As the cricket world's attention was riveted exclusive on the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and the lead-in to Sunday's fascinating final between the co-hosts, two also-rans from the tournament were preparing for a low-key Test series on the other side of the planet relevant only to the teams themselves and a few individuals on either side.
West Indies depended on net run rate and the result of a match between others to squeeze into the quarter-final of the World Cup where they were promptly dispatched by New Zealand. They returned home to hastily get ready for three Tests against England, who didn't make it into the top eight at the World Cup.
It is an immediate opportunity for a tired West Indies, who carried eight players aged 30 or above to the World Cup, to start rebuilding under new head coach Phil Simmons. A West Indian himself, his international career as power-hitting opening batsman and useful medium-pace bowler spanned 1987 through 1999.
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In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com
a tired West Indies, who carried eight players aged 30 or above to the World Cup
Wha, dis have to be a lie.
Clive 'the cricket retard' Lloyd said specific players were dropped for the WC due to looking at the future.
This is what Andrew Strauss had to say in yesterday's Sunday Times:
"The chastised England team head to the West Indies to play a low-key Test series in front of a few thousand English holidaymakers, and against a team decimated by IPL defections, retirements and internal strife. Test cricket is supposed to be the ultimate form of the game but next month it won't look that way. So far, the methods of the ICC and individual cricket boards to prop up the Test game have centred on playing more matches between the top, commercially viable teams...while releasing those same teams from the obligation, though the future tours programme, to play the smaller Test nations. Instead, the small fry are given money to offset the losses they will inevitably incur by playing Tests among themselves....The answer lies in embracing, rather than fighting, the changing landscape. If Test cricket keeps pitting itself against the 20/20 format, there will be only one winner. Instead, a window desperately needs to be created for the IPL so players aren't forced into agonising over the country vs earning conundrum."
