Funnily enough about Antigua

[AussieVamp2]

Time for the future
Colin E. Croft - 9 January 2000

Some philosopher, I cannot recall whom, actually suggested, some time in the distant past, that "the present is already past, so let us concentrate on the future. The future, perhaps, could enhance our present so that we do not repeat the past." So let it be with the senior West Indies cricket team. How the required changes to personnel, effectiveness, effort and the recent results will change things for the West Indies in the immediate future will be interesting to note.

Viv Richards, the West Indies present coach, but one not assured of a continuing assignment, was visibly angry at the end of the 3rd One Day International game at Napier. The West Indies only managed 159 in their 50 overs there, the result of a combination of tremendously bad batting by the West Indies, and great bowling and fielding by New Zealand. One has to wonder if these admonitions from the coach, perhaps from the captain and even the manager, could be getting through to the West Indian players. One gets the impression that the players are perhaps hearing the voices but not altogether listening to the instructions. Nothing has become any better, not even marginally so.

The 4th game, at the new WestPac Stadium, is a game in point. The pattern, though, being carried out by the West Indies has not changed. Despite one of the better starts in the one day games here in New Zealand, the West Indies still stuttered to make less than 175 in their 50 overs. Though the pitch itself could take a bit of criticism for not being altogether ready for one day cricket, again it was left to the West Indian fast bowlers to bring some parity to the proceedings. None of the West Indian batsmen seem to be able to come to terms with the conditions, even though their innings was interrupted somewhat.

Incidentally, the way Reon King and Merve Dillon are bowling, they, hopefully, have convinced the supposedly knowledgeable people who select West Indian cricket teams that these two are the best fast bowlers in the West Indies paddock these days. I will not take too much credit for this suggestion, but I did mention it about twelve months ago that these two were the best that can be had by the West Indies. Nobody listened then and I am almost sure that no-one will listen now because nobody seems to care.

The West Indies have now lost both the test and one day series to New Zealand, similar to the caning of twelve months ago when they lost both series to South Africa. Hopefully, some things will change for West Indian cricket because of this. Hopefully, as was remarked by Brian Lara, the supposedly knowledgeable people involved in West Indian cricket would recognize that West Indian cricket is now so far behind that of the rest of the world's cricket teams that perhaps, only perhaps, the foolish pride, without substance, still exhibited by those in authority would be removed and be replaced by proper plans and implementation.

As a passing comment, I wonder what odds one would have gotten at the start of this New Zealand summer for a 2-0 Test win and a 5-0 One Day International win for New Zealand. If I were a betting man, and had put a small wager on that situation becoming a reality, I may have been able to buy one of those yachts in the America's Cup.

West Indian cricket authorities are simply too steeped in history. The game has moved on, tremendously, but the minds and thoughts of the West Indian authorities still seem to be in the 70's and 80's. One could only hope, but I would not suggest holding one's breath in expectation. Knowing West Indies cricket as I have experienced it over the last six years or so, anyone holding their collective breaths, hoping for a change in the approach of, and attitude to, West Indian cricket, to trying to change things around could, probably would, die of self-induced hypoxia; a lack of oxygen.

The West Indies cricket entity is the only world renowned cricketing entity which still does not have a fully regulated coaching system. Indeed, some of the individual coaches for respective countries in the first class game in the Caribbean have openly complained and suggested that there is no conformity nor continuity to whatever feeble attempts are made to implement anything. This is as ridiculous as it could get. As stated by Brian Lara, West Indian cricket certainly has many more problems than are obvious from the continued failure on the cricket field.

Now that New Zealand are 4-0 up in the one day series, one only have to wonder if the "White Wash" would be on. In the meantime, much work is needed, and expected, by all involved in West Indian cricket. Brian Lara's report from this tour will take on immense proportions, since both Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards are on temporary contracts. Let us all hope, West Indian supporters and the rest alike, that Lara's final report, and maybe requests, could be used very constructively for an improvement in the immediate future. A change is needed badly!!

[AussieVamp2]

West Indies cricket at a crossroad
Tony Becca - 9 January 2000

West Indies cricket is at the crossroads, its fans are hurting and although many believe that it cannot get worse, it can - unless something is done to stop the rot.

