Here we are, on the eve of another spin on the international cricket merry-go-round. This time Australia stops off in the West Indies. But after an entertaining home summer, why should fans care about facing a team that now gets as little credibility as Bangladesh, Zimbabwe or even Ireland?
It may feel weird to say it, but the Windies still matter to cricket. They have shown, in a historic sense, a terrific knack for bringing an otherwise disparate set of territories together for a common cause.
United in the 1980s under legends like Clive Lloyd and Sir Viv Richards, the West Indies oozed confidence – and induced a decent level of helmet-smacking fear, as well.
Former Australian leg-spinner Stuart MacGill seemed less convinced of the tour’s place in the overall International Cricket Council schedule, which in itself is perfectly reasonable and understandable.
Buried as it is at the end of the local season, MacGill wondered whether the Australia-West Indies contests, primarily for the Frank Worrell Trophy Test series, would induce one giant yawn.
Over 15 years ago it was the exact opposite, of course. Who could forget the sight of Tubby Taylor hoisting the trophy in 1995? It was a victory two decades in the making.
“This was the big one,” MacGill recalled in the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday.
“For most of my life the West Indies had been the team to watch and the team we always tried, and failed, to beat.”
That prestigious series title and feeling about the Windies games has been long overtaken by bouts against South Africa and India, along with the enduring appeal of the Ashes Tests against England and, in their own modest way, the trans-Tasman battles with New Zealand.
MacGill asked whether Australian fans will tell any incredible tales about the 2012 West Indies tour, looming as one of the “most poorly-watched tours in decades.”
Instead, MacGill suggested that everyone involved should just call it for what it may well become – a pre-season training run for the next home series against Sri Lanka, South Africa and – strangely – the West Indies in 2012-13.
I can understand the sentiment there, but I don’t quite agree with the summary.
I have the nagging sense that the West Indies of 2012 will be underestimated at Australia’s peril, much like the Sri Lankans, who got fans talking with some quality World Series performances over the past month.
From the West Indian perspective, though, things are apparently as bleak as MacGill’s view.
The editorial of the Jamaica Observer newspaper on Saturday said the island nations were “hoping for the best against Australia”.
“The frustrating aspect for those of us who continue to follow the on-the-field performances of regional cricketers is that there is wonderful talent available which, if harnessed and properly focused, would present a daunting challenge for any foe,” the paper continued.
A similar tone crept into the editorial piece on March 3 in The Vincentian, the major press outlet of St Vincent and Grenadines, where the tour will open with one-day matches starting Friday.
Despite gaining the favour of the West Indies Cricket Board, with St Vincent’s Arnos Vale Playing Field hosting the first three one-dayers, The Vincentian described the mood as pessimistic. What is needed, it said, is a radical revamp of the West Indian Cricket Board administration.
The Vincentian‘s sports writer Earl Robinson said on the same day that Australia couldn’t take the hosts lightly, but that the Windies will have their work cut-out right from the start.
“Readers will recall that the Netherlands, Bangladesh and Ireland were the only teams West Indies defeated in the last World Cup,” he added. Hardly a statistic that would inspire crowds to attend. Yet they still do – and will.
“On the field, the West Indies cricket team has not been impressive for the past seventeen years,” said Robinson.
“However, the people of the region still continue to rally around the cricketers, which is a good sign. They adore their flannelled knights, win or lose.”
What a delightfully colourful way to describe modern cricket players. Equally delightful are the words that his line references, those of the official Caribbean cricketing anthem.
“Rally round the West Indies, now and forever,” it goes.
Maybe fans could take those same phrases and apply them to encourage continued interest in the tour itself. The Windies, as of the end of last month, sat in seventh spot on the ICC Test rankings, with only the Kiwis and Bangladesh to look down on.
So what?
In the 50-over format, they are barely 20 rating points adrift from Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Holland and Kenya.
Big deal.
They are as little as nine points off joining the Irish in out-running the pursuing Afghanistan in the Twenty20 stakes.
A trifling concern, folks.
Because this is the West Indies. The Brazil of cricket. The capacity for flair never leaves the citizens entirely, though its effectiveness may come and go. And this very tour could be when it – gasp! – comes back. Against Australia.
So, while I will only be able to sample the unique delights of a Caribbean cricket tour from the pages of CricInfo and the ABC radio commentary team, it’s still top-flight stuff. And it’s still a test for a touring side like Australia – as any away series in different conditions always should be.
AndyMack
Guest
Crowded schedule?? Rubbish, the Aussies had the whole morning off after the final ODI before having to board a plane to the Windies. Plenty of time to spend with family, recharge the batteries, get some quality of life etc etc....
Russ
Guest
The downgrading of West Indies tours is the inevitable consequence of tours being organised primarily for financial benefit. When they are strong, they draw the crowds, play long tours, and generate interest; when they are weak, as they have been for a long time now, players and administrators wonder why they bother, tours get down-graded, the fans stay away. If the tour was part of a test championship or qualification process, then there'd be some interest, regardless of competitiveness. As it is, the games are a bit pointless. I think the West Indies will provide a sterner challenge than expected, at home they've done reasonably the last few years. It isn't a tour to get excited about though, which is a problem, just with cricket,not the West Indies.
