Delorn Johnson and Kaven Hodge.
I totally agree with Tom!
Dear Tom,
I can’t agree with you more!
To those who perpetuate an inherent bias towards Dominican cricket, I say one thing to them – the absence of D/cans from the Windward Islands team only results in a weak and inept Windward Islands side. Refer back to history; the Windward Islands enjoyed its best and most competitive years during the Shillingfords, Norbert Phillip, Clem John, Thomas Kentish, Lockhart Sebastian, Leroy Jno-Lewis, Mervin Durand etc etc era. The cancer of our regional cricket remains the high levels of injustices met by our players.
Our failings as a Cricketing force isn’t because of a lack of talent but rather very poor management and administration, and those at the helm only feeding their own pockets and interests.
I DIDN’T FOLLOW UP,I THOUGHT HE ALREADY SELECTED,
yaw lets get some special interest groups on our side since d.a is now the center of cricket… our young men play very well so give us our just due…
That’s Depressing, however use that as dirt to make you shine,the West Indies Sr Team will See your potential and you will one day make all of us proud, Don’t give up just keep on practicing just await God, the Great selector,your time will come.
hang in there….
yes my brother, let them have it, how it is.
all the best to you.
I SUPPORT TOM LAFOND FOR THE INCLUSION OF KAVEM ON THE WINDWARD TEAM BUT ALSO THE OTEHR PLAYERS ON THE TEAM ARE ALSO PRETTY YOUNG AND KAVEM MUST NOW BE AT THE READY TO GRAB HIS OPPORTUITITIES AND HOLD ON TO THEM TIGHT. HE WILL PLAY THIS SEASON FOR SURE AND WHEN HE DOES HE MUST BAT FOR ALL THE GAMES THAT HE MISSED AS A RESULT OF NON SELECTION BY THE SELECTORS. I WILL NOT ASSIST ANYONE TO MAKE KAVEM FEEL THAT HE IS MORE THAN HE REALLY IS I URGE HIM TO RRMAIN HUMBLE AS HE IS AND TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE PLAYERS ON THE TEAM ALSO DESERVE THEIR CHANCES THAT THEY HAVE EARNED SO HE SHOULD KEEP FIT AND READY TO HOLD ON THO THAT PLACE THE DAY THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF. I URGE THE SELECTORS TO REVIEW THEIR SEL;ECTION POLICY AND RECOGNIZE THE TALENT THAT THEY HAVE LEFT ON THE BENCH. ONLY IN THE WINDWARDS ISLAND. I RMEMEBR SEBASTEIN AND ALLEN WOULD PLAY BULTER AND LEAVE MATTHEW OUT THEN WHEN BUTLER WAS THROUGH BOWLING HIS OVERS HE WOULD LEAVE THE FIELD INJURED AND THE SAME MATTHEW WOULD TAKE THE FIELD AS AN EMERGENCY FIELDER. ITS NOT NOW SEBO HAS A HAND TO PLAY IN THE DEMSIE OF MANY TALENTED CRICKTERS. HE TOLD BUTTS THAT SHANE WAS NOT READY FOR TEST CRICKET. THAT I CONSIDER TREASONOUS BUT HE IS STILL WINDWARD MANAGER. WELL IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT THE BILL OF SALE OF DOMINICA’S CRICKET IS ON LORCHART SEBASTEIN’S NAME. SO LETS ALL CHILDREN OF SLAVES SHUT UP AND TAKE WHAT WE GOT. KAVEN SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER RELOCATING TO ANOTHER CARIBBEAN ISLAND OR OTHER CRICKET TERRITORY AND LEAVE DOMINICA FOR THE SEBASTEIN’S. JUST MY THOUGHTS. EH EH.MY OPINION IS MINE OK.
Tell them Tom. There are just a bunch of near-sighted fools. Why is Liam still on that team? He is going nowhere.
dear my tom your forget u all guys are they one who stated it to press young people when they where tryin to do there best in cricket and now u cryin wolf wolf
Agree with you tom 100%.
I endorse your statement/concern.Kavem should definitely be on the side, at a time when our batting is not doing well.
You should have mentioned the name of the SELECTORS, MANY OF UE DO NOT KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
“According to Lafond during the Windward Island’s last match against Jamaica, all of the batsmen failed to perform except Andre Fletcher.”
Andre Fletcher scored 2 and 21 in that match. So I think Tom meant Devon Smith who scored a century in the second innings.
I totally agree. I was also expecting to see Kavem Hodge in the side.
In my view, the team that played against Jamaica only had two batsmen (Devon Smith and Johnson Charles)so Kavem Hodge would add to the strength of the batting which is Windwards major weekness.
Well said Tom, but I am sure you meant to say Devon Smith and not Andre Fletcher.
aybe our passport
Mr. Lafond, please direct your queastions to Sebo and the rest of the Winwards selection committee.
I would hate to think that Mervin Matthew’s fate awaits Kavem. after “pressing” him to the point where he gave up, there was a clamor that he should not have given up. Nothing was said about when they (the selectors)had a chance they did not push him like T&T did for Ramphaul.
Lafond i support your statement, base on what you said about Hodge we can see our selectors have no vision as to where they would like to see windward island cricket in the future. They dont even know why they are vetting young cricketers on the islands.Here you have a young man you push to play the game now he is successful, at the same time they are pressing him down, I mean really? do you not see the people we have managing cricket here are classic clowns who just think cricket in the islands especially dominica is just another thing to do when you are bored.The late PM Rosie Douglas always say where there is no vision the people will perish and that is exactly what has happen to west indies cricket today.
Dominican cricketing governing body let us not just leave this at talk and only disappointment. Take the appropriate action to rectify that deliberate wrong done to one of our most proven and promising talent. Too many in the past have already suffered that fate. That should not and cannot be accepted!
Again, they love you press Dominica down