Parreira is a radio legend in the Caribbean for his inimitable cricket commentary and has decades of experience in following the fortunes of the West Indian game as a journalist. He has one of the clearest cricketing minds and is a stern critic of the present day West Indies, something that doesn't necessarily endear him to the establishment.

But it is the hospitable and gracefully accommodating nature of this calm elderly gentleman that separates him from others.

We met him by chance in transit at the airport in Barbados on way to St Vincent during the first leg of the tour. Apart from giving us all the addresses to contact in St Vincent so that we don't face any problem there, he assured us that once we land in St Lucia, he would take care of everything.

So there he was waiting with his SUV at the George Charles Airport. We had already been informed by a local tourism department official that our rooms have been booked at a hotel not too far away from the Beausejour ground. Parreira was also taking the trouble of driving the journalists to the venue, to the supermarkets and stores and food joints.

We heard he was the man instrumental in erecting the billboard with former Australian Test batsman and cricket commentator David Hookes' face in the middle beside the road overlooking the stadium. It's a tri-bute to a late friend who had commentated from the thatched temporary shacks just above the board when Australia last came here. That's Parreira, a friend always.

BARMY TIGERS COMING!
You hear about the Barmy Army and the band of Indian cricket fanatics who trot the globe following their teams. Perhaps, in not too distant future you'll see the Tigers supporters in numbers at matches around the world.

As the Caribbean is not a hub of Bangladeshi nationals unlike some other places in the world, it's quite a pleasant surprise coming across your countrymen here.

But some really hard-core patriots have made the trip to watch the Tigers in action.

In St Vincent it was Bashar who had flown in from the USA to cheer Bangladesh. He is the moderator of the fansite banglacricket.com. Here, we met Ohid Nascer, editor of CricBd.com and Shamim Hassan, both from Delaware in the US.

"We feel the urge to do something for Bangladesh cricket. It's not easy for us to do that if we don't get your support and feedback. It's about time we stood up against the conspiracy of making a three-tier system in international cricket. We want to create awareness," said Nascer while taking dinner at the nondescript Triangle Pub, which has become a must-visit for the cricketers of both teams for its tasty dishes.

Shamim wanted to go to Jamaica for the second Test too but that could mean trouble at the home front.

"I don't think my wife would be pleased if I travel to Jamaica. She is already upset that I've come here without her. I have to risk a total ban on cricket if I go to the second Test."