Once the best in the world, and not too long ago at that, the team is weak - so weak in fact that, after losing to New Zealand, after being outplayed in every department of the game by a team far from being the best, the fans are praying that it will not be embarrassed at home against lowly Zimbabwe.

As bad as things appear to be, however, it should not: the West Indies should be too good for Zimbabwe, or rather, Zimbabwe should not be good enough to beat the West Indies - not even in their current form and present state of mind.

It should also be remembered that after losing all three matches without a fight in Pakistan, the West Indies returned home and trounced England, and that after losing all five matches in South Africa, they returned home and almost knocked Australia, the reigning champions, off their pedestal.

There was, however, probably one difference between then and now.

Against Pakistan, the team's performance was probably affected by Brian Lara's behaviour in his haste to be the captain and against South Africa, it was probably still hurting from the strike in London. On both occasions, the West Indies appeared good enough, but not focussed enough.

Against New Zealand, however, it was more than that.

Although manager Clive Lloyd's style of publicly complaining about everything and criticising the selectors and the players probably affected the confidence of the players, the bowlers and the batsmen appeared lacking in skill - especially the batsmen who, on most occasions, batted like novices.

While the New Zealand bowlers bowled a good line and length, varied their attack by pitching on different lengths, delivering the ball from different angles by using the crease and coming up with a slower delivery here and there, the West Indies bowlers, generally, were like robots; and while their batsmen attempted to play each delivery on merit, the West Indies batsmen were pathetic - technically and in stroke selection.

Depending on their mood, the West Indies batsmen either blocked and left the ball alone, or they gave away their wickets chasing wide deliveries, playing across the line, and swinging with gay abandon at everything.

The West Indies batsmen were like schoolboys - some schoolboys at that. On top of everything, they did not even play for singles. They were like amateurs.

Is it that West Indian cricketers of today are lacking in talent? That is not the case. Although some generations produce greater players than others, every generation has talent.

The problem with West Indies cricket is attitude, indiscipline and the West Indies Board and its selectors, those of the late 1980s and up to the mid 1990s, must take the blame.

The problem with West Indies cricket, in many respects, has been inherited: it is the result of ignoring the indiscipline of the players and the pampering of the players during those years when they were the best - the days when the attitude of some of the players was "take it or leave it".

For those who do not remember, in those days, star players, enough of them, refused to train and practice as they used to, they ignored the coaches, they strutted around like gods, they came off the field whenever they chose to do so, the batsmen refused to field after a good performance, they had little respect for authority or those vested with authority and they treated the fans, the paying public, like nothing.

Some times the fans only wanted an autograph or just to simply say "well done", and yet they were treated like a nuisance.

It should also be remembered that there were players who said "yes" for tours, pulled out at the last moment and got away with it, and that there was who walked out on the team and got away with it.

The territorial boards and their selectors were also guilty of condoning the kind of behaviour which is now haunting West Indies cricket.

Like the West Indies Board and its selectors, they too selected players who were unfit, simply because they had performed in the past; they too stuck with older players who were not performing, simply because they had performed in the past and even though the drop in performance was because of a lack of commitment, and they also frustrated some of the young, bright prospects because they were not strong enough to say goodbye but thank you to those who had served - especially those who had lost the fire.

Apart from the influence of the society and the environment in which they live, the present players are performing poorly, at all levels, not only because they are lacking in technique, but probably because of the example set by many of yesterday's stars, and while it may be too late for the present generation, something must be done to ensure that the younger players will not be similarly influenced.

Apart from the fact that West Indians, at all levels, have to accept the fact that the team cannot win all the time, that this is a time to rebuild and that we will lose some and win some, if West Indies cricket is to return to its former glory, or even close to it, administrators, coaches and selectors, at all levels, must ensure that senior players set the right example at all levels and that young players do not stray.

A player, for example, should not be selected if he is injured or if he is not fully fit. More than that, if a player is invited to trials for his country and he turns up overweight and unfit, he should be sent packing.

It may take some time, but there is nothing wrong with West Indies cricket which strong, decisive action at all levels cannot cure.

The question, however, is this: do those in cricket have the guts to do what must be done?

[AussieVamp2]

A new year's resolution
Tony Becca - 4 January 2000


The year 2000 is here, and thank God, all is well. The first three days were bright and beautiful.

