The West Indies’ poor performances in the recent Test match against Australia highlights just how far the West Indies have fallen over a period of time from their glory days of the 80s.
The West Indies in the 1980s was a team that put fear into the heart of other cricket countries around the world, with names such as Lloyd, Richards, Garner, Lara, Holding, Walsh, Bishop, Gomes, Dujon, Ambrose, Haynes and Greenidge.
But now the West Indies are a complete rabble.
It’s hard to believe that this was the same West Indies team that bowled England out for 51 earlier this year in the Carribean. And that this same England side went on to regain the Ashes.
Well-known West Indies commentators, such as Tony Cozier and Michael Holding, are so fed up with the state of the West Indies cricket team that they couldn’t be bothered coming to Australia to cover the series.
Several factors that led to the West Indies being what they are at:
* The dispute between the WICBC board and the players, which was recently settled, hasn’t helped ther cause.
* The West Indies players taking training in a half-hearted manner, not displaying the commitment that is required to defeat Australia on Australian soil.
* The lack of an AIS-style setup in the Carribean.
* The WICBC taking their eye off the ball during the glory era of the 1980s, believing the good times would be with them forever.
* And something that didn’t rear its head during the times of Lloyd and Richards: Inter-islands rivalry. For example, the Jamaican selector in the West Indies selection committee would always push for Jamaican players to be in the West Indies side. Ditto for the Barbados representatives as well.
How much longer can West Indies cricket go on?
Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.
The Crowd Says (4) | Page 1 of Comments
Have Your Say
Do you have what it takes to become a sports writer? Write for the roar
Cricket articles
- What we do and don’t know about our Baggy Greens (112)
- Success of Twenty20 spells trouble for ODI cricket (106)
- Channel 9 commentators an annoyance this summer (102)
- One Day Cricket is suffering from Middle Child Syndrome (89)
- Cricket Australia must take a stand against racist spectators (89)
- Dave’s Warner-ful switch-hit panned by precious critics (84)
- Khawaja shouldn’t have been Shaun from the Test side (71)
- Clarke stars as Australia beat Sri Lanka
- Australia vs Sri Lanka, Perth ODI: cricket live scores, commentary (197)
- Hall of Fame for Indian legend Gavaskar
- Sri Lanka to target ‘weak’ Aussie bowlers
- India backing Rohit Sharma to find form
- Game-by-game preview of round 19
- Twenty20 cricket not up to the test (6)
- Australia vs Sri Lanka, Perth ODI: cricket live scores, commentary (197)
- Twenty20 cricket not up to the test (6)
- Pakistan’s win over England a triumph of character (21)
- Steve Waugh is right about cricket’s succession plan (5)
- India vs Sri Lanka, Perth ODI: cricket live scores, commentary (180)
- Let’s talk about selection, Test fans (28)
- Pakistan win shows what’s beautiful about the game (13)
sheek said | December 3rd 2009 @ 6:51am | Report comment
Jason,
The inter-island rivalry has always existed. However, in times of sporting prosperity, it was easier to have everyone toe the line for the greater good of all. But of course, when things go sour, the hostilities re-surface.
What’s that saying about triumph having a thousand fathers, but tragedy being an orphan…..
Jason Cave said | December 3rd 2009 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
One other thing I would mention also is that the West Indies selectors used a one day tournament-that’s right, a one-day tournament-in which to pick their squad for the tour of Australia. It seems that someone in the Carribean forgot to tell the selectors that Test matches goes for 5 days, not one. Or were they selecting the squad with the ODI matches in Australia firmly in their minds?
sheek said | December 3rd 2009 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
Jason,
Sadly I think this was a financial decision. The West indies as a body, & the individual islands, are all cash-strapped.
Even in its hey-day, the Windies had one first class comp whereby the islands played each other once, for a total of just 5 games.
Plus a one-day comp also of 5 games. The first class & one-day comps were always held at the same venue to save on costs. The one-dayer either preceeding or following the first class match.
The Windies traditionally would usually tour twice as often as they played at home. While leading players made a bee-line for English counties or (occasionally) Australian states, to augment their income.
Jason Cave said | December 3rd 2009 @ 6:51pm | Report comment
Sheek,
You make a good point re West Indies players playing for English counties. After all, how many games did Andy Roberts play for Antigua in the WI domestic first-class comp in the ’70s & early ’80s, as opposed to his number of games he played for English county Hampshire during his Test career with the West Indies during the halcyon days when the West Indies was the no.1 team in the world?