If the epitome of good teamwork is found in the human body, its antithesis, selfishness and arrogance, is found in the cancer. The common goal of the human body is to grow, perform well, stay healthy and reproduce itself. Its many cells, organs and systems perform highly specialised functions that are well coordinated and strongly focused on the achievement of the common goal. Good internal communication and close monitoring and stabilisation of the body's activities enhance that process. The cancer is not interested in the health or well-being of the body. It is committed only to its own growth, power and control.
Not satisfied with its local growth and empowerment, it spreads aggressively and uncompromisingly to other parts of the body, disrupting function and performance in the process. But in achieving its selfish goals, the cancer destroys and eventually kills the body. And in the end, it kills itself because it cannot live in a dead body. Observing the behaviour of the board and players in the last few years one might very well ask if there is a cancer in West Indies cricket.
Escalating conflict and extreme hostility have trapped these stakeholders in a fight mode of thinking and behaviour that is preventing them from viewing the full picture and from listening to or seeing each other's point of view.
Like the cancer, selfish and greedy motives have become their first important priorities. As a result, good performance and the growth and well-being of West Indies cricket have been displaced way down their list of important priorities. In adversarial situations, participants often believe that by proving their opponents wrong, they automatically prove themselves right.
The ongoing attempts to score points in the constant back and forth between the WICB and Wipa in the press and other fora during the last few months illustrate that point. But this is a nonsensical approach because in the handling of this contentious situation both sides might very well be wrong!
If this fight mode continues there will eventually be a winner and a loser. But like the cancer, the winner might also be the loser. I trust that common sense will prevail and as the late Errol Barrow would say, "I hope that both sides come to Christian understanding." There is more at stake here than just cricket.
The board and players must now ask and answer three very important questions. First, what are the first important priorities of West Indies cricket? Second, in what order should they be placed? And third, how must we tailor our energies, resources and strategies to fit those priorities? Furthermore, they must place their "us" values above their "me" values.
