Why are West Indies so poor - and can problems be fixed?
Tue, Aug 22, '17
We thought they might struggle. But this badly?
West Indies were beaten by an innings and 209 runs by England at Edgbaston, losing a record 19 wickets in a day.
The entire team, in two attempts, batted for a total of six and a half hours. England opener Alastair Cook managed almost 10 on his own.
To the casual observer, it might have been a surprising margin of defeat.
But, in the words of Test Match Special commentator Fazeer Mohammed: "It was just another day. West Indies are being decimated in a Test in England, like they have been for the past 17 years."
It is natural to compare the current side, who have not won a Test in England since 2000, with great West Indies teams of the past.
The 1980s side that terrified batsmen and bowlers alike was one of a kind. You cannot will a team to be better just because you remember their history fondly.
There are undoubtedly problems in West Indies cricket. But what are they? And how can they be fixed?
