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WI have 2 challenges ahead of them

 
Kurt 2014-12-20 19:02:38 

1. Substantially improve in the SHORT TERM

2. Substantially improve in the LONG TERM

Neither can be ignored, yet allocating finances in one area takes it away from the other.

So how do we meet these challenges?

 
POINT 2014-12-20 20:21:48 

In reply to Kurt

That is very easy ; lets start with a complete restructuring of Cricket in the Region . Remember fish always rot from the Head down NEVER from the Tail up .

 
Kurt 2014-12-20 20:30:41 

In reply to POINT

Agreed a shockingly unprofessional board (WICB) is incapable of successfully kick-starting a "professional" league!

While the league in itself is an essential element of WI regrowth, funding it on the back of the international players only defeats the short term objective, which is also an essential for long-term success.

 
POINT 2014-12-20 21:43:44 

In reply to Kurt

The WICB missed the boat in the mid 1980's when England decided to ban ALL Overseas Players from playing Cricket in England .

In my opinion that ban was aimed many at our Players . The Players from other Countries were merely collateral damage .

If you have been following Cricket for a long time , You would know which International Team had the fastest Bowlers in the World when it was decided to have the one Bouncer per over rule in Cricket .

Make no mistake I do not blame England , Our Players were earning a living playing there , and we were whipping them in the International Cricket Arena . So they decided to impose a Ban .

The point I am making is that Cricket is not only played on Cricket Pitches ; it also played Off the Field . Recent news , that India ; Australia & England have most of the influence in International Cricket , is a case in point .

But I digressed ; My take is that at the imposition of the ban , it was the DUTY of
those in the governance of Cricket in the Region , to ensure that our Players maintained their skills .

But because they had , no Foresight & Vision , they sat on their ASSES and did nothing . At the juncture when England imposed its ban :

OUR PLAYERS & TEAM WERE THE BEST

IN THE WORLD .

My take is that it would have been relatively easy to get Sponsors , because

SPONSORS LOVE WINNERS . But as I stated

they did not do anything .


So essentially our Players status changed from being Full Time Cricketers playing
Cricket most of the year , to being Part Time Cricketers who when not representing the Region , or participating in the Regional Tournaments were basically Idle .

Slowly but surely over time their skills
became dull over time . This is the main cause of our Players not being as competitive as they can & ought to be in
all facets of the game .

THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PLAYING AS MUCH CRICKET

AS THEIR OPPONENTS ON OTHER INTERNATIONAL

TEAMS THAT ARE RANKED ABOVE OUR TEAM .

Look at the stats of the South African
Players , and then look at the stats of our Players . There is a very stark difference .

This is very important for the following reasons :


STAMINA -- MENTAL & PHYSICAL


THE ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE

FOR LONG PERIODS .


THE ABILITY TO BUILD AN INNINGS .


The above are key components that separate
Winners from Losers .

 
POINT 2014-12-20 22:01:13 

In reply to POINT

There are other factors that are also important . In the days when only Test Matches were played ; when our Players went to say England they played many matches
before & in between the Test Matches ; plus
over half of the County Teams in England .

This meant that our Players harnessed ; apart from playing in England , were acclimatized to both the weather & condition of the Pitches . Their skills were always harnessed ; enhanced & honed ; so Stamina ; Concentration ; and the ability to build an innings was never a problem .

The advent of the third format of the game , means that 2 or 3 days after arriving in a Country , the Tour begins in earnest . At times this is due to the fact that the Host Country may have 2 or 3 Teams touring at the same time .

This is unhelpful to our Players , because
they are mandated to have a one week Camp , perhaps a warm up match , and then the Tour begins in earnest .

It is therefore difficult for our Players
to give of their best when faced with all these factors that they face . This is why I am not critical of them .

They do not mandate the duration of the
Camps , the duration of the Regional Tournaments nor the number of Tour Matches . If they did , I would be very critical of them . Instead I prefer to be critical
of those who deal with those things .

THEY ARE THE REAL VILLAINS