Shamar Joseph Commits To Financially-Stricken Test Format After Cricket’s Biggest Upset - 4 minutes read
Shamar Joseph ran across the Gabba at a speed that probably rivalled those famous sprinters from the Caribbean. And to do it on a suspected broken toe was even more remarkable.
Joseph had just completed one of the most astounding performances in cricket history after tearing through Australia with a seven-wicket haul in just his second Test match.
West Indies' eight-run win was probably the biggest upset in Test cricket considering this youthful team ended a 21-year losing streak to Australia, who are the No.1 team in the world and hadn't lost a Test match at home in three years.
Bowling at speeds near 150kmh in energy-sapping humidity, as he continued unchanged for 11.5 overs with only the respite of the dinner break, Joseph single-handedly willed West Indies over the line in a result that left legends Brian Lara and Carl Hooper in tears on the broadcast.
Shamar Joseph and Brian Lara celebrate after West Indies' famous victory (Photo by Albert Perez - ... [+] CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)Cricket Australia via Getty Images
His heroic performance was made even more impressive with Joseph having suffered a painful blow to the big toe of his right foot, which bore the brunt of a searing inswinging yorker from quick Mitchell Starc.
Joseph was not expected to be able to take the field, most assumed he had a fracture, but he pushed through the pain and tested his body to the limits. After taking his fifth wicket, Joseph knelt on the ground with head bowed seemingly exhausted but he clearly had not run out of gas.
Few knew Joseph just a couple of weeks ago. Even Kraigg Brathwaite, his captain, had never met him before the tour. But his remarkable backstory has now become part of cricket lore. From the remote Guyanese village of Baracara, which has a population of just 350 people, Joseph had only bowled with fruit and tape-balls until three years ago.
He turned his back on his family's logging business to work as a security guard before a professional cricket career beckoned. After successive five-wicket hauls to start his Test career, Joseph has suddenly vaulted to becoming the hottest player in world cricket.
But that just means the T20 franchise leagues sprouting around the globe will be circling like vultures. The 24-year-old Joseph already has a deal in place in the lucrative ILT20 in the UAE
UAE
and he won't be part of West Indies' white-ball teams having missed selection.
There are fears that a player of Joseph's calibre could be lost to Test cricket given West Indies can't afford to pay their players nearly as much as cashed-up private leagues such as the ILT20.
While West Indies were celebrating a famous Test triumph, and were the toast of the cricket world, first-choice players Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers were playing in overseas leagues. But Joseph might prove the litmus test - pardon the pun - on whether smaller nations in the traditional five-day format can retain star players to its more lucrative and shorter counterpart.
"This is my dream, to play cricket for the West Indies,” Joseph said after the match. "I’m not afraid to say this. I will always be available to play for the West Indies, no matter how much money comes towards me. I will always be here to play Test cricket.”
Joseph's decisive comments earned applause from Lara watching on in the press conference. But in that surreal moment, having etched his name in cricket lore and reignited much-loved West Indies, it was perfectly understandable for a giddy Joseph to be unable to curb his emotions.
Financial realities for Joseph, who has a young family, will likely win out as it does for almost everyone else in society. A lack of Test opportunities for West Indies, who don't play the format again until mid-year, does not help.
Whatever happens, we'll always have that magical day in Brisbane where the bad weather defied the grim forecast and stayed away allowing Shamar Joseph to breathe life into West Indian Test cricket.
Even just fleetingly.
Source: Forbes
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