What is important, however, are the days ahead, and hopefully the year will be a tremendous success in every area of Jamaican life - including sport, generally, and cricket in particular.

Success, however, will depend on the level of commitment - especially where cricket is concerned. Compared to the past few years, and certainly last year, cricket is short of people committed to the game.

In years gone by, cricket was blessed with people committed to the development of the game and thus the development of those who played the game. Today that is not the case, and those who really love the game, those who still enjoy watching good players in action, those who lament the present poor fortunes of the West Indies team should dedicate themselves to the game - to working in the interest of the game.

Once upon a time, cricket was not short of such dedicated people. It is, however, a different story today.

While sports like football, track and field, netball, golf, hockey - especially women's hockey, tennis, and badminton are blessed with people dedicated to their growth, cricket is suffering, and although those in cricket take the easy way out by blaming the influence of foreign sports, that is not the reason - or to be the fair, the only reason.

One reason is this: while people in other sports, the majority of which, in this country, were once considered poor relations to cricket, were busy and are busy spreading the gospel of their sport and working for and in the interest of their sport, those in cricket were and are sitting idly by - probably believing that cricket still enjoys an unchallenged position as the sport of the people.

While cricket may still be the sport closest to the heart of the Jamaican people, there is no question that track and field, football, and netball are challenging it for pride of place, that more people are playing, watching and sponsoring other sports, and most importantly, that although the older generation are still hooked to it, cricket is losing its appeal to young people.

All is not lost, however, there are enough young people playing the game to ensure that it does not die, with a little selling of the game enough youngsters will be attracted to it to ensure the level of competition which leads to high standards, with good marketing, spectators will be attracted to it, and with a little effort by those who profess to love the sport, including those who benefitted from it, it will remain one of the big sports in this country.

A successful 2000 for cricket depends on a change in attitude - and it has to be across the board. Those who know, those with experience will have to guide those who do not know and those with little experience, those now in the sport will have to devote more time to it, and those who claim they love it and are now out of it will have to get involved - not, as some would like, at the top, but with a good foundation so important and survival so crictical, in the schools and in the clubs.

Those who play, the young players, must also change their attitude: instead of strutting about like stars, they must dedicate themselves to becoming stars.

[AussieVamp2]

Lend a hand or shut your mouth
Tony Becca - 2 January 2000


Jamaicans are running true to form.

Each and every time the West Indies lose a cricket match or a Test series, it is the same story: they always blame the players, the selectors the board and, moreso in recent times, castigate the captain. They seldom look at the possible cause, much more discuss it.

The players, no question about it, deserve to be blamed - for the simple reason that too many of them are not good enough; so too, the selectors - for the simple reason that some times they bow to the demand of a public which so often is insular; so too the board - for the simple reason that over the years it has failed to stand up for discipline; and so too the captain - for the simple reason that he has been doing a poor job in every respect.

The reason for the poor performance of the team, however, probably is more than all that: the problems of West Indies cricket, the reasons why the players, generally, are not as good as they used to be may well be a reflection of the society.

Way back in the 1930s, the great English cricket writer, Neville Cardus, wrote that sport, and cricket in particular, mirrors a society, and if the fans stop to look at what is happening in the West Indian society they will realise that West Indies cricket is a victim of the society around it.

In many ways, cricket, because of its intricacies and its subtleties, is like life, and the changing life-style of the society - the hustle and bustle, the desire to make a quick buck, the greed and the selfishness, the lack of pride and the lack of commitment in striving to be the best - has affected the development of the players who themselves, too many of them, have become greedy and easily satisfied.

In years gone by, here in Jamaica for example, old boys used to visit their schools and assist in the development of promising young players. In years gone by, cricketers played the game to an older age than they do today and along with those who had stopped playing but were still involved, assisted in the development of young players.

Today that is not the case: today old boys, including some of those who were good players, have no time to assist in the development of the youngsters - even though they were so assisted by old boys when they were young and dreaming, and although they now lead the chorus of criticisms.

What is also important is this: in years gone by, certainly in this country, the cricket clubs formed the social hub of the society and everyone who was someone, whether he was a good cricketer or not, whether he was simply a cricketer or not, were members of these clubs.

