Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
True to form for West Indies
On Target
July 12, 2019

True to form for West Indies

One is wondering why there are the many lamentations across the Caribbean, especially, at the West Indies’ exit from the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, which ends this Sunday in England.

The news of West Indies not reaching the semi-finals has been met with some harsh criticisms, but it is unfair to expect more of the bunch of players who were selected to carry the fight.

This column, in a previous exposition just prior to the start of the World Cup, cautioned of not hanging expectations high of the West Indies team.

To refresh readers, it was quoted in the May 24 edition of On Target: “this column holds the view that the West Indies have little chance of notching up enough wins for them to make a challenge for the title”.

As it panned out, West Indies won two matches; the first and the last versus Pakistan and Afghanistan, respectively.

Additionally, the West Indies lost six matches, and one had a no result.

Many will want to argue that in at least three of the matches, namely versus Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, the West Indies were in relatively safe positions, but lost out to these opponents.

Conversely, when they faced the likes of Bangladesh, England and India, the West Indies were blown away with relative ease.

But to put the World Cup in proper perspective, it was the worst for the West Indies, in terms of the number of matches won.

The West Indies have never won so few matches in their previous eleven outings at the ICC World Cup.

Did anyone really expect better when we had to play qualifiers for a final spot, rather than earn a place by the team’s mere rankings?

Having got to the final, via the qualification route, how could the regional side have expected to advance when our top batsmen could not put together consistent scores?

Nicholas Pooran’s 367 runs stood above and beyond. The next bests were Shai Hope’s 274 and Shimron Hetmyer’s 257.

On the bowlers’ side, Sheldon Cottrell scalped 12 wickets at the cost of 32.66 runs apiece; Carlos Braithwaite and Oshane Thomas at 35.88 and 42.22 runs each, respectively.

These bowling statistics are a country mile away from the top performers, whose average wickets came under 25 runs each.

Critically, when the West Indies batted first, only twice have they been able to score in excess of 300 runs. The other innings total over 300 was in their unsuccessful chase versus Sri Lanka.

This simply exemplifies the current state of West Indies cricket, as there are so many fundamentals both in the players and the setup of the regional game that will not produce better results.

However, the stand-out short coming of the team on show in England, was their cerebral impotence.

This assessment was as a result of the many instances when they were called on to show their mental mettle and knowledge of the sport, and on each occasion, they came up short.

It was quite noticeable that our players lacked the tact of reading the match and applying what was necessary in a game situation.

They were slaves to a script, which proved their inability to think on their feet.

Our bowlers especially were the guilty ones, as they, after using the short ball and was successful against Pakistan in their first match, made that their blueprint for the rest of the tournament.

Unfortunately, in international cricket and sports in general, the science takes over in these instances, but in the case of the West Indies, they are some years behind.

The assessment is, the West Indies team that represented us in the ICC World Cup, and other representative teams, for the last two decades, are simply the microcosms of the current psycho–social make-up of our collective Caribbean societies.

The ill-discipline that pervades our Caribbean at the moment, transcends into the way cricket is played.

It is not gainsaying that the cavalier ways of life of the Caribbean are innate, as everyone seems to want that hero status tagged on to them.

Hence what manifested at the various venues in England for the past four and half weeks, are in keeping with what the region lives each day.

And, true to form, when things go awry, the blame game is rolled out with consummate ease.

So the West Indies are back to square one at the end of a global 50-over tournament.

The West Indies are ranked ninth in the world in ODIs and placed ninth in the tournament.

Again, the team performed to their ranking.

No quick fix will work, if the West Indies are to be a force to reckon with in the next four years, when the ICC World Cup comes around again.

Planning had to have begun since yesterday, as the West Indies are light years behind in the ODI format.

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Domestic worker killed at Long Wall
    Front Page
    Domestic worker killed at Long Wall
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    FAMILY MEMBERS of a woman who was killed at Long Wall say they suspect their relative was hacked by a person they all know very well. On Tuesday, Sept...
    NDP never built a single house in SVG – Finance Minister
    Front Page
    NDP never built a single house in SVG – Finance Minister
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    THE IDEA THAT HOUSING is a right, that every Vincentian has a right to safe and secure housing, and that the government has a role to play in ensuring...
    No bail for Police officer charged with attempted murder
    Front Page
    No bail for Police officer charged with attempted murder
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    A POLICE OFFICER, who allegedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend 26 times about her body was remanded even as his lawyer argued that the Royal St Vincent and...
    New ULP Administration will roll out AI policy
    Front Page
    New ULP Administration will roll out AI policy
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    A NEW UNITY LABOUR PARTY ADMINISTRATION will be rolling out an Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy to embrace its positives and guard against the nega...
    Sandy Bay Secondary School marks 20th Anniversary
    Front Page
    Sandy Bay Secondary School marks 20th Anniversary
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 9,2025 was a memorable day for the staff and students of the Sandy Bay Secondary School, which was marking its 20th anniversary wi...
    Foundation implements community driven project in SVG
    News
    Foundation implements community driven project in SVG
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    THE ASHLEY LASHLEY Foundation, with support from the United States Government, is implementing a local-level project entitled “Community-Driven Strate...
    News
    Foundation implements community driven project in SVG
    News
    Foundation implements community driven project in SVG
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    THE ASHLEY LASHLEY Foundation, with support from the United States Government, is implementing a local-level project entitled “Community-Driven Strate...
    Skills not available locally, non-nationals have to be hired says Finance Minister
    News
    Skills not available locally, non-nationals have to be hired says Finance Minister
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    NON- NATIONALS ARE being hired to fill several jobs in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) simply because locals did not have the required skill sets....
    Montgomery Daniel squashes rumours that he’s sick
    News
    Montgomery Daniel squashes rumours that he’s sick
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER Montgomery Daniel has sought to clear around rumours that have been circulating relating to his health. Speaking on NBC radio on...
    $1.3 billion in Tourism investment to yield 2,000 jobs – Camillo
    News
    $1.3 billion in Tourism investment to yield 2,000 jobs – Camillo
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    The GOVERNMENT of St Vincent and the Grenadines is set to sign agreements for tourism investment of $1.3 billion on mainland St.Vincent. On Monday, Se...
    Bagga’ man pleads guilty to illegal gun, ammo possession
    From the Courts, News
    Bagga’ man pleads guilty to illegal gun, ammo possession
    Webmaster 
    September 12, 2025
    A BARROUALLIE MAN will be sentenced next week after pleading guilty to being in illegal possession of a firearm and eight rounds of ammunition. Demron...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok