As many in the Caribbean smile again, given the victory of the West Indies over England in the third Test, we need to be cognizant of the need to improve our cricket. We have all witnessed in the past, moments where West Indian cricket has threatened to become consistent, only to have to retreat to our corners, as the team instead goes backwards. Whether it is a mindset or just the shortcomings of a people easy to accumulate short-term gratification, at the expense of longevity, it is an area of concern that needs addressing.

And while there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the appointment and the role of Phil Simmons as coach has made a big difference to the motivation and drive of the players, he will not be able to maintain any sort of momentum with this team, without some necessary changes. 

 

read the full article at Trinidad Guardian

Full Story

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

I am genuinely shocked that I found myself agreeing with Andre in this piece.

In reply to Dukes

You agree that Simmons was able to make such an impact so soon? Especially after what happened the week before in Grenada ?

I find it very interesting that so far
NONE of the Sports Journalists in the
Region ,have publicly stated the fact that the Standard of Cricket in the Region is below the Standard of Teams ranked above our Team .

Perhaps if they individually &
collectively stated this fact , they would
then have to state or enquire why the
Standard of Cricket in the Region is below par .

Doing that may then pose a Question regarding the competence of those in the
governance of Cricket in the Region . Frankly , it is only blind persons can credible state that because of their impairment , they have a valid excuse for being unable to answer that question .

Those of us who are not vision impaired
however have no excuse . Apparently those
in the Media are afraid to tell the Emperors that they are stark naked .

My disgust is the fact that , most of the Media in the Region , rather than being a part of the solution have unilaterally
demonstrated that they are a part of the
Problem . WELL DONE .

In reply to FuzzyWuzzy

Andre and Controversy are pretty much the same

In reply to POINT

Do you have a subscription to the regional papers to see the journalist writings?
I just spent 11 days in bim, was able to witness the excitement of men and women, when the West Indies won the third test, you need to visit SVG to know about the going on, because you post more about the WICB, without having the knowledge of whats going on in the region.
There is more organize cricket being played than when you were growing up in SVG, last Thursday I saw youngsters at Cawmere doing drills with coaches, in my day we bat and bowl.

In reply to openning

What they write are here & in the Regional
Papers . Now if I am in error , please
tell me the names of the Newspapers , the
Writers of the Articles ; and the dates the articles were written .

BTW , these articles must state the fact that the standard of Cricket in the Region is lower than the standard of Cricket Played by teams ranked above our Team .
I note that in all that you have stated
you did not refute the fact that the standard of Cricket in the Region is below par .

If your assertion that there is more Cricket being played in the Region today than in previous years , then something is very seriously wrong . Because as I have stated , the standard of Regional Cricket
is piss poor .

Hell OUR Players won A MATCH , to draw the
Series and Everyone is in euphoria .This
is how freaking low WE have sunk .

I stand by what I have written , and your
feeble attempts to refute what I stated
only helps to reinforce the fact that I am right in my assessment .

Mental & Physical Stamina ; the ability to
Concentrate for long Periods ; the ability
to Pace an Innings ; the Ability to build
fruitful Partnerships ; are Skills that
cannot be bought anywhere .

Those skills can only be acquired by playing a lot of Cricket at the Regional
Level in all versions of the game . Now if
You know of a better method to acquire
those Skills let me know .

In reply to POINT

Dude, most of the regional papers you must pay for on-line to get the full report.
Both Barbados papers you must have an on-line account to get the entire writings of every journalist.
Check it out for your self, E-paper online is a copy of the dailies, which you need a subscription for, some posters have the subscription and can read the journalist, other only can read,

Take a trip, get the full details and stop writing things you have not research or have knowledge of.

In reply to POINT

I find it very interesting that so far NONE
of the Sports Journalists in the Region ,
have bluntly refused to publicly state
the fact that the Standard of Cricket in
the Region is below the Standard of Teams
ranked above our Team .

I think you want to edit this and correct it because you are stating the opposite of what I think you mean. Be careful with double negatives. If they haven't 'refused to publicly state', it means they are willing to do so. You are out-smarting yourself.

In reply to Outswinger

Bro, Point gets his info from CC Rumshop
He need a vacation in SVG, so he can get fresh info, which he can write about for the next decade.

In reply to Outswinger

Thanks for your input .

In reply to openning

All you have to do is to factually dispute
what I have stated . This is precisely why
you have reverted to stating things that have absolutely nothing to do with what I have stated .

YOU have the option of citing articles written by any of the persons in the Region who claim to be Sports Journalists .

Dr Rudy Webster is not a Sports Writer , yet his article entitled :

" KERRY PACKER , DEJA VU "

What Webster stated , is in sync with what
I have stated regarding Cricket in the Region . Read what he stated , it is currently in the Rum Shop . I know that
Dr. Rudy Webster is your Countryman , never mind the fact that he lives in Grenada .

In reply to POINT

Dude here is one article by cozier, there are many, many more from Becca and others.
Resistance to change hurting WICBl


WICB should revisit the Patterson Report/

Windies cricket falls on hard times

You can actually google Becca or Cozier, you will see these guys have been writing about cricket and the WICB. for many decades.

In reply to openning


Most people in the Region , know what is wrong with Cricket in the Region , Most of what Cozier stated , are not his opinions , but the opinions of others .

I have in this Forum offered my opinions ,
I simply want those who claim to be Sports Journalists to do the same .

I find it interesting that you did not have a word to say about Dr. Rudy Webster's article . Perhaps you would rather not read it . However the most interesting articles on Cricket are generally written by persons who are not
Cricket Journalists .