As members of clubs, those people were at the clubs almost every day and even those who were not good enough to assist in the development of young players, contributed not only to the growth of the club, but also to the total development of the young players.

Today, like the old boys and their schools, that is also missing: today, those in the society who can assist the club financially, or who, even by being an example to the youngsters, can assist in the general development of the young players are elsewhere. The majority are in the service clubs and/or the lodges - some, thank God, serving and assisting in other areas of the society, some for selfish reasons.

In recent years, people have been discussing Jamaica captains, their knowledge of the game, and their ability to lead; and today people are talking about changing the president of the Jamaica Cricket Board of Control and the majority of its members. The choice, however, in either situation, is limited. Today, the membership of the clubs is such that some can hardly find a captain - not to mention a president.

While nothing in the world is the same as it used to be, and while it would be unreasonable and backward to expect the world to remain as it was 20, 30 or 40 years ago, much more as it was a thousand years ago, and although there are still a few Good Samaritans around, society, including the Jamaican society, is poorer with the passing of volunteers - those people who are not too busy earning a few dollars more and who can spare a little of their time to assist young people to follow their dream and to fulfil their dream.

As we ponder the fortunes of West Indies cricket in this new year, it would be good to remember that the majority of great sportsmen and sportswomen, the majority of those who excel in the popular sports, or what are generally termed "mass sports", are from the less privileged of society, that cricket is the sport of the West Indies, that many who became great did so because of the help of others, and that many of those who possess the talent to become great need assistance.

The young cricketers of Jamaica and the West Indies need help. They need help financially, but more importantly, they need the kind of help which will assist in their total development. They need people around them who can assist in their technical development, but with a strong character so important to performance, they also people who can aid their development spiritually and mentally.

Cricket is not and cannot be everything to all people and there are other things and more important things in the society which need the help of good citizens.

Over the years, however, Jamaica and West Indies cricket have been the source of pride for Jamaicans and West Indians, over the years Jamaicans and West Indians have benefitted immensely from cricket and it is now time to give back.

The way to do so is not only to give a few dollars: for those who have the time, one way is to get involved with the schools, the clubs, or wherever young people gather to play the game.

To those who do not have the time - try and find some. To those who never have time to lend a hand to young people or to do anything which will benefit the society but always have enough time to criticise, find some time or xtake the disappointment of losing quietly.

[AussieVamp2]

Windies need to start all over again
Curtis Myrie - 2 January 2000


We must hurry past this. Need to quickly brush ourselves off and start all over again.

If that is our aim and intent, new year's resolution and all, then analysis must be made of our 10 straight Test match defeats on tour, the last two to lowly placed New Zealand - by nine wickets, and an inning and 105 runs - scorecards you don't want to remember. Cricket you don't want at the crease.

Management, leadership, motivation and preparation are the correct strokes whenever you take the wicket but more so whenever you play away from home. Away there is no cradle of family and friends, no throng of supporters, with more pressure placed on one to perform. Away is the real test of one's mettle and the mantle of West Indies cricket on tour for the past 10 matches could easily make you mourn.

Management and leadership (complementary but with varying areas of emphasis) quickly take first strike in this performance analysis of our team away from home. Not being kept hushed in the corridors anymore there are open stories about the problems affecting relationships between management officials, the board and the players.

Increasingly chronicled, the simple story here is that the given parties seldom belong to one team. On tour this tension heightens, critically affecting the game (suspicious about self and group interests, indifference, the saga in South Africa about pots of silver - the threatening player pay strike, the outbursts of team manager Clive Lloyd over selection which could and may have affected motivation ... and we could go on and on...) Most of those strokes could hardly be considered among the correct ones to play for effective management and leadership.

In the days when we were kings and leadership qualities of our captains were of note. Lloyd, then, was truly the father figure. He bridged the gap - the 'elder' being a youthful member of his talented team for he made them feel that they all were one. He played cards and dominoes with them and would join them in their rooms to listen to their music.

They wanted to follow him because of who he was. Viv Richards was the hard taskmaster, a man of straight talk, who stressed the importance of winning, not only for yourself but for the people of the Caribbean.

He was very proud of his roots and identity. He would eat and drink with teammates and though he wouldn't visit the rooms as often as Lloyd did, his doors were always open. If you had a problem with him or with anyone else you couldn't take it to the pitch - everyone was focussed and knew the job that had to be done.

