West Indies cricket needs to wake up!
We have been asleep for far too long!
And that refers to every one of us, from administrators to players to supporters in the Caribbean.
Our cricket cannot improve unless we can utilise our best players at all times, we do not have a second team and that is a fact.
The dismal but not totally shocking flushing out of the team from the T20 World Cup was not only real but also reflective of the culture of the region.
We as a people, as West Indians blame everyone but ourselves for our failings or our ineptitude.
The 15-member squad that was selected was in some ways our “C” squad, with C meaning different things wherever you are in the Caribbean.
Every team in the World Cup has its best players on it and a lot of them are “best” Test match players as well. This closeted perception that our so-called best white-ball players are not Test cricketers, is the major fallacy in a West Indian premise that foolhardily looks at other cricketing nations that have vast pools of players.
As I stated earlier, the Caribbean Premier League standard has dropped over the last few years as fewer and fewer international quality players are involved, so for Desmond Haynes to use this as a selection tool suggests that his view is not only myopic but perhaps closeted as well.
Many of our leading business persons interact with me on a regular basis on sports and cricket in particular and I will borrow some of their thoughts in my analysis.
“It was predictable from the start that this team would not make it through the qualifier. We were hoping upon hope but my prediction was correct based on what I saw from the preparations and the total lack of commitment from day one.
“I’ve said so over and over. The team was just going through the motions. No commitment, no strategy, no guts or character.
“When I saw the Aussies and England players on the field it was like night and day compared to our team. Nicholas Pooran can’t handle the added responsibility and yes needs to be removed as the captain.
“Brandon King, Alzarri Joseph, Jason Holder and Pooran are possibly the only players capable. As I said, I was not surprised because I have my notes saying the same thing since 4-6 months ago. Now I will sleep well”
And herein lies the facts.
Our two best batsmen in the Caribbean are Darren Bravo and Shai Hope. One is deemed to be out-of-form by the selectors, and the other is not suited to this fast version according to the selectors.
Absolute hogwash and indeed in need of a good “Royal Flush.”
Nobody should need to tell Haynes and company this but I will because clearly, something is clouding their brains and judgement. Quality before quantity so picking players like Johnson Charles and Sharmarh Brooks when their technique has been exposed previously should have been a warning. Of the current batting team, how many of the squad have international centuries at any level (Test, One Dayers and T20)?
The answer to that will explain our consistent batting woes.
Pooran must be hurting but he will need to look into the mirror and realise that this captaincy job has affected his performance both on and off the field and relinquish it now, for his future and for that of West Indies cricket.
Harsh decisions are needed by Cricket West Indies (CWI) in discussions with all involved including but not limited to Jimmy Adams (Director), Roland Holder and Johnny Grave.
The Caribbean would have been pleased (a little) by the words of CWI president Ricky Skerritt.
However, I want to assure stakeholders that a thorough post-mortem will be carried out on all aspects of our World Cup preparation and performance and that solutions will be found in keeping with CWI’s strategy to improve the quality and sustainability of cricket on all fronts, and in all formats.
In terms of the continual poor batsmanship by our players, are we expecting the current coaches to fix batsmen that are clearly broken before they reach this level of cricket, and similarly for our bowlers in terms of delivery? What I expect from our coaches is strategy and analysis and thought process and plans and, in that regard, if the coaches have given their instructions and guidelines and then the players revert to normal, there are only three options.
1 - Remove the players as they are not listening and learning;
2 - Remove the coaches because these are the players you believe in. (Head coach Phil Simmons on Monday decided to step down);
3 - Or remove yourselves because nothing is working and you do not have the capacity for one or two above.
And yes, there are some who will say that we need to get back to basics and while that is perfectly true and must be done now and with purpose and conviction, we have upcoming matches.
I read recently on ESPNcricinfo that well-regarded former Australian captain Ricky Ponting suggested that there are serious fears in Australia that the West Indies while having a good record at home in Test cricket will be embarrassed in the two-Test series later this year. And he is correct, Australia is a different location and I believe it is time to recall our best players for this series, so I expect Darren Bravo and Shai Hope to be on that team joined by Roston Chase, all men with centuries and experience at the highest level which will be vital along with Kraigg Braithwaite, Holder and Kemar Roach.
Cricket in the West Indies has just experienced a “Royal Flush” and while this is not a card game, there is a sense of belief that at the moment whether by intent, purpose, or just dumbness, West Indians’ mental salvation is being gambled on by “Men in Maroon” who could care less.
I really hope and pray that is not true, because there are men like McMillan out there who will forever be depressed by our cricket.