Nothing to be proud of

The West Indies Cricket Team came to the Arnos Vale Playing Field this Wednesday and once again flattered only to deceive.

Many Vincentians had flocked to the ground with hopes held high for a win by the team some critics have been tempted to dub the Worst Indies. But the Vincy cricket fan turned out in their numbers anyway, bouyed by the now popular belief that the West Indies team does not lose in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.{{more}}

But lose they did, once again. And the lay experts and cricketing pundits will begin once again analysing to death the reasons for the West Indies players continued poor performance.

But we want to point to just one element that must be thrown into the pot and ask, who is really responsible for West Indies players? And who must we haul over the coals when there is indiscipline shown by these players?

Whoever these people are must be called to account and explain why some of our West Indies team members were seen hanging out at Heritage Square in Kingstown Tuesday night, just hours away

from Wednesday’s first One-Day International against Pakistan. At a time when West Indies cricket is at its lowest ebb, its players continue to ignore the significance and importance of this wonderful game to the people of this region.

We are willing to give that maybe these errant members of the squad may not have known that the public function they were patronizing was staged to protest Carib Beer being granted “pouring rights” for Wednesday’s match.

West Indies players were seen milling around with the crowd well after 9 p.m.

How can one be totally prepared and remain game-ready in such circumstances? One must question just what kind of commitment do these players have for this game. Small wonder there seems to be little attempt by them to end West Indies’ losing streak whatsoever.

We have heard so many stories of players feting late just prior to matches, players simply ignoring directives from people in authority and WIBC questioning disciplinary action meted out to players as was expressed by Sir Viv Richards a few days ago. We read of the scathing attack by former Vice-Captain Ridley Jacobs on the former “Skipper” of the West Indies team. We have also heard management trying to find excuses for players, coaches exempting others from practice because of their previous history with the bat and such like.

Those in authority seem to be trying to justify the unprofessional conduct of these players.

New West Indies’ coach Bennett King pointed his finger at domestic cricket in the islands for the poor performances against South Africa. But how much history of West Indies’ domestic cricket has he analyzed before coming to such conclusion?

In the heyday of the West Indies, domestic cricket was not as well organised, coaches were not as available to players as is now the case. Computer analysis were totally non-existent, yet West Indies destroyed all-comers in both versions of the game. The difference was that players were much more disciplined, committed and were hungry to do well and elevate themselves to the senior team. Yet they were poorly paid.

In those days when a player scored 80 that wasn’t a big thing, you had to score a century or take a four or five-wicket haul to get your picture in the newspaper. Now we have players scoring “a polished 25” and “looks ready for the big time”.

What we are doing now is rewarding players with huge salaries for their poor performances and bad behaviour. They sport an unenviable and embarrassing recent cricket history, which is nothing to be proud of whatsoever.

Somebody must be called to account for the shame meted out to the paying public, and we must start at the top or the rot will continue.