Windies cricket icons affirm cricket as a public good which must remain such

Renowned retired West Indies Cricket players who were in St Vincent and the Grenadines for the inaugural Emancipation Cricket Festival, have affirmed that cricket is a public good, and it should remain that way. Three of the legends- Sir Any Roberts, Deryck Murray, and Sir Clive Lloyd were panellists engaged in a discussion on the subject on Saturday, August, 2, 2025.

The three were members of the Prudential Cricket World Cup championship squad, and, along with former West Indies wicket-keeper Michael Findlay, and Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, comprised the panel on the topic – ‘Cricket as a Public Good’.

The panel discussion formed part of a weekend of activities geared towards recognizing and honouring the legacy of the championship squad, in a powerful blend of memory and meaning, on the margins of the Emancipation Cricket Festival (ECF). It was held in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the West Indies’ historic Test victory over Australia in 1965, and the 50th anniversary of the West Indies’ first Cricket World Cup triumph in 1975.

Hosted by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority, the panel shared some reflections on cricket’s enduring value to the Caribbean people as a symbol of unity, pride, and post-colonial excellence.

The discussion, moderated by renowned broadcaster Andrew Mason, delved into how cricket has served as a vehicle of emancipation, empowerment, and Caribbean identity.

Deryck Murray underscored that cricket is more than a game; it is a public good that has shaped our consciousness, uplifted our people, and stood as a symbol of excellence against centuries of domination.

Michael Findlay wove a few tales of his resilience from village grounds to the moments of international glory, shared by Sir Clive Lloyd, but collectively, the panel echoed the sentiment that West Indies cricket must remain as one of the most profound cultural expressions of regional unity, courage, and capacity.

Dr Gonsalves reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines to honouring West Indies Cricket as part of the region’s living heritage, and to preserving the stories, struggles, and victories that continue to inspire generations, and noted the need for a thorough overhaul.

“Governments are very skittish about wanting to interpose itself between the public good and the management, this CWI which has a connection with ICC, which organizes the tours and all the rest of it. But we cannot, CWI, Cricket West Indies, and the governments, cannot stay askance and have a suicide pact. There has to be a major, not reform, a revolution in the management of cricket West Indies,” he stated.

Sir Andy Roberts, referred to the manner in which he and Deryck Murray batted in the 1975 Pudential Cricket World Cup semi-final against Pakistan stating, “I think that game changed my thinking of how West Indies cricket should be played, because the rest of the world felt that we are… happy-go-lucky cricketers. Once we play our shots, we can continue to play shots after that. But from that innings, a lot of people thought differently about West Indies”. “We had people who don’t just throw in the towel. We had people who are willing to fight, and that is the problem that I’m having with our cricket today- is that our players are not willing to fight. They’re willing to throw in the towel as soon as things are not going their way.”

Reminiscing on World Cups 1975, 1979, and 1983, Sir Clive Lloyd said: “If you look at the record in the three World Cups that we played, we lost two games and one was a final. So it just showed you the consistency that we had. And the young players, our team, I think the West Indies team, came alive. Our cricket came alive, and it was the starting of the great period that we had, because most of the guys continued to play together. So the World Cup gave us the lift that was needed. And we had some wonderful moments”. Sir Clive pointed out, He added that cricket gives the players and the region a title and has served as a glue.

When asked what may have caused the decline in West Indies Cricket, Sir Clive pointed to lack of forward planning as a main reason.

“I think we got complacent really. …We thought we’re gonna get a Viv Richard from here and a Lara from here, or an Andy Robertson there. We didn’t prepare for the future. We didn’t inject any of our senior players,” he said.

The former legendary captain pointed out that several of the top teams are utilising the services of past players,” And I think… we didn’t include our ex-players for long enough in coaching”. Former wicketkeeper, Murray, noted that every format in which the game is currently played is cricket for which preparation is essential.

“You must be able to bat properly, bowl properly, field properly. What’s the difference- you’re telling me about T20 cricket? If you can’t bat to score runs in T20, you won’t be able to bat to score runs in ODIs or test cricket. The point is, if people don’t realize that T20 is an exhibition; Test Cricket is an examination,” he pointed out.

He also commented on the 27 runs the team scored in Jamaica saying that it was something for which the region was preparing to happen for a long time.

“… and it happened, and we’re all surprised. Well, I’m not. I have to confess because that was always on the cards. We don’t play the best cricket in preparation for it”.

The renaming of the double decker stand at the Arnos Vale Cricket Grounds as ‘The Legends Pavilion’, and the issuance of commemorative stamps were among the tangible ways in which the members of the 1975 Windies squad were honoured by the government at the weekend.