Frankly if I was a Sports Journalists , I would be ashamed . But apparently this lot
like their friends in the governance Cricket in the Region are devoid of Shame & Embarrassment .

In reply to Dukes

you agree that changes are needed. what changes exactly?

More Titties?

starting with Cooper, Emrit et al.

In reply to POINT

Rudi wrote many articles, and Ive read most of them, I also listened to him on a local show a few weeks ago, I stick to cricket.
BTW, the Journalists in the region will be out of work, if the only thing they can write about is the WICB.
Point, take a vacation man, guys are playing more organize cricket than before, T&T just had anumber of players from all over the region playing their league, The BCA will will have the same guys playing, when cricket starts in June.
Guyana a few weeks ago, had a training squad, Jamaica, Leewards and the Windwards have fifteen guys each of contracts.
BTW, when last were you in the region?

In reply to openning


I am fully aware of th fact that Rudy Webster has written several articles on Cricket . I cited his latest Article in
this very Post , but apparently you seem
reluctant to read the Article .

When I was last in the Region is irrelevant
I can listen to any Radio Station in the
Region & also read many of the leading Newspapers in the Region . ALL through the Magic of the Internet . Read the article by Webster .

In reply to POINT

The only thing new to Rudi's article is the fiasco in India.
Dude, there is a difference in being around fans, hearing their opinions, than being at home on the computer.
You take your message to SVG, and repeat 3-4 days, you will hear what most people on this MB think of your daily postings.
BTW, you are not saying anything new, we've been hearing you for over 10 yrs,
Find another topic man.

In reply to openning

Because my assessment is correct , there absolutely no need for me to change what I state .

Obviously since you dont agree with what I
state , the onus is on you to refute what
I state , point by point . Now WE both are
fully aware that you cannot do that ;
hence your perpetual habit of tinkering around the edges of the central Issues I
have raised .

Telling me about drills etc , aint going to change the fact that the Standard of Cricket in the Region is Piss Poor , and
definitely below that of the Teams that are ranked above our Team . YOU evidently
dispute this fact .

I have stated that Regionally it is imperative that our Players play more matches in the 3 versions of the game .
You are telling me what is being done in Barbados .

I essence I am to believe that what they are doing in Barbados is going to make the
West Indies once again a Cricket Power .
You have always told me that you are only
concerned with what is happening in Bim , from a Cricket perspective .

Let me remind you that the adage :

A CHAIN IS AS STRONG AS ITS WEAKEST LINK

Still remains very true , apart from that
your thinking , informs me that you are
afflicted with Tunnel Vision . That aint
going to improve Cricket in the Region .

I am fully aware of the fact that you would be overjoyed if the West Indies Team
is packed with Bajan Players regardless of
whether or not they merit selection . &

The only way to raise the standard of Cricket in the Region and our Players & Team Internationally is to play more matches in all formats of the game at the Regional level , but apparently you dont think that will work .

The way things are going in Regional Cricket , I guess when Bangladesh surges
ahead of our Team , in the International
Rankings , you & others will hopefully
wake up from your Fantasy .

I do not intend to ever change my views '
and you apparently do not intend changing
your views ; So let us agree to disagree .

In reply to POINT

People like you will soon be cussing The BCA, TTCB, JCA @ GCB, these Islands are moving forward, you can continue to focus solely on the WICB, these Islands are moving forward.
When last have you seen so many runs and centuries scored by youngsters in the regional tournament?
When last have you seen youngsters scoring centueries against SA, NZ and England, including double centuries by Darren Bravo and Kraigg Brathwaite.
That is my focus, youngsters development.
Let me continue to listen to local cricket live.

In reply to openning

Hope without meaningful Action is meaningless . It is simply a word that has
no meaning unless action is taken to make
Cricket in the Region very competitive ; that is the only way that Hope can become a reality.

Look the highest form of the game in the Region is the Regional Tournaments . As far
as I am aware , it is the WICB that in in the governance of Regional Cricket which is
the highest form of the game in the Region .

Now You as well as everyone in the Region are fully aware of the fact that the standard of Cricket in the Region is below that of the International Teams ranked above our Team .

I noticed that you were not concerned with
the Leeward Islands & the Windward Islands , why did you leave them out ??? or is it
that your Insularity stepped forward in this instance ??

As I have stated to you before the adage :


"A CHAIN IS AS STRONG AS ITS WEAKEST lINK "

Is still very True . You have stated what
the T T CB ; the GCB ; the JCA ; & the BCA
are doing , so this then begs the question
Why the is Cricket in the Region sub par ???

My idea of Progress is probably different from yours & those who think like You .
My definition of Progress is consistently winning matches , not winning a match in a
Series to tie the series ; is not in my opinion a sure sign that WE are making Progress .

I am not belittling the achievements of Bravo ; Blackwood ; Brathwaite et al but my knowledge of Cricket informs me that a Cricket Team is comprised of 11 Players ; and consistency is very important, because
in fact it determines Winners & Losers .

In reply to POINT

I

I can only write about what I know, thru-out the 80's and 90's , I followed the Leewards and Windward Island tournaments, because I was playing cricket with guys from both regions.
I've been following youngsters careers from the time I started watching cricket, but I have no sy in how any Island develop its youngsters.
The floor is yours to tell us of the development of youngsters in the Windwards, because other than following them at regional youth tournaments, there is no websites to follow their progress.



You got to be wearing blinders, any cricket fan can see the batting improvement in the last PCL tournament.
We have two youngsters with a double century, at the International leel, a youngster with a fifty average, and four youngsters already scoring International tons.