While the sexual harassment/gender aspects of the Chris Gayle controversy are being ventilated, it may be appropriate to consider the purely cricketing aspect of his behaviour. It says more about why we are near the bottom of the pile than we might care to admit.

Gayle has been an international cricketer for almost 20 years, travelling the world, sampling many different cultures. Yet it is clear that he genuinely did not know that his response to that female reporter was inappropriate! In considering the cricketing aspect of this interview, it would be instructive to connect it with an earlier interview in 2009 which readers may think, at first blush, has no connection. I assert that the two interviews are directly connected.

Michael Holding observed after yet another World cup failure last year that West Indies did not play "intelligent" cricket. Holding works in television where views tend to be understated. I have no such reservation. We not only played "dumb" cricket then, but have been doing so for 20 years. That's why we are where we are today. Nothing to do with the WICB governance structure, lack of money, attraction of other sports... and all the usual absurd excuses trotted out after each failed tour. Just plain "dumb" cricket, employing only those parts of the body from the shoulders down.

Duck! Friendly Fire!!!

In reply to Larr Pullo


Man Down

In reply to Larr Pullo

Look for JOCEM to rendition Townsend now.

btw JOCEM is Jamaica Overseas Cultural Enforcement Movement.

to be fair, that last 15 years has produced a lot of WI cricketers -not only Gayle -who were simply not students of the game- from all across the region.

In reply to sudden

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

In reply to camos

In reply to Larr Pullo

with all you literacy prowess you ended up at Howard?

In reply to camos

Howard is a fine institution!!! Probably all the finer because I did not go there....

In reply to Larr Pullo

In reply to Cheeks

it is according to who is being accessed and who is doing the assessment. Gayle v. coach. coach offended Gayle by saying that he is not a student of the game. coach did not say this to Gayle's face but said it in a report to an administrator who showed it to Gayle. before coach could discuss it with Gayle. Gayle gets angry, goes on a rage. who is right? Player v coach? ah who dem ah cum fee see?

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

In reply to Ninetenjack

True, he says it alot.
I've heard Bish even saying it
I guess more and more of these guys growing balls
Well is only so much ppl can take before they get fed up
Now everyone getting fed up with the poor on and off field antics of the players
It's funny though that some ppl will defend a player to the death even if they realise that player is wrong.
G

In reply to sudden

In reply to sudden

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

In reply to sudden

JOCEM...lol

In reply to FanAttick

An Addendum:

MAN OF THE SERIES for said 2009 Australia tour, even while playing "dumb cricket"!!!

In reply to jacksprat


Preach it bro
TOWNSEND can throw the baby out with the bath water

I wouldn't take this article too seriously. Townsend is one of the destroyer of Canadian cricket as a poor Administrator.

In reply to summergon

Ohh Lawd-mouth open story jump out"

In reply to summergon

poor or dumb?

In reply to FanAttick
Hey, why do you think Gayle is so inconsistent? If you go yamming at every ball, you will get lucky sometimes. This guy thinks the world revolves around him. He thinks he is too big for West Indies cricket.
This article hits the nail right on the head. Except for a few of them, this bunch of mini-talent, self absorbed, greedy guys who play for the West Indies are the dumbest bunch of "cricketers" currently in the game. It's embarrassing having them representing the West Indies.

[b]In reply to FanAttick[/b
Facts are very stubborn. Another fact you forgot to mention is, Cris Gayle is the only batsman to hit the first ball of a test match for six.
Instead of trying to blame Gayle for the failure of West Indies cricket, we need to go back to the last test series against Australia, where in three test matches Australia scored a combined total of 1,489 runs, for 9 wickets. In other words, if we were to take these scores to a single inning, they would have scored 1,489 / 9 We were not even able to bowl them out in one inning. In contrast West Indies scored 1,254 / 50 wickets.

In reply to rhatid

Geezer when they circumcised you stupid raas

...they threw the wrong part away!

In reply to Cleg
Express yourself the only way you know, you ignorant, illiterate ass. You must be that part they threw away coming back from where they dumped you to haunt me.

I would like to remind the Author of this Article , that he is indulging
in a Charade , and One needs to question his veracity .

First let me quote a very well known
axiom that most Caribbean People know:

"FISH NEVER ROTS FROM THE TAIL UP BUT

FROM THE HEAD DOWN ".

That being the case We must deal with
the Head . Because if the head is rotten , the tail will also rot .

Let me present these facts which absolutely NO ONE can dispute . The
current Structure of the WICBC has been in place for roughly 89 years , unchanged . To be precise since 1927 . Not 89 days ; 89 Weeks ; 89 Months
89 YEARS .

During those 89 years , the WICBC
commissioned several Reports , and bluntly refused to change the Structure . I have concluded that
the reason why they refuse to do that
is that they are fearful that that the power they presently command will be diluted ; and that must never ever
happen.

Let me state some facts that can never ever be disputed , by the Author or anyone .

1. When England limited the number of
Players from playing Cricket in England it had a severe impact on
Cricket in the Region , because there was not a Pro or Semi Pro League in
the Region , Obviously it in the Region there was a Pro or Semi Pro League in the Region .

