A cricket solution

The criticisms come from far and wide, from all sectors of society, from prime ministers to the man in the street, what is wrong with West Indies cricket? Why haven’t we been able to stem the decline, it’s happening right in front our very eyes. Whitewash in our own backyard must be the final straw.

Here is another humble opinion of our demise with hopefully some insight to the way back. Cricket the sport, in terms of strategy, how it was played and coached, changed little, for decades, up until the 1980s. Two things changed cricket forever, Kerry Packer and technology. Kerry Packer’s intervention in the late ’70s transformed cricket into a truly professional international sport. Prior to this, cricket meandered in the stagnant world of amateurism. Once this happened, ‘‘real’’ money poured into cricket and its development. The relative simultaneous advent of technology coupled with big money changed the game forever. Money and strategy, not talent alone, became the true levellers.

The West Indies team of the 1980s arguably the most talented team in cricket history, whose talents were honed in the ‘‘relatively’’ professional English country cricket scene, sealed the legacy upon which we still cling.

After years of humiliating defeats at the hands of the once mighty West Indians, Australia picked up the pieces and figured out a way back to the top. They transformed the game of cricket from merely a sport into cricket the science. The way the game is played changed forever, cricket the sport has evolved. The preparation, development and strategy involved in playing cricket at the highest level will never be the same. New Zealand developed the initial cricket scientific programmes, Australia perfected it, South Africa restarted international cricket with it and England finally adopted it. We have been left in their dust. Even the other Test playing nations (India, Sri Lanka and lately Pakistan) have begun adopting the philosophy of change.

In the West Indies several factors delayed us even realising what was taking place, or accepting that our aura of invincibility had been penetrated. Firstly, most importantly, the legacy itself. After the success of the teams under Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards, we developed a false sense of security that we could never lose, no matter what. As a result the authorities that administer the game in the region were slow to react to the first signs of decline, a home series defeat to the strengthening Australians in 1995. This was considered a mere hiccup, not the beginning of the end. Secondly, perhaps equally as important, a lack of funds to pump into youth cricket development proactively in the relatively complex West Indian cricket structure. West Indies cricket unlike any other cricket playing ‘nation’ comes under the auspices of many regional bodies, each of which exists in separate countries under separate governments each having their own agenda. In such a structure the tides of change are complex and slow, thus there is some sympathy for the WICB. Other factors that contributed to the delay in change and our demise include the Lara factor and a dearth in the bowling talent department. Lara’s personal triumphs further reinforced our reliance on legacy, but how can you blame someone for being a genius? Also since the retirement of Ambrose and Walsh, no world class bowling talent has come to the fore. This has been the longest barren spell of the lack of a quality strike bowler since the early ’70s, again further accelerating our demise.

Many other factors, well-documented, have simultaneously contributed to the decline. A strain on the available talent pool from other more lucrative sports, a breakdown in general discipline in West Indian society. However, despite all the negatives, there is no denying the current talent available, the Gayles, Sarwans and Bravos of West Indian cricket. So where do we go from here to re-attain the lofty heights achieved in the ’50s, ’60s and the ’80s?

Will we ever be a force to be reckoned with again? We must or one of the most important aspects of West Indian existence will be lost forever. No longer can we accept Bob Marley’s mantra, ‘‘don’t worry about a thing, everything’s gonna be alright,’’ something has to be done.

We must adopt the model created by Cricket Australia, while corporate West Indies must put money into structured cricket development in the region. The WICB needs to fine-tune its accountability and take substantive steps in getting West Indies cricket back to the top along a carefully, all encompassing plan based on this model adapted to West Indian needs. We the public must accept it may take five to ten years to produce the desired goals. Whatever the time- frame, giving that we start now, the end result will be better prepared (physically and mentally) well-rounded and educated cricketers possessing all the tools to play the game competitively at the highest level. Thus restoring dented West Indian pride, salvaging the hopes and aspirations of a region. Giving world cricket what it needs, a competitive West Indian cricket team. This is all we ask.