Most now are saying that present captain Brian Charles Lara does not understand his role. Never did. Ambitious (and we must all be), Lara always loomed as if it was his birthright to lead. 'Be careful of what you want,' say the Chinese, 'you might just get it' ... the message here being that whatever is attained must be maintained.

Notwithstanding his world record, his great potential, the prince as captain, remains a pauper. Given the reigns early, there was so much more for him and others to learn about the dynamics of the game. The 'oldsters' will tell you that they learnt much of their cricket off the field, sitting with former greats. The gap between our cricketing teams keeps widening partly because there are no camps, no 'sit-ins' with the greats before. The history of our stellar accomplishments is not being learnt. It's not being used as an important motivating tool and team spirit is often weak; for the young man at the helm is often aloof, a distance away.

Next week I will look at the final two parts that go towards making a successful travelling team: motivation and preparation.

[AussieVamp2]

West Indies cricket in urgent need of overhaul
Colin Croft - 2 January 2000

Let us be clear about one thing here. As the West Indies captain, Brian Lara, openly admitted after the second Test defeat in Wellington last week, New Zealand totally outplayed the West Indies in nine of the 10 days of Test cricket in winning the series 2-0.

Except for two wins against Australia, courtesy almost single-handedly of Brian Lara, the West Indies lost all of their Test matches in 1999, and most of their one-day games too.

The West Indies must now go away, after the one-day games, and totally reshape their team, their approach, their efforts. And there is an urgent need for a change of personnel.

Except for the first day of the first Test, in Hamilton, when the tourists were 282 for one, New Zealand were in total control of the series. The rest of the batting managed only another 73 in that first innings and were then ignominiously bundled out for 97 in the second.

Their effort in the first Test was confusing, to say the least. They started well, with Adrian Griffith and Sherwin Campbell scoring hundreds but after that, the batting, from captain Brian Lara onwards was inept.

The bowling, too, looked tremendously underdone. Except for a good showing from fast bowler Reon King and spinner Dininath Ramnarine, the rest of the West Indies bowlers never adjusted to the conditions or the situation.

Having lost the first Test so comprehensively after being in a position to post a match-winning score, the West Indies then made some bizarre selections for the second Test.

Off-spinner Nehemiah Perry was brought in to replace leg-spinner Dininath Ramnarine, one of the few successes of the first Test. It was suggested that he was brought in to "bolster the batting". One wonders what credentials, as either a batsman or a bowler, he had to assume this position.

Ricardo Powell, the middle-order powerhouse of the future, after a fair effort in the second innings of his first Test, where he clobbered 32 with seven boundaries, was dropped so that Darren Ganga, another opener, could be included.

The worst decision by the selectors, though, was to leave out fast bowler Merv Dillon. He seemed to be the fittest and fastest of all the West Indian fast bowlers. Yet he was not selected, while Franklyn Rose, who had not taken a wicket in the first Test while conceding 131 runs, was retained.

The selection of Rose and Perry made no sense at all, considering that the West Indies needed to come out fighting from the start if they were to win the Test. Perry is a very defensive bowler, while Rose was simply bowling badly.

And then there is the case of Ricardo Powell, who epitomises the problems facing Caribbean cricket. Powell, like most recent West Indian debutants, averages just over 30 in first-class cricket, with no really substantial scores, except in one-day cricket.

That the West Indies are not producing cricketers, especially batsmen, of the calibre of Matthew Sinclair, for example, who scored a double- century on debut for New Zealand in the second Test, is a direct result of the poor preparation of West Indian pitches and overall poor organisation of West Indian cricket.

There was a time, as recently as when Lara made his Test debut, that West Indian cricketers had to prove themselves, by getting runs, many runs, before they could break into the big leagues. No more does that seem necessary or relevant.

[AussieVamp2]

err... state of the game should have been pretty obvious?

not a well-off area of the world, either, as far as finances go, when you read about it and conditions etc., which we get in the media, and obviously Americans don't

[sportshobby]

AV, Boomer is right. I for one don't really think I could explain to someone what is cricket.

[AussieVamp2]

ah, we have tea-towels that do that for foreigners/tourists