If you have been to a cricket match in the Caribbean, you will know what we are talking about.

Rambunctious fans pack the stands, or the banks, in their thousands, swaying to a rhythm of their own, beating drums or blowing horns, and occasionally screaming advices to visiting batsmen and bowlers.

That vibrant atmosphere is unique to West Indies cricket fans and Clive Lloyd, captain of their hugely successful team of the late 1970s and 1980s, described it beautifully in Simon Lister’s Fire in Babylon, a book inspired by the documentary of the same title.

Lloyd recalled leaning on his bat at the non-striker’s end during the Test match at The Oval “and inhaling the exuberant buzz that only a West Indian cricket crowd far from home can create”.

He asked: “How could we not try and do our best?”

Sadly, that question is not being asked often in West Indies cricket these days. Few in the establishment or the team actually seem to care about the fans these days as they — officials and cricketers with bloated egos — fight their battles out in the open.

Fans, who once wrote calypsos eulogising their magnificent cricketers, can only shrug their shoulders as tours are cut short due to player strikes and vengeful officials rule with a heavy hand, clamping down on anyone who refuses to toe their line.

its more like 20 years

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

NOT WITH THIS LOT .

What is needed is a complete restructuring of Cricket in the Region . But that aint likely to happen because the People in the WICB to the contrary see no reason to change its current archaic Structure .

They believe that they may lose some of their Power , and that is much more important to them than the fact that Bangladesh , who WE treated with Scorn & Derision has progressed while
WE have Regressed .

This is precisely why in 2017 WE are not going to the World Championships
but Bangladesh is going . I know of 3 Reports that the WICBC itself commissioned , and swiftly rejected . The Lucky Report ; the Patterson Report & the Wilkin Report . ALL calling for Structural Changes .

Changes to the Structure is not on their Agenda , neither is raising the Standard of Cricket in the Region and
making our Players fully competitive in the International Cricket Arena .

The recent Tours by both England & Australia essentially proved that the standard in the Region is Piss Poor .
That does not faze them , they are only interested in the current Structure remain the same .

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

20 years...not 15...just start right for a change please.

What is needed are administrators and former players (some of whom are now administrators) that don't envy the $$ certain players are making and feel that they somehow should be getting some of that income that those players generate.

WICBC President suddenly becomes a paying position

There are more WICBC staff than players in the region and all getting paid

WICBC even paying the salaries of the WIPA executive

Selectors are now employed by the WICBC and no longer getting stipends but significant salaries.

Selectors and sundry administrators traveling all over the region and internationally in style...first class travel galore...expense accounts....nuff literal feeding at the trough of WI cricket....and for doing what?

Who paying for all of this? The same players that they call mediocre, average, mercenary etc. The WICBC executive has taxed those players....not to fund FC cricketers professionalism.....but to fund WICBC largess and excess.

A pox on all a dem so.

Come back when we win a few games against worthy opponents. Ah doh mean Canada.

In reply to Outswinger

We fuh sure eh winnin anyting wit your krew in charge

In reply to imusic

If You think that bringing WIPA into the WICBC was Free , then you believe
in the Tooth Fairy . My take is that
both Cameron & Hinds were rewarded for their Coup that resulted in WIPA becoming a part of the WICBC .

Cameron was made the Supreme Emperor
of the WICBC . It is worth noting
that following the Disaster of the
India Tour both Cameron & Hinds were
both reelected to their respective Posts .

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

Caribbean Society is in crisis as is cricket in the Caribbean. Caribbean society emerged from a period of slavery and colonialism that has left a legacy that continues to negatively impact even today. The Colonials taught us cricket and they used the game to enforce the status quo.It is said that cricket mirrors caribbean society. Cricket in the Caribbean at this juncture reflects crisis , dis-organization , dis-satisfaction; discrimination;disorder and all the associated negatives. The Colonials controlled cricket and society. At the time the colonials maintained the status quo through rigid rules and regulations that were enforced and that were observed. Rigidity resulted in a certain standard of operating. All of this has now broken down with the long gone influence of the colonials . The approach of the noveau administrator has worn off the influence of the Colonial. I hold no brief for the Colonial but within in their sphere they maintained a certain degree of standards. These standards have deteriorated as the influence or drag of the Colonial has worn off, And Friends this is where we are at. The situation can only be corrected through education

In reply to casiba

I agree with most of what you have stated , however some of the main components that you have not mentioned are :

STRUCTURE ; RESPONSIBILITY ;

TRANSPARENCY ; ARROGANCE ;

INCOMPETENCE & A TOTAL LACK

OF BUSINESS ACUMEN .

Now unless & until these are properly
addressed , WE are simply Spinning a
Top in Mud .