Holding and Croft are Wrong, Wrong

Sun, Apr 4, '04

Michael Holding is reported to have said that because Logie and Lara cannot get along, he would keep Logie as coach because he is a good coach and appoint Sarwan as captain. Colin Croft, in an even more strangely argued article, blatantly called for Lara to go.

Garfield Sobers on the other hand has repeatedly given his support to Lara both as captain and batsman. I have sat and penetrated much of the discussion and have tried to first of all understand the arguments. Holding?s is a little easier to deal with because he is straightforward in saying that if it is choice between Lara and Logie, then it should be Logie to stay.

He unfortunately has not given the evidence that Logie is successful with this senior team, however. We know about and praise Logie?s success with the junior team but I would have wanted to hear some justification that Logie is the one to keep.

Holding is also reported to have said many times recently that the reason why the team is not meeting its potential is off the field problems and, according to him, there will never be the success on the field with these lingering problems. It was to my great shock therefore to hear Holding in an interview on Friday evening (the day before the Kensington Oval loss) predicting that the West Indies would make 300 runs. I concluded that the off the field problems must have been solved.

There is not much logic to Croft?s article except for his statistics showing that Lara?s record as captain this time around has been worse than the last time and it must be to that we turn since it must be a substantial point for discussion

When Lara took the captaincy this second time, there was both joy on the part of some and apprehension on the part of others. The first two series in the Caribbean against Australia and Sri Lanka were mixed in result. We lost one and won the other. But both were characterized on the West Indies part by some elements of consistency, some flashes of brilliance and definite competitiveness.

At the end most were on a high because things seemed to be coming together. I remember clearly at that time Lara saying that he had the elements of a team that he thought could slowly climb upwards. He was not only optimistic but so were many of us.

What has happened since that? Although Lawson did not play against Sri Lanka he has been out much longer than expected. A lot of potential was seen in Lawson. Jerome Taylor, who played against Sri Lanka and who Lara described as having a good brain for cricket, well its still very unclear as to what?s up with him but it does not all seem physical.

Our bowling, a long time area of concern, showed some hope and then it almost disappeared. Dillon who was expected to be the leader based solely on his experience has failed to deliver.

On the batting side with Gayle, Chanderpaul, Sarwan, Hinds, Lara, Jacobs (as no.7), it was seemingly well settled. A lot was expected from Marlon Samuels in the elusive sixth position. The opening position was still iffy but with the core of the batting so talented there was less concern there. Well we know what happened to the very talented Samuels and Ganga and Hinds failed miserably in South Africa.

The result was predictable. The bowling was a mockery and the batting held its own. But on many occasions even the batting was characterized by inconsistency, by flashes of brilliance, elements of a fighting character but never and I would say never at a stage where a West Indian supporter could sit back and relax and feel comfortable that they would deliver. Recall last day of the fourth Test. We were seemingly always tense.

The fact is that important components of the new emerging team that Lara thought he had has to date disappeared (Lawson, Taylor, Samuels). So, on the bowling side we were stranded with Sanford, Drakes and Dillon.

The substantial point is the one that Dr. Christine Cummings has been making consistently. West Indies has only two batsmen with over 40 average whilst every other team except Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have more. How can we continue to ignore this reality? The more we ignore it is the more we will contradict ourselves like Holding did on many occasions. (Recall his statement that West Indies had the best batting side in the world). This was after that brilliant record making innings in Antigua.

I repeat this is the fundamental point and it can be transferred to our bowling figures too.

The fact is that the best of the young brigade has not made that incremental improvement that has been expected. They show flashes of brilliance and they then fall-off. The batsmen have not developed the culture of discipline needed to improve and, well, the bowlers we are literally starting from scratch.

And forgive me here because the term discipline is used loosely. What is meant is the culture to practice; the culture to train; the culture that as of ball one you are playing to your best (I am amused that many times Chanderpaul comes to the wicket he looks as if he expects the bowlers to give him time to settle); the discipline to give of your best to every ball; to read the game; to use your brain and most of all the culture of concentration. That?s the discipline I think we need. If they have these and go to parties every night I do not care. This is something inculcated; it is not something discussed in a team meeting and implemented easily.

And I can hear many saying. A good captain gets the best out of the players in his side. Well, Walshy was not able to, neither could Adams and Hooper in any consistent way and it is because the culture has not been built up in this young brigade. And in the end those factors become more critical than talent.

I wish to repeat, in the end those factors become more critical than talent. So maybe we are getting the best from them based on what they have been exposed to. And if Lara is the problem, then Walsh, Adams and Hooper were also problems. It is Adams who used to consistently say that there was need for greater consistency. Every speech he gave, this is what he said and it has gotten marginally better. It is accentuated more under Lara because he is the one leading the youngest, least experienced brigade (just look at our bowling attack today) .

I would hope that after trying the same strategy over and over (i.e. changing captains) and we are still losing then it would strike someone like a Holding, not necessarily Croft, that that cannot be the solution.

This team needs a sports psychologist and it needs the inclusion of our past greats to help. But I insist that the problems with the batting as exemplified in this series are not mostly technical but it is application. This is not to say that technical flaws do not exist and that?s why it?s the combination of those two categories of personnel that I suggest. I do not rule out the need for a foreign coach.

Many make reference to Lara?s tactical decisions and these will forever be controversial. For example some agree fully with him dropping himself in the order in the second test. Others disagree strongly calling this batsman who has carried the batting for so long, who has taken battering and bruising and never bowed; who was terrorised by Lee last year and won out; who had a dislocated finger and still played, who was the only player to play in all test matches and ODI?s last year ? called him a coward. So there will always be differences on what he does and he is admittedly unconventional. Has his decisions decisively cost us the matches we have lost. I guess even some will say yes but I disagree.

We are number eight in the Test rankings and that is that. Many of us have not accepted that and whereas I like many others expected that we would have been inching up, these players have not been inching up. When the players improve so will our ranking.

The way forward? Re-look at the whole structure in the region from the bottom and make the necessary changes. There have been initiatives but they do not seem to be part of an overall program that is driven by a clear strategy. What a quiet WICB. What is their vision? Do you know? That?s medium to long term.

We have a team now and we have matches to play and we want yes to win. Make sure that all those on the wings with the potential are being given maximum support. Provide this team with a sports psychologist to focus on building those areas mentioned above. Ensure that the roles of the different members of the management - captain, coach and manager is clearly defined, discussed and agreed on. Encourage and facilitate at all times frank criticism and self ?criticism amongst the players. The team is the most important.

And that?s just the beginning

Change of the captain? Where is the evidence that it will make a difference?