Keeth Arthurton, M.B.E.

Keeth L. T. Arthurton was honoured with the Member of the British Empire (M.B.E) Award in 1996. He played in 33 test matches and over 100 one day matches whilst a part of the West Indies Cricket Team. He is considered as one of the Worlds Greatest Fieldsman and is one of the best all round players. He held the record for the highest individual score for regional One Day Cricket Tournament and has set many other records. Arthurton has successfully captained the Nevis Cricket Team, the Leeward Islands Cricket Team and has trained many junior cricketers at home and abroad.

Caribbean Vybes got more in-depth with this charismatic, humble, and celebrated icon- a coach, extraordinaire.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Jessups in Nevis.

How were you introduced to cricket?

I grew up playing in the street. It is a God given talent. The person who inspired me was my Mom, Eileen Arthurton who had always been there. She always told me, Every disappointment is for a good. It is going to work out. I used to eat and sleep cricket. I was very tiny between big guys. They used to come and bowl me hard. I was inspired by persons such as Patrick Williams. I kept advancing between them.

When did you make it to the West Indies team?

I made the West Indies team in 1988 and played until 1999.

Were you surprise when you were picked? How did it happen?

No, I wasn’t surprise. After I made 3 centuries everyone kept saying that I would be picked for the West Indies Team. I went to St. Maarten to visit some friends, and someone told me an individual urgently wanted to see me. When I came out of the terminal, she said, Good news! You’ve been selected to go to England, and to play in the last game against Pakistan in Barbados. Though I was not showing it, inside I was filled with joy. I went to Barbados for the final Test. I did not play for the game.

What is one favourable memory?

One favourable memory is when I played my 1st Test in Brisbane Australia and made 157 not out.

Who are some of the homegrown cricketers you played with?

I played with Elquemedo Willett, Stuart Williams, Vance Amory, Derrick Parry and many more.

Out of everyone you played against who impacted you in a special way?

Viv Richards. He instilled toughness in me. Desmond Haynes has always been there for me. I also want to make special mention of Denzil Parris, groundsman/park keeper who is from Nevis. He is trustworthy and has always been there to help me. He used to make sure the pitch was prepared and would throw the ball for me to bat. He used to run all over the park to retrieve the balls.

What are your views on Nevis performance in the 20/20 Tournament?

We played well up to that point. For our batting, we lived up to our expectation. It was an all round good performance. The game against Trinidad was crucial. We dropped vital catches. We should have batted first. Whenever you are playing whatever works you should stick to it and it was a crucial error to put Trinidad to bat first. The condition was perfect to bat first for with artificial lighting it is difficult to cope at times.

Who were you rooting for after Nevis was no longer in the finals?

I have a close connection to Trinidad, and I thought Trinidad had it but in the last four overs, Guyana came back and won the game. I give Guyana a lot of credit: 48 runs off 24 balls. It is almost impossible but they turned it around and they deserved to win as they played well. The 20/20 Tournament was the best I’ve ever seen cricket in the sense of atmosphere created. It was high class. It was the best.

Tell me more about your cricket centre. What is the entry level and what time is it open?

The entry level starts from 6 to 13 years, and it is held every Saturday from 9 a.m. -12:30 p.m.

How long ago have you had this centre? What inspired you to do this? Tell us more about your vision.

This Keeth Arthurton Cricket Centre started 5 years ago in my drive way and yard but the cricket centre was established at its new location 3 years ago. I always wanted to put back my service into the community. I did not want a mediocre venue. It was just an empty plot of land. I used to be here until after eight going through the cleaning up process. I invested heavily into the cricket centre, built walls and a bathroom, planted the grass amongst other things. The vision came while I was still playing. Though I had stopped playing from the West Indies Team, I was playing in Trinidad. Six months out of the year I played in Trinidad and the other half had spare time. I wanted to do development work and sort to establish an alternative venue to Warner Park. I was always looking at the bigger picture. My aim was not to provide any conflict with the Carib Brewery Len Harris Cricket Academy but to complement it. It opens during the week at afternoons for persons under 21 years. I wanted to ensure that persons are qualified for the Carib Brewery Len Harris Cricket Academy and that is where the Keith Arthurton Cricket Centre facilitates this process.

Is there a difference with how cricket was played then to how it is played now?

The passion is not there anymore. The love for the game is not there anymore. The legacy has been made, and it is expected to continue. I don’t see the commitment but the talent of our youngsters will always live on once we get our guys to dedicate.

How do you feel about the West Indies Team?

I am optimistic about the West Indies team regardless. Sometimes people rule you out. West Indies has a very good chance. If you check West Indies history, we always play well at home rather than overseas. We have to play well and be consistent.

How do you feel about the captaincy of the West Indies Team?

Brian Lara is the best person for the job right now as we need someone with experience. He should lead the team up to World Cup but after the World Cup there is a need to start looking for someone else.

What are your views on the Federation hosting World Cup?

It is a tremendous achievement for the Federation to host teams like Australia and South Africa. Thumbs up to persons who made the decision like Charles Wilkin. It will be great for the country and for the development of cricket in the region.

Are there any parting words?

I encourage everyone to do whatever you do to the best of your ability. People with mediocre results are those who put limitations on themselves. There will be obstacles, but God is here to make the difference. I have a 10 year plan and it is not an if, but or maybe I will produce West Indies cricketers.

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There are certain places where sanctity is felt such as a church or a room in house, but it is a revelation in itself when one is filled with peace and there is an intuition that the ground one stands on is blessed. The ground I am referring to is the Keith Arthurton Cricket Centre. I stood in the bleachers looking at close to thirty children practising their batting, their bowling, and everything else associated with cricket. These were members of the West Indies team in the making.

From the corner of my eye, my attention was drawn to a little boy that sat about three feet away from me but what made me stare is that his poise was not of a boy just looking on but the stare was that of a trained eye as it calculated the runs needed to make, the standard of the pitch, the location of everyone down to the temperature. I felt it in my heart of heart that this little boy was a legend in the making. It was not the size but the big destiny of this lad. I later found out that he was the youngest in the group. It was not only him but for each one that played anyone looking on could see potential, practiced skills and discipline.

And the dream. Each boy had a dream, a clear vision of where he saw himself.

Sometimes dreams are innate. Sometimes a person can be so far fetched with a dream that everyone knows it is something God placed inside you. Often times it is that someone inspired you so much so that your mustard seed of a dream takes on a gigantic portion of its own. That person, who I admit has instilled many a dream in our young people’s heart is Keith Arthurton, former West Indies Player. This observation is not based on what I’ve been told, what I’ve overheard or what I hope. This observation is based on a revelation that we at Caribbean Vybes already know- without a doubt, Keeth L. T. Arthurton M.B.E will produce the best West Indies Cricketers.