SOURCE:ESPN CRICINFO: Viv Richards and Carl Hooper have strongly hit back at former West Indies team-mate Brian Lara for “gross misrepresentations” in his book – Lara: The England Chronicles.
In a joint statement released on Sunday, both former West Indies captains have rejected Lara’s “claim” that Richards made Hooper “cry once a week”, describing it as “categorically false”, and asked the latter to “issue a sincere apology for the harm caused.”
“Sir Vivian Richards and Mr. Carl Hooper are deeply disheartened by the gross misrepresentations made about them in Mr. Brian Lara’s recently released book,” the duo said in a statement put out by Hooper.
“The allegations presented not only distort the reality of their relationship but also impugn their characters in an unjust and harmful manner.”
In the book, an extract of which was run recently on ESPNcricinfo, Lara wrote that Richards’ words in the dressing room could “intimidate” players, though he made clear he always had West Indies’ betterment always at heart. “Viv used to make me cry every three weeks, but he would make Carl cry once a week.
Viv’s tone of voice is intimidating and if you’re not strong enough, you can take that personally and be affected by it. Me, I was never really affected by it. In a way I welcomed it, because I was so much under his arm that I knew abuse was coming and I was a strong personality. Carl? I know for a fact that Carl shied away from Viv Richards.”
But Hooper said Richards never caused him any “distress” and always had his back. “The claim that Sir Vivian was aggressive towards Mr. Hooper and made him cry once a week is categorically false. Such descriptions paint Sir Vivian as a perpetrator of emotional abuse — an assertion that is not only baseless but also deeply hurtful to both parties.
“Sir Vivian, as Mr. Hooper’s first captain, has never caused emotional distress to Mr. Hooper. On the contrary, he has always acted as an encouraging mentor and provided unwavering support. Their nearly 40-year relationship has been founded on mutual respect and camaraderie.
The misrepresentation of their interactions in Mr. Lara’s book is a grave disservice to the truth and has caused undue distress to both parties and their families.”
Richards and Hooper have pulled up Lara for “attempting to profit from such deceit”, something they find “inconceivable” considering his stature in global cricket. “We demand that Mr. Lara immediately issues a public retraction of these false claims and offer a sincere apology for the harm caused. It is crucial for the integrity of public discourse and their personal and professional lives that the truth is set right.”
Lara and Richards only appeared in one international match together for West Indies, an ODI at Lord’s on the 1991 tour of England, batting together briefly in a 20-run partnership – Lara laments not getting more time in the middle with him in the book, writing that it was “every young man’s dream is to be waiting in the middle, watching The Greatest walk through the gate and onto the field where I’m standing.”
Lara played much more with Hooper, both leading him as captain and playing under his captaincy.
Lara’s first international match in 1990, an ODI in Karachi, was in a side that included Hooper and Lara also played in what was Hooper’s last international game, against Kenya at the 2003 World Cup. In the book, Lara is fulsome in his praise of Hooper, calling him one of finest talents to have come out of the Caribbean.
“Man, what a player. The ease in which he batted brought out a kind of awe in us, and in all of us, even the senior players. You felt that when Carl went out to bat, they enjoyed it – Haynes, Richards, Greenidge, all these guys would stop what they were doing just to watch him.”
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Maybe if what they’re being accused of took place now, West Indies would play better.
Where is Miriam? She would know the truth……
The honest truth is, nothing in this article shows egregious or even bad faith conduct of Lara. He spoke what he thought he saw and even if he is correct the statements are not defamatory, does not put anyone in a false light, and is not outrageous or far beyond anything a civilized society can tolerate.
There is nothing here for legal actions (causes of action) and nothing at all that impute wrong doing on Sir Viv or Hooper that.
People cry for minor things, that doesn’t mean the reason they cried was abusive. Being stern or precise or frank is not abusive.
I was frank the other day about the ignorance ABLP was doing pertaining to crime but that doesn’t mean the ABLP person had the legal right to threaten my life and my family’s life. Sometimes you must be frank to people you still have high respect for. I completed my law degree because the current AG was someone I admired as a kid, and frankly, I still do but he does things I consider to be ignorant pertaining to crime prevention.
Same thing with some people at the helm of the police, I admire them but I do say things they tend to do or not do is highly outrageous and speak frankly about this.
WHAT THEY THINK ‘SIR VIV IS…? A CATFISH….? LIFT SPIRIT OR KILL SPIRIT
Most interesting developments- ‘…Anthony Smith’ appeared to have made ‘…Sir Viv …QUACK.’
NOW…
Some ‘sport-casters’ might believe that ‘…Sir Viv’ is a ‘…CATFISH.’
Thus, they may have sought to influence him to ‘…Snap’ at: (a) ‘…Baitless hook: (b) …Sinker: and (c) …Line.’
COMPLIMENTARY
Sir Viv, should see the sentiments as ‘…COMPLIMENTARY,’ rather than derogatory.
WHY…?
That is what ‘…CRICKET CAPTAINS AND LEADERS’ do, or shall do in instilling confidence in; (i) ‘…Players: and (ii) …Organizational membership.’
THEY SHALL:
(i) ‘…Make some ‘CRY: (ii) …Some ..Sigh: (iii) Some do or ‘DIE: (iv) …Some Hop: and (iv) …Some ‘…Snap.’
They either ‘…LIFT SPIRIT’ or …KILL SPIRIT.’ This might be asked of ‘…Jamale Pringle.’
That has always been part and parcel of ‘…Team and Organizational Leadership.’
MOVIE- ‘…FULL METAL JACKET.’
Watch black actor- ‘…Louis Gossett Jr. Though a directed movie, there was even a ‘…Vicious Fight’ in a hangar.
TALK GOOD AND WALK GOOD.
My friend Sir Viv. Rise above it. It makes no sense getting into a fight of words with Brian. He is Trinidad’s ‘National Hero’. You are Antigua and Barbuda’s National Hero. You are better then him in many ways. And by the way you could be his father. So leave the young man to write whatever he wants. As long as he doesn’t defame your name. Then you can put a Lawsuit in his backside. And make him pay.
If what Lara say did not happen.Then,it would be a darn lie.That is the bottom line.I do believed he did it to get the book sold and he would be making more $$$$$$.Oh,for the love of money.A man would sell his soul for crumbs from the table.
@Wharf Rat
Stop talking about ANTHONY SMITH please….
He probably makes Gaston Browne cry three times a day when he considers one can have the level of principle and mettle that Sir Viv has, that he can never ever achieve.
Sir Lara was by far a better batsman than Sir Richards. The records speak to that. As far this talk about him not ever reaching Viv’s level ,don’t know what that’s about because that’s not always a good thing.😄😄.I’m a bajan and has been following cricket for over 50 years and the rumors about Viv’s behavior have always been circulated throughout the West Indies. Whether the impact was negative or positive that’s debatable.
Knowing what we and the world about Sir. Viv, I suspect Lara stretched the facts a bit.
Sir Viv was a fierce competitor, as evidenced by him facing the likes of Lilee,Thompson,Pasco and Hadley and at times destroying them,during the 20 years of West Indies dominance of cricket. His passion was probably mistaken for untoward aggression.This man is a legend worldover. If he says Laura stretched the truth I believe him. Carl Hooper, an eye witness, agrees. That’s enough for me. Let’s see how Lara’s book do with his stretch. Nothing tarnishes the image of this man, Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards.
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