Ben Carter
Roar Guru
Perhaps the scariest thing about that post was the comma-extended sentence describing MacGill. Why, it almost sounds like it could equally apply in some circumstances to Craig Foster...
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Is Greg Ritchie going? He always livens things up. MacGill is a bit of a character, fiercely patriotic, fiercely pessimisitic, scarily candid and often just scary. Never thought I'd feel sorry for the West Indies but I hope they can make a contest. They certainly have hope as, despite the recent form of the Aussies, the batting line up is still potentially dodgy and the Indians were not much chop as a unit. Edwards, Roach and Rampaul ( dengue fever! ) have plenty of pace, Bishoo can bowl a bit too but they need to bowl well. The batting is probably the bigger question mark. At some point they should give it a red hot go. Actually they've pulled off some big wins at home eg the record run chase and Lawson's big haul. I can barely recall what our blokes do because it's usually crushing. I'm feeling better already. Should be epic.
Ben Carter
Roar Guru
Heh, heh. Believe me, I won't! I'm sure my next post about football, rugby league or the Adelaide Grand Prix In Melbourne (AGPIM) will be roasted in some way instead...
Matt F
Roar Guru
Well you were (over)due Ben ;) Don't let it go to your head!
Ben Carter
Roar Guru
Hi all - gosh, er, people actually agreeing with me on The Roar! Egads! More often than not (particularly for non-cricket topics) I am hit with a volley of "you-have-no-clue-on-what-you're-writing-about" from respondents, so it's a pleasant surprise! Thanks!
Matt F
Roar Guru
We should always tour the WIndies, like we should tour all the Test nations, however it is the tour that has more natural obstacles for Australia then any other. It's very expensive to fly players over there and difficult to get injury replacements over in sufficient time, a point hammered home of late by Inverarity. Also, because of the time difference the matches are played at awful hours for Australian viewers, the Test matches will start at midnight on the east coast, so it is more difficult for most Australian fans to take a real interest in the series. When the WIndies were a powerhouse the Australian public made an effort but, when they're a basket case like they are now, there won't be the same interest as there is in other series. I think that this is what Macgill is trying to say.
jamesb
Guest
looking forward to the west indies tour. Nice to see Watson back in the test side (hopefully), also can't wait to see Darren Bravo play, who many people compare him to Lara. I stil lthink Australia will be strong in the tests, but the windies will give cheek in other forms. The real pity of Windies cricket, is they have struggled for so long, people who are 25 and younger haven't seen or haven't appreciated an understanding of a strong West Indies side.
peeeko
Roar Guru
pretty much agree but the schedule is too crowded which is think was Mcgills main point, and Brazil are still good at football the windies are just average
AndyMack
Guest
Also agree Ben. Can't just stop playing a team as they slide down the rankings. How will that help them rebound. Imagine if the top teams decided to stop touring Oz in the mid to late 80's because they could get more competition playing each other more often. I'm looking forward to it. Saw the Windies a fair bit when they toured India, they looked good in the Tests and think they will prove a handful for the Aussies. Could be a good series.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Every Test series is important (50 and 20 over ramkings are utterly irrelevant to the real thing) and it is not that long ago that Austrralia was looking at joining the West Indies on the scrapheap. Whiole it seems unlikely that the West Indies will bounce back this series, a few months back India looked like favourites on their tour of Australia and look at that result. Even when playing poorlñy, the West Indies are usually entertaining. It is a pity the rift with Gayle appears to be insoluble. He may not be a team player and amazingly inconsistent, but he is also iuncredibly talented - perhaps ahead of Lara in terms of raw talent, but with the worst of all time in terms of dedication and respect for his team.
mactheblack
Guest
Can't agree with you more Ben. Cricket still needs the Windies, like soccer needs Brazil! I think it's denigrating to the heritage that is West Indies cricket, those statements attributed to Stuart MacGill. He should know better than try and write off a tour to the West Indies by Australia. Despite their fall from where they once were on the cricketing stage, the cricket-loving people of the West Indies need the once-powerful Australia outfit over in the Carribean right now. Australia may have post-1980's retained their swagger over the once-mighty West Indies, but with guys like Brian Lara averaging 51.0 against the Aussies in his career (just a bit lower than his career average); guys like MacGill should think before they make statements of the kind. History such as Lara's first century in 1993 (277) against the Aussies in Sydney, 1993 can't be ignored. Who will forget his 213 in Kingston to win the second Test for the Windies. As well as quite a few more in Adelaide etc. Maybe Australia in going to the Windies can give cricket a much-needed shot in the arm at the same time. However, the last thing they'd wanna to do is to be complacent! Lara may not be around on a cricket field anymore, but you can bet your bottom dollar there'll be a few Carribean entertainers on the playing fields in the upcoming series.