Depending on whom you ask, the description of the state of West Indies cricket can provide an answer which will lead one to believe the best and the worst, but certainly not complimentary to the present image of the game which had reached the highest quality above every cricketing country in the world many moons ago.

However, few of the armchair critics cared to explain the reasons for our demise. Was it a sharp deterioration from the level of the legendary presentations of players like Sir George Headley, Sir Garry Sobers, Sir Viv Richards, Rohan Kanhai, through to the absolutely brilliant batting genius Brian Charles Lara.

The ranking scale has dropped from ten to a zero and before anyone tries to find excuses, stand in the line of thousands who can provide some strange ones. To be angry, emotional, disappointed or furious because of a drop in standard or in any mood, will be justified.

Target the poor work of administrators, the attitude of the players or in many cases comments which will incite insularity, partisanship, social status, the negative or positive effect of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) during the downward spiral of the game, will mirror total confusion and no progress.

read more at Trinidad Guardian

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In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

I do not agree with Corneal's statement regarding Stanford . It was
the WICBC that farmed out the shortest version of the game to Stanford .

The fact is that other International
Cricket Countries did not choose to
farm out 20/20 Cricket . The WICBC
decided to do that .

Corneal , possibly forgot to state
the following fact :

THE GOLDEN ERAS OF WEST INDIES

CRICKET IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA

WERE MADE POSSIBLE DUE TO TWO VERY

IMPORTANT FACTORS .

Our players when not representing the
Region ; were playing Cricket in England .In essence , they were always supremely fit Physically & Mentally ; and also they were in form
in all facets of the game .

In addition , the International Tour
Scheduled allowed for many matches to
be played ; between the International
matches .

Obviously this assisted Players to get accustomed to the weather ; and the Pitches . ALL this came to a crashing halt when England decided to
limit Overseas Players from playing Cricket in England .

Then it was decided to scrap the existing Tour Schedule , which facilitated many matches . Mr. Corneal , never mentioned the above ,
nor did he mention this fact :

THE GOLDEN ERAS OF WEST INDIES

CRICKET HAPPENED WITHOUT A SEMI PRO

OR PRO LEAGUE IN THE REGION .

My perspective is that it was incumbent on those in the governance of Cricket in the Region , when England decided to limit Players playing Cricket in England ; and the
International Cricket Tour Schedule was changed to form a Regional Pro or Semi Pro in the Region .

Those in the governance of Cricket in
the Region sat on their Asses and did not do anything until 3 or 4 years ago . I dare anyone in this Forum to factually contradict what I have stated here .

The Seeds of the current situation
regarding Cricket in the Region is
due to the fact that those in the
governance of Cricket , mistakenly
believed that our Players & Teams
would be forever be the best in the
World .

If they had brains they would have
realized that securing Financial Sponsors to form a Cricket League when our Players were the best in the World would reap benefits in the form
of our players being fully competitive in the International Cricket Arena .

Those in the governance decided when
our Players are at or near the bottom
of International Cricket to form a
Regional Cricket League . Sponsors
always gravitate to WINNERS , so
the WICBC missed the boat years ago ,
and it is very unlikely that boat is going to come this way again .

In reply to POINT

Corneal is part of the old school establishment.

All he can say about the governance is their work poor, this is like calling a serial killer a petty criminal.

When I hear Corneal call for the total and unconditional removal of the WICB and all of the governance structure of WI cricket, only then we can take him seriously.

In reply to Emir

I hear You , and I agree with you .
For 13 years in this Forum I have clearly stated the causes for the decline of West Indies Cricket .

NONE has come forward to challenge my
perspective regarding why WE are where WE are , regarding the state of Cricket in the Region .

The Fact is those in the governance
of Cricket in the Region have failed ,and are failing to understand that
International Cricket aint Kiddies Cricket .


International Cricket demands that
persons in the WICBC & the Regional
Boards are fully versed in effectively managing & operating
a successful Entity .

It is my belief that those in the
governance of Cricket in the Region
have been and are clueless regarding
running a successful Entity .

For many years now those at the helm of West Indies Cricket have distinguished themselves for being
Petty ; Vindictive ; Clueless regarding dealing with their Employees .

They have been and are unable to factor into the equation Vision &
Foresight . Their inability to fully
understand that their 89 years old
Structure is in serious need of being
restructured .

For many years now they have all bluntly refused to change the Structure despite every few years
commissioning various Reports and then ignoring the salient things in
those Reports .