West Indies cricket has come a long way. It has grown from the colonial days and the reign of the Englishmen with a Bible and a bat and ball in their hands.
In those days, the Englishmen brought the game with them, the natives learnt the game and learnt it well, and they practised diligently until they became good, very good.
In those days, cricket was the game of the West Indies.
Today, things have changed, however. Cricket is no longer the game of the West Indies, to the point that not even a Test match in the West Indies can be seen on local television anymore as is the case between the Windies versus Sri Lanka.
West Indies cricket needs help to revive the popularity of the game again so that it can hold its place in the general scheme of things and take it back to a place of pride.
Despite the performance against a weak Sri Lanka so far, West Indies cricket is in a parlous state: it also needs administrators and players dedicated to one thing, and that is, the development of the game.
It has been 20-odd years since the glory days and many years since West Indian cricketers were ranked among the very best who ever played the game.
It is hurting, not so much that the West Indies can no longer compete against a good team, and remembering that everything happens in circles, it is not so much that the West Indies have failed to compete, but that there has hardly been any effort to stop the bleeding, either by administration or by players.
For years now, ever since the slide started, the board, like the people, has been talking about development, but all that has been nothing but talk. The notes of all the retreats and all the meetings have ended in the dust bin somewhere.
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In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com
Another article about the state of cricket in the Caribbean and suggestions of how to fix it. Cricket in the Caribbean would never be like how it was in the 80's and early 90's period, because everything changes, the Caribbean does not have the money , the technology, the Fan support, the management structure and the leadership required to rectify all the issues that is affecting Cricket in the region at the moment. First of all, the management structure has to change and then more time and effort has to be put into getting the game promoted in schools, that is where the future Fans and players are developed.
In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com
TONY BECCA IS THAT REALLY YOU !! I
CANNOT BELIEVE THAT YOU OF ALL PERSONS
HAVE FINALLY HAD A SAUL ON THE ROAD TO
DAMASCUS MOMENT .
Quite Frankly Tony Becca owes all the Cricket Fans in the Region an effusive Apology .
My perspective is that Tony Becca &
others who claim to be Sports Journalists need to go to each English Speaking Island in the Caribbean , and walk around in Sack
Clothing & Ashes .
THE TRUTH IS THAT BECCA ET AL IN THE
SPORTS MEDIA , & THE WICBC,CWI ARE
MUCH MORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STATE
OF CRICKET IN THE REGION , THAN OUR
PLAYERS .
I have yet to read or hear ANY Sports
Journalist in the Region decry the fact that the WICBC/CWI commissioned
several Reports , and refused to take
on Board the salient features of those
Reports .
BECCA PLEASE CITE WHAT YOU WROTE
REGARDING THE ABOVE .
It would be nice , regarding the
Darren Bravo Saga , Becca's opinion
on this matter . Clearly , in my opinion the President of the WICBC/CWI had an obligation to correctly ascertain what level Contract Darren Bravo had .
I DID NOT HEAR OR READ THAT BECCA
OR ANY OF THE OTHER LACKEYS OF THE
WICBC/CWI IN THE MEDIA RENDER AN
OPINION ON THIS MATTER .
It is very well known that :
" SILENCE GIVES CONSENT ".
I did not read or hear that any of
the Pseudo Sports Journalists in the
Region , stated or wrote that the
President of the WICBC/CWI had an obligation to know precisely what
level Contract Bravo had .
In my opinion , most of the People in the Region who profess to be Sports Journalists are as responsible for the current state of
Cricket , as their Masters in the
WICBC/CWI .
WHAT WE NEED IN THE REGION ARE
SPORTS JOURNALISTS WITH THE COURAGE
TO SPEAK & TELL THE TRUTH , WHICH IS
THAT THE WICBC/CWI HAS BEEN & IS
THE ARCHITECTS OF THE DECLINE OF
WEST INDIES CRICKET . THEIR POWER
COMES FROM THOSE IN THE MEDIA WHO
BLUNTLY REFUSE TO BE CRITICAL OF THE
WICBC/CWI .
Now that Cricket in the Region is at Rock Bottom , Becca decides to turn on his Masters . Had Becca et al been Critical a long time ago , WE
would probably not be in the position WE currently find Ourselves
in International Cricket .
