Changes badly needed
By Colin Croft
Some philosopher, I cannot recall whom, actually suggested, some time in the past, that "the present is already past, so let us concentrate on the future. The future, perhaps, could enhance our present so that we do not repeat the past."So let it be with the senior West Indies cricket team. How the required changes to personnel, effectiveness, effort and the recent results will change things for the West Indies in the immediate future will be interesting to note. Viv Richards, the West Indies present coach, but one not assured of a continuing assignment, was visibly angry at the end of the third One Day International game at Napier. The West Indies only managed 159 in their 50 overs, the result of a combination of tremendously bad batting and great bowling and fielding by New Zealand. One has to wonder if these admonitions from the coach, perhaps from the captain and even the manager, could be getting through to the West Indian players. One gets the impression that the players are perhaps hearing the voices but not altogether listening to the instructions. Nothing has become better, not even marginally so. The fourth game at the new WestPac Stadium, is a game in point. Though the pattern being carried out by the West Indies has not changed. Despite one of the better starts in the one day games here in New Zealand, the West Indies still stuttered to less than 175 in their 50 overs. Though the pitch itself could take a bit of criticism for not being altogether ready for one day cricket, again it was left to the West Indian fast bowlers to bring some parity to the proceedings. None of the West Indian batsmen seemed to be able to come to terms with the conditions, though their innings was interrupted somewhat. Incidentally, the way Reon King and Merv Dillon are bowling, they, hopefully, have convinced the supposedly knowledgeable people who select West Indian cricket teams that these two are the best fast bowlers in the West Indies paddock these days. I will not take too much credit for this suggestion, but I did mention it about twelve months ago that these two were the best that can be had by the West Indies. Nobody listened then and I am almost sure that no-one will listen now because nobody seems to care. The West Indies have now lost both the Test and one day series to New Zealand, similar to the caning of twelve months ago when they lost both series to South Africa. Hopefully, some things will change for West Indian cricket because of this. Hopefully, as was remarked by Brian Lara, the supposedly knowledgeable people involved in West Indian cricket would recognize that West Indian cricket is now so far behind that of the rest of the world's cricket teams that perhaps, only perhaps, the foolish pride, without substance, still exhibited by those in authority would be removed and be replaced by proper plans and implementation. As a passing comment, I wonder what odds one would have gotten at the start of this New Zealand summer for a 2-0 Test win and a 5-0 One Day International win for New Zealand. If I were a betting man, and had put a small wager on that situation becoming a reality, I may have been able to buy one of those yachts in the America's Cup. West Indian cricket authorities are simply too steeped in history. The game has moved on, tremendously, but the minds and thoughts of the West Indian authorities still seem to be in the 70's and 80's. One could only hope, but I would not suggest holding one's breath in expectation. Knowing West Indies cricket as I have experienced it over the last six years or so, anyone holding their collective breaths, hoping for a change in the approach of, and attitude to, West Indian cricket, to trying to change things around could, probably would, die of self-induced hypoxia; a lack of oxygen. The West Indies cricket entity is the only world renowned entity which still does not have a fully regulated coaching system. Indeed, some of the individual coaches for respective countries in the first class game in the Caribbean have openly complained and suggested that there is no conformity nor continuity to whatever feeble attempts are made to implement anything. This is as ridiculous as it could get. As stated by Brian Lara, West Indian cricket certainly has many more problems than are obvious from the continued failure on the cricket field. Now that New Zealand are 4-0 up in the one day series, one only have to wonder if the "White Wash" would be on. In the meantime, much work is needed, and expected, by all involved in West Indian cricket. Brian Lara's report from this tour will take on immense proportions, since both Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards are on temporary contracts. Let us all hope, West Indian supporters and the rest alike, that Lara's final report, and maybe requests, could be used very constructively for an improvement in the immediate future. A change is needed badly.
|