Interested in your opinion on a choice I need to make

I used to be a tidy cricketer. I still believe I am but have not played a serious game in 3 years since..well some of you know what happened to my face.

Anyway, I have been in Trinidad 6 weeks or so and have been doing the usual rounds of getting to know people. I want to play decent cricket while I am here and still capable. I dont want to say anything stupid about reintroducing fast bowling to the Caribbean...but I want to reintroduce fast bowling to the Caribbean

Right now I have 2 choices in front of me. What do you think you would do? and what do you think I should do? The two dont necessarily have to be the same. For reference I will be here 3-4 years. I have been talking to both options and both would like me to be a member of their club.

A) Join Queens Park Cricket Club (QPCC). Play on the international 25 000 seater Queens Park Oval, be in the members section for big games, play with FC and Test cricketers. Membership is about $1000 US a year. It is the traditionally white, establishment club of privilege. If I did that then I would also have to find a separate rugby club but that wouldnt be too much of an issue and the oldest and most established club have asked me to join.



B) Play for a sports club who have been around 60 years. Certainly not poor but do not represent the establishment as QPCC does. I can play both cricket and rugby there and be closer to the real Trinidad rather than privileged Trinidad. Membership would be $100 US a year and we would play on shared, community fields. I have been invited down and had drinks (limed) with them. They are very keen on me playing there and are very nice and generous.

I will be honest, I am torn. I like the prestige of playing for QPCC and it is undoubtedly more interesting but the other club is closer to the real community I am living in and I do try and at least make an effort wherever I live.

If you played for the smaller club, would you get to play away games at the Queens Park Oval against those same FC and Test cricketers? If not, then I suspect you might regret it later in life if you didn't give it a go - even if it was just for one season, and then went to play for the smaller 'real' club (if that's a possible option)

Ah, the old big fish/small pond dilemma. For me, A) but depends on whether you wanna play as high as you can or kick back a bit and enjoy it.

A sounds like it will offer more in the long term, i.e. a period extending 1 season. Choosing B would be fun of course, but the novelty might wear out more quickly than one likes to imagine. If it was only for a short stint, B would have been perfect.

Reading between the lines it seems like your heart says Option A, but guilt is making you consider Option B as well. As honourable as Option B sounds, feeling guilty is never a good reason to do anything. So QPCC.

HDS' suggestion makes a lot of sense.

watson said:

Reading between the lines it seems like your heart says Option A, but guilt is making you consider Option B as well. As honourable as Option B sounds, feeling guilty is never a good reason to do anything. So QPCC.

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That was my take on the situation too..........go with what you really want, not what you think you should do Goughy.

Are the clubs in competition with one another? You could always join QPCC and play for them, given the greater competition and the prestige of the place, while also getting yourself somewhat involved in the local club in a non-playing role.

If you chose Option B, I think you would regret not going for option A much more than if you chose the other way round, ie your regret would not be as great if you turned down the second option. Of course it depends on your financial position but if you can go with A, I like to think I certainly would.

Does the money matter?

I don't like the sound of the phrase "It is the traditionally white, establishment club of privilege."

Lillian Thomson said:

I don't like the sound of the phrase "It is the traditionally white, establishment club of privilege."

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Perhaps I should have used quotes as that was how it was described to me by someone in my first night drinking there.

harsh.ag said:

A sounds like it will offer more in the long term, i.e. a period extending 1 season. Choosing B would be fun of course, but the novelty might wear out more quickly than one likes to imagine. If it was only for a short stint, B would have been perfect.

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I actually think B would offer more long term. A would be fun but B would offer far more rewarding long term friendships,

watson said:

Reading between the lines it seems like your heart says Option A, but guilt is making you consider Option B as well. As honourable as Option B sounds, feeling guilty is never a good reason to do anything. So QPCC.

HDS' suggestion makes a lot of sense.

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It isnt guilt that makes me think B. My genuine concern is that I would have more fun at B, be welcomed more and be part of something special but chose A for superficial reasons.

Dan said:

Are the clubs in competition with one another? You could always join QPCC and play for them, given the greater competition and the prestige of the place, while also getting yourself somewhat involved in the local club in a non-playing role.

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Not quite sure how the comps work at the moment apart from there are 3 of them. 3 day, 40 overs and T20

Woodster said:

If you chose Option B, I think you would regret not going for option A much more than if you chose the other way round, ie your regret would not be as great if you turned down the second option. Of course it depends on your financial position but if you can go with A, I like to think I certainly would.

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I can afford to join QPCC but $1000 is $1000.

After piecing the advice here together, what do you think of this? -- If I can afford QPCC then I can afford the other club as well. Why not be a member at both? I can try a season or two of cricket at QPCC while playing rugby for the other sports club. If I dont like playing at QPCC or if it doesnt work out then I can play at the other club as I still have the relationship with them and while keeping the right to be in the members section at the Oval for international games.

Good solution? Too much of a compromise?

HeathDavisSpeed said:

If you played for the smaller club, would you get to play away games at the Queens Park Oval against those same FC and Test cricketers? If not, then I suspect you might regret it later in life if you didn't give it a go - even if it was just for one season, and then went to play for the smaller 'real' club (if that's a possible option)

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Wise words

fredfertang said:

Wise words

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I think of all the factors in favor of QPCC, playing with FC guys is the least important to me. It isnt that big of a deal at my age and I can probably get that playing in charity games during my time here. Far more important is the stadium, the history, facilities and - at the risk of sounding soft - an air conditioned bar.

Enjoy yourself, low commitment outside of playing, everything sorted for you - Queens Park.
Smaller club probably means bigger investment (esp. combined with rugby, get roped in to more things/responsibility). If you've got the time and the inclination...

Goughy said:

After piecing the advice here together, what do you think of this? -- If I can afford QPCC then I can afford the other club as well. Why not be a member at both? I can try a season or two of cricket at QPCC while playing rugby for the other sports club. If I dont like playing at QPCC or if it doesnt work out then I can play at the other club as I still have the relationship with them and while keeping the right to be in the members section at the Oval for international games.

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This definitely sounds like the best option to me.

I see this contentious thread was unlocked.......

grecian said:

I see this contentious thread was unlocked.......

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Locked? Perhaps Goughy's reputation for trolling has finally been exposed.

Lillian Thomson said:

Locked? Perhaps Goughy's reputation for trolling has finally been exposed.

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Perhaps or maybe a mod made a ****-up and they're trying to keep it quiet, don't mention it to anyone okay

Goughy said:

I used to be a tidy cricketer. I still believe I am but have not played a serious game in 3 years since..well some of you know what happened to my face.

Anyway, I have been in Trinidad 6 weeks or so and have been doing the usual rounds of getting to know people. I want to play decent cricket while I am here and still capable. I dont want to say anything stupid about reintroducing fast bowling to the Caribbean...but I want to reintroduce fast bowling to the Caribbean

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Bugger the false modesty mate. Never mind the Caribbean. Get yourself back over here and reintroduce fast bowling to the English game. At present game you might even get a game for the national side when Jimmy and Broad call it a day.