All the talk which has circulated over the past week concerning
the West Indies cricket team and their recent struggles has focused
mainly on the players, management and on the captain, with good
reason, of course. However, one must not forget to place some of
the blame on the selectors for their role in the debacle which West
Indies cricket has been reduced to.
One has not forgotten that this is a new panel of selectors. With
Sir Vivian Richards as the new chairman of selectors, one hopes
that things will change, hopefully for the betterment of West
Indies cricket. Joey Carew is the only surviving member of the
previous panel, which was so heavily criticised by West Indian
cricket fans and by regional journalists.
West Indies pacer Merv Dillon has expressed satisfaction with
his performance during the tour of India, saying he had achieved
his target of being consistent in the two Tests.
"On the personal front, I have achieved targets which I had set for
myself by being consistent. However, I'm looking forward to
improving," Dillon said in a meeting with journalists ahead of the
third Test at Eden Gardens.
West Indies number three batsman Ronnie Sarwan has blamed the
batsmen for the regional side's debacle in the first two Tests
against India, saying their negative approach and failure to
convert good starts to big scores spelled doom for the team.
"Our batsmen started off well on several occasions, but then could
not convert the good starts to big scores," Sarwan told journalists
ahead of the third Test at Eden Gardens. "Moreover, we have been
too negative. We should have been more attacking and positive," the
22-year-old right hander said.
Without a doubt, the West Indies are the most popular of all
teams visiting India. The brand of cricket they play, their joie de
vivre, their sense of humour are all attributes which makes them
crowd pleasers everywhere they go.
Though they have over the years produced some of the greatest
cricketers in the world, not one of them could ever be called a
prima donna. For, basically, the West Indies cricketers have been
the most down to earth players one will ever encounter.
Here's an opportunity for our 'Talkback' feature to lend
tangible assistance to a hardcore West Indian fan. Among the
letters this week is one from UWI student Amanda Lynch-Foster who
is doing a research paper on Caribbean studies and has titled it:
"West Indies Cricket as a Source of Entertainment - the Music, the
Fans and the Players".
Ms Lynch-Foster needs to get in contact with cricket fans from all
around the region to interview them, either by e-mail or online
chat. She writes: "And if anyone has any ways to help me get in
contact with some of our cricket characters, like 'Gravy' or Peter
from Trinidad, I would be even more grateful. Better yet if I could
get in contact with the great men themselves directly through the
site!" Also, in other letters, the fans have their say on team
selection etc.
