Are West Indies comfortable losing?

Editor: West Indies cricket team continues to be a talking point. The dismal performance of the West Indies cricket is not anything new. As a matter of fact it has been going on for years that we are accustomed to losing games. Maybe it has spilled over into the player’s performances that losing is comfortable to them and is now part of the culture.

Times have changed and this is the age of technology where everything is documented. So all players are exposed for their strengths and weaknesses can be seen. Therefore teams are able to look at players and analyze them. Likewise players can individually along with their coaches look at their weaknesses with the aim of correcting it. I wonder however, how much our coaches and players use technology to their advantage to improve their own performances and work on the weaknesses of their opponents.

In any sports when a team constantly loses, the coach and sometimes captains are sacked. It is time for a critical analysis of the West Indies cricket team. We need to look at the coaches and captains and make the necessary changes which may involve the sacking of both head coach and captain.

We have heard the Head coach saying that the failure of the batsmen is not technical but rather unable to assess the situation and play accordingly. However, I beg to differ. A closer look at our batsmen would reveal many technical flaws. Very few of our batsmen use their feet regularly and are able to get to the pitch of the ball. This has caused most of our batsmen to get out easily to spinners. Our regional first class games speak to this fact, for our spinners are the most successful of bowlers, but when those same spinners are played internationally they are far from effective. It shows a lack of technique amongst our batsmen.

Let us face it; our standard of cricket in the Caribbean has fallen. There are many bowlers who will reap ton loads of wickers at regional level but struggle to gain wickets internationally. Similar sentiments can be expressed of our batsmen who sometimes dominate the regional games but get out quite easily when placed in the bigger games internationally. It is there that their lack of technique and skills along with cricket brain is exposed.

Besides the coaches it is also in the interest of individual players to use technology and look at former players, both batsmen and bowlers and see how they bat and bowl. They can learn if they are willing to and are dedicated. As a result their individual games will improve. More can be said of our game, but I will end but asking, where is our batsman SUNIL AMBRIS? The regional game is in progress and nothing is said about him. Maybe there is something we don’t need to know.

My hope is that once again our cricket will rise and we will become a fearsome team. Let us nevertheless rally round the West Indies.

Kennard King