West Indies cricket – a deeper societal issue

No matter how much one feigns oblivion or pretends to be callous about the happenings in West Indies cricket, it is almost inevitable that at some point, attention must be cast in its direction.

The recent upheaval, attracting the views of many, is the decision by the West Indies Cricket Board selectors to axe Dwayne Bravo as captain and a member of the One Day International team, and also Kieron Pollard.{{more}}

Immediately, one would point to a case of victimization, as they were the lead singer and choir master respectively, who reportedly effected the return of the team from India in October.

Whilst many expected some punitive action to be taken against the players for bringing some measure of shame to the sport and the Caribbean region, it was never envisaged that with all parties concerned having sworn to bury the hatchet, that the two would have been booted.

One would have thought that with things being carried before a commission and the findings apparently fleshed out, then things would have worked their way back slowly to some semblance of normalcy.

But, there lies the underlying and iniquitous conduct of betrayal which seems to be an innate trait of people, inclusive of our leaders of various spheres of our moral, professional and intellectual landscape.

We, as a Caribbean people, are demonstrating to the world that we are as apart as the waters which divide us, but more so, we are as divisive as the lines of demarcation which separate each island space.

As is the case with cricket, we have experienced attempts at regional cooperation and integration derailed by similar acts of spite and revenge.

So, it is now no better the beef, no better the barrel, to which our political leaders can also attest.

Cricket is no longer a gentleman’s sport, as it was one labelled; hence a carousel of conflict and confusion are now symptomatic of greater societal issues, which have become a staple of Caribbean life.

And, for the worse, we have embraced the ingredients, gulped them as our daily diet for sustenance.

But this has not only led to our self-destruction as a people, but the sport, which once gave us a world power status of command, such that we were the envy of many.

Now, we have taken on the full garb of bacchanalia with regal splendour.

Consequentially, our cricket is going nowhere on the field, while off the field, it is a news breaker, and the subject of a debate of cantankerous flavour in diverse sections of the media.

International commentators are feasting on the drama serial being provided them by our cricketers, administrators and politicians.

Controversy has always been and will always be part of the existence of humans and West Indies cricket is no stranger to such. But paramount is how the fallouts, the misunderstandings and the like are treated and things move on.

But letting go and solving our problems without that respite, malice and injurious repercussions.

It is no wonder that players themselves cannot put together batting and bowling partnerships on the field of play.

So, as the West Indies permanently languish at the foot of both the test and One Day tables, the same is with the administration of West Indies cricket.

Shouting across the waters with acrimony and gusto at every instance of discord is now the hallmark of West Indian prowess, a substitution for reasoning, maturity and good nature.

Returning to the times of brotherhood, kinship and oneness as a people should be the road that should be traversed, in order to get our cricket to some sort of stability soonest.

This, however, may be far-fetched, the same way it is for the West Indies to once again become world beaters and world champions.

A Blessed 2015 to all !!!