When England decided to limit Overseas Players from playing in England ,in the mid 1980's there was
not an institution in the Region , where youngsters had an opportunity
to learn & know what exactly is entailed in being a Professional Cricketer .

The fact is that when England limited the number of Players going to England to Play Cricket , Our Players & Team were the best in the World .

Now if the people in the governance of Cricket in the Region were really
interested in making our Players fully competitive , in the International Cricket Arena , they would have had the Foresight ; Vision
& Wisdom to realize that over time
the standard of Cricket & the competitiveness of Our Players will wane .

They would have realized that the best course of action would be to form a Regional Pro or Semi Pro League in the Region , had they done this Players in the Region would today know what is entailed in being a Professional Cricketer .

Now this can never be placed on the
Players , therefore the Author has written a load of Gibberish , and that is putting it mildly . BTW , it
was only 3 years ago the WICBC decided to form a Pro League .

To Be Continued .

Continuation .

If in the mid 1980's the WICBC had decided to form a Regional Pro or Semi Pro League , it would have been easy to get Financial Sponsors , Our Players &
Team were the best in the World . Sponsors love Winners , and associating
with Winners .

The fact is that the People in the WICBC sat on their ASSES AND DID NOTHING . These were the People running Cricket in the Region . The Players did not have a say in this matter , yet the author of this article will probably blame the Players for this Colossal missed Opportunity .

Now that missed opportunity by the WICBC was compounded , when the Tour
Schedule
was changed . Prior to the change Touring Players played many matches prior to the Test Matches &
also between the Test Matches .

This meant that their skills of Touring Players were sharply honed in every facet of the game . But just as important , or perhaps more important , is the fact that they got acclimatized to both the Weather & the condition of the Pitches .

After the change of the Tour Schedule
Our Players , who had none of the benefits of playing a lot of matches
and ample time to get acclimatized
to both the Climate & Pitches , and in addition had no Pro or Semi Pro League in the Region were at a distinct disadvantage as compared to those Players who played prior to the limiting of Players by England ; and the many matches before & between the Test Matches .

These Facts are lost on the Author of this Nonsense . Another fact is this :

OUR CURRENT PLAYERS ARE PLAYING LESS

CRICKET THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS ON

TEAMS RANKED ABOVE OUR TEAM & THAT

INCLUDES BANGLADESH .

This aint a trifling matter , because
it is by playing a lot of Cricket that Players get to improve their Concentration ; Stamina - Mental &
Physical ; the ability to concentrate for long periods ; the ability to build an Innings ; the ability to forge Fruitful Partnerships etc .

The gist of what I have stated is that those in the governance of Cricket in the Region have not done what needs to be done to inculcate in current Players what they need to do to be successful
in the International Cricket Arena .

I do not hold a brief for the Players
but the fact is that those in the Administration of Cricket bears a
greater responsibility for the current PISS POOR State of Cricket in the Region . Than the Players , so the Author of this article is the Dumbest of all .

I am awaiting a response from the Author of this Post and / or Others
who believe what the author has stated .

When people indulge in writing Stupidness they must always be challenged ; because Truth aint on their Side . They need to realize
that other people sit down and analyze
How WE got to where WE currently are
regarding Cricket in the Region .

History informs us about the mistakes
that were made in the Past , that must be corrected if WE want to be
successful in the Future .

For 89 freaking years the The people in the WICB foisted on us an archaic
structual System . When the Mimic Men inherited the Entity they relished
this tired archaic Structure, because of their Lust FOR POWER .

They were so engrossed in their Power
they failed to understand that :

CRICKET IS A VERY SERIOUS BUSINESS

THAT DEMANDS THAT THE BUSINESS OF

CRICKET MUST BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY .

Lost on the author of this Nonsense
is the fact that the WICBC is the
Worst International Cricket Board in the Commonwealth . Its Stupidity , lack of Business Acumen ; Arrogance &
Incompetence is well known throughout
the Cricket World .

Imagine , rather that making a serious attempt to salvage the Tour to India , in their colossal Arrogance ; they pulled the plug on the Tour , leaving their Host the BCCI with a mountain of Debt .

Imagine prior to the 2007 World Championships , These BUMS asked the
Regional Governments to use TAXPAYERS
MONEY to build New Stadia ; Refurbish
existing Stadia ; and Spruce up Grounds . The Regional Governments did ALL that was requested of them .
The Tournament was a success especially from a Financial perspective .

A sometime ago , The Regional Governments asked the BUMS to implement the recommendations of the Patterson Report . The Bums bluntly
refused , and instead commissioned
another Report , which they Rejected .Perhaps because they love the 89 year old Structure .

But the author of this piece of Garbage has conveniently forgotten all this . His focus is on the Players . One thing I know for sure
What I have stated aint a figment of my Imagination .

I am still waiting to get a rebuttal from the Author or anyone who believes what he has stated .

The real Heading of this Post should have been :

20 YEARS OF DUMB CRICKET BY THE WICBC

ADMINISTRATION .

The failures of those in the governance
of Cricket in the Region far outweigh
the performances of our Players whose performances ; depend on the Stewardship of those in the governance of Cricket in the Region .

Let me again repeat an axiom :

FISH NEVER ROTS FROM THE TAIL

IT ALWAYS ROTS FROM THE HEAD DOWN .