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In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

That is some opinion by Ambrose, most of the great players from the past came as a surprise to many fans, as the players were not expected to be great when they first appeared on the scene. Gary Sobers played Test cricket for three years before he made a Test century. So it is unwise to predict that the WI cannot produce great players, but the WI need to produce several good players at the same time to be World beaters again, which I think is still possible. At the moment they have several good players.

As was not the case in Ambrose's glory days there are now too many competing interests that splits loyalty and the central focus on a unique goal.

So regrettably i have to agree with Sir Curtly ....

Sorry I disagree with Sir Ambrose. Talent evolves at different times over one’s career. Someone mentioned Sobers taking 3 years to establish. Roberts was given an opportunity in England due to injuries to other bowlers. Croft had horrible regional bowling stats, the fielders kept dropping catches. Marshall, Gomes, David Murray and Sylvester Clarke discovered after players fled to the Packer circus. There is always an abundance of talent, spite for certain players must be abandoned to ensure a strong playing unit.

In reply to Overthrow

Spite is a competing interest .....

I say this would be due to no structure or develoment program in place.

Offer Ambi a coaching job then suddenly dem current players will be world class in his eyes

In reply to Narper

In reply to natty_forever

I think this is closer to the crux of the matter.

There are more competitive teams, the revenue stream is distributed in a way that disadvantages any team not in the Big 3, there's competition for athletic talent in more sports.

Individual superstars, sure that's possible. But having the men's team at the top of the international format, it would require a lot of pieces falling into the right places.

It doesn't mean giving up, mind you... but be more pragmatic about things.

Facts and we just don't want to hear them. third countries can't invest heavily money wise in a sporting unit for it to dominate so again.
When we such a force, natural talent won the day. Who knew anything about sport science back then? no one.

In reply to Raggs

ALL the glory days players played in England for years...they played in a professional environment with professional coaches and professional pay.

Most didnt start out with more talent than is available today in the WI at the U19 level.

Until Harper, ADams and others can come up with a sucessful formula to bridge the gap between U19 and FC and then test cricket we will continue to be at the bottom of ICC ranking.

In reply to Narper

In reply to Narper

Michael Holding- not made in county cricket
Joel Garner- Not made in county cricket
Colin Croft- not made in county cricket
there stands the spine of what made that era great,

I think a bigger issue is the strength of india ...now India has become the powerhouse.. how can Windies ever expect to compete with a nation 100 times bigger?

Even if you think it don't say it.


This is an ill advised statement by Ambrose. I don't expect him to get employment with CWI as a coach with such a mindset.

It also reeks on arrogance. What impressions do you think current and up coming players will take from it?

Ambi just lost a huge amount of admiration and respect for his reckless statements.

In reply to Tryangle

Does CWI have a plan to get West Indies back at the top of world cricket? If so, how practical is it? Are they investing in such a plan? Have regional boards and players been brought in on it and have they embraced it? Costs, timeline etc?


A lot of reckless statements would get us anywhere.

To increase the brand we have to invest in a plan that cuts across succeeding administrations and the region benefits cricketers and laypeople alike.

My thoughts

In reply to Raggs

Excellent point. Also many players who went to England had already represented WI.

England was just a finishing school. GG is really the only one who played most of his early cricket in England. Pretty much all others learned their cricket locally and got selected on their regional performances.

Ambi probably correct but the main problem is CWI itself. They behave as if they only exist to collect ICC money, in exchange for votes.

There does not seem to be a serious effort to develop the game regionally. CWI, more often than not, supports only regional boards "loyal" to the current CWI president. Very little is done for the long-term. There is no plan for regional cricket development. The strong will remain strong and the week will remain weak.

Some regional boards have developed effective local cricket infrastructure. There is no CWI effort to support cricket infrastructure development in territories where infrastructure is poor.

Some regional boards have extensive playing seasons, but might be plagued with player injuries because of extensive playing seasons. CWI makes no effort to improve sports medicine for cricket in the region or share medical resources.

There are many more such examples.

Overall, CWI runs itself in a very "third world" way and hopes to compete with "first world" countries in cricket.

In my opinion , People first of All
need to factor into this discussion , the fact that :

THE WICBC /CWI IS ABSOLUTELY THE WORST

INTERNATIONAL CRICKET BOARD IN THE

COMMONWEALTH .

It is amazing , at least to me that
most People choose to focus on Our
Players rather than the Performance of WICBC/CWI .

In my opinion, currently the only credible Sports Reporter in the Region is MICHAEL HOLDING . All others are FRAUDS , who are the Minions of the Worst International
Cricket Board in the Commonwealth .

It seems that it is only former Players who have the testicular Fortitude to be critical of the
Emperors who govern West Indies Cricket .

Progress in West Indies Cricket will
only come when those in the WICBC/CWI
come to the Realization , that the
Standard of Cricket in the Region is
due to their TOTAL INCOMPETENCE .

In my opinion , what is needed is :

A TOTAL REORGANIZATION OF THE WEST

INDIES CRICKET BOARD .

I firmly believe that some Former Players , and Current Players MUST be
Members of the WICBC/CWI .

THE STARK FREAKING FACT IS THAT THOSE

CURRENTLY ON THE WICBC/CWI , REFUSE

TO UNDERSTAND , THAT WE LIVE IN THE

21ST. CENTURY .

It is the current archaic Structure of the WICBC/CWI , that Must be Abolished and Removed .

Harmony in West Indies Cricket will
only come to fruition When or If the
WICBC/CWI fully understands and realizes , that THEY ARE THE PROBLEM.

My opinion it is their condescending
Attitude towards Our Players that is
a major problem regarding West Indies
Cricket .

THE MEMBERS OF THE WICBC/CWI ARE

STUCK IN A BYGONE TIME WARP . THEY

BELIEVE THAT OUR PLAYERS ARE THEIR

SERFS .

Unless there are Serious changes in
those on the West Indies Cricket Board ; WE will be running very fast , yet finding Ourselves , in the same
Place .

In reply to POINT

Holding is a sports reporter ?!? dwl

In reply to Norm

Many of those in the Region who claim to be Sports Journalists , are not only Frauds, they relish being the Serfs of
the Worst International Cricket Board
in the Commonwealth .

Unless and Until , there are drastic
changes in the WICBC/CWI , and those
who claim to be Sports Reporters , WE
will be akin to trying Spinning a Top
in Mud .

ALL the Problems regarding West Indies Cricket cannot , and must not be heaped on Our Players . The WICBC/
CWI , and its Minnions Must also bear
the brunt of our current Standard in
International Cricket .

IT IS ASSINE TO HEAP ALL THE ILLS IN

WEST INDIES CRICKET SOLELY ON OUR

PLAYERS .

The WICBC/CWI ,must be held accountable with regard to its Stewardship of West Indies Cricket .

Those in the Region who claim to be
Sports Journalists , need to stop being the Lap Dogs of the WICBC , and become Real Sports Journalists .

In reply to POINT

You continue to blame journalists, but what have the cricket administrators and government done in The Windward Islands, to produce a great cricket in each island, to get West Indies cricket back to the way it was , in the eighties?
I am tired hearing from you people in the Windwards blaming Tom, Dick and Harry, and not producing a solid International great.
Antigua gave us four, one each from St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica and Grenada will get the CWI back to the glory days.

We 6th from glory days.