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The WI since 2000 have had batsmen who stands up amongst the greatest who have played the game. We speak of the "glory days" but truth is, we do not give enough credit to our present day heroes. Take for example how much we speak of Greenidge and Haynes as great openers, but give very little credit to Chris Gayle who's record in tests is just as good, if not better with two triple hundreds and who played in a weaker team.

Greenidge played 108 tests scoring 7558 runs at an average of 44.79 with 19 hundreds and 34 fifties and a highest score of 226.

Haynes played 116 tests scoring 7487 runs at an average of 42.29 with 18 hundreds and 39 fifties and a highest score of 184.

Chris Gayle played 103 tests scoring 7214 runs at an average of 42.18 with 15 hundreds and 37 fifties and a highest score of 333.

As you can see, there is not much difference in the records but you will never hear Gayle's name mentioned as an opening great of WI cricket. We have had other batsmen who have done very well. Brian Lara and Chanderpaul amongst the greats playing in the 2000s. Sarwan also had a good record but given little credit.

Where the WI has failed miserably is in the bowling department. The great WI teams of the 70s through to the mid 90s all had a top class bowling line up. Since Ambrose and Walsh retired, only Kemar Roach, I believe, has gone on to take over 200 test wickets. The closest we have come to looking like a good bowling unit was in the series in the Caribbean again England where we thrashed them. To win test matches a team must be able to take 20 wickets in a match consistently. On some occasions the WI has struggled to even take 20 wickets in a series and that puts pressure on the batsman when they are already 500 runs behind. Fix the bowling and maybe we can get closer to those "glory days". The WI rise in ranking to no. 6 in tests is not a rise. We are still only at 84 rating points. That's around where we have always been. Our rise to number 6 is primarily due to the fall of SA and SL. Find a way to fix our bowling in years to come and the WI will start to do well again.

Many People in the Region , and in this
Forum utterly fail to understand or
acknowledge the following facts .

CRICKET IS ALSO PLAYED IN THE ICC .

If you doubt the above , comparatively
recently 4 of the top International Cricket Boards decided that they must
get the Lions share of the ICC Profits. THEY were shamed into rescinding that
decision .

People in this Forum need to realize
the following facts :

OUR PLAYERS WERE ONCE THE BEST PLAYERS

IN THE WORLD . THIS WAS DESPITE THE

FACT THAT IN THE REGION WE DID NOT HAVE

A REGIONAL CRICKET LEAGUE .

Cricket aint only played on Cricket
Grounds , it is also played in the
ICC ; and in the International Cricket Boards .

In the Glory Days of Our Players in International Cricket ; West Indies Cricket Board , had no thoughts of
having a Regional Cricket League .

IT believed that the demands for our Players to play Cricket mainly in England would last forever . So there
were no thoughts of having a Regional
Cricket League .

The stark freaking fact is that , Our
Players skills were harnessed and honed by the fact that Our Players
skills were kept intact by Playing
Cricket Overseas , mainly England .

Obviously since geographically England is the nearest Country to the
Region ,most of Our Players played
County Cricket in England .

People in this Forum need to realize
the following facts :

OUR PLAYERS WERE ONCE THE BEST PLAYERS

IN THE WORLD . THIS WAS DESPITE THE

FACT THAT IN THE REGION WE DID NOT HAVE

A REGIONAL CRICKET LEAGUE .

Cricket aint only played on Cricket
Grounds , it is also played in the
ICC ; and in the International Cricket Boards .

In the Glory Days of Our Players in International Cricket ; West Indies Cricket Board , had no thoughts of
having a Regional Cricket League .

IT believed that the demands for our Players to play Cricket mainly in England would last forever . So there
were no thoughts of having a Regional
Cricket League .

The stark freaking fact is that , Our
Players skills were harnessed and honed by the fact that Our Players
skills were kept intact by Playing
Cricket Overseas , mainly England .

Obviously since geographically England is the nearest Country to the
Region ,most of Our Players played
County Cricket in England .

Obviously their Fitness , Concentration, and skills were finely
honed , when called to represent the
Region .

THERE ARE TWO SIGNIFICANT FACTORS THAT

MUST BE CONSIDERED , WHEN ANY

DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CURRENT STANDARD

WEST INDIES CRICKET .

The Truth is that the WICBC/CWI mistakenly believed that the Glory
Days of Our Players Dominance in
International Cricket would last
Forever .

THE WICBC/CWI WAS WRONG , ITS MEMBERS

FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THAT MORE

CRICKET IS PLAYED OFF THE FIELD THAN

ON THE FIELD .

The Jokers in the WICBC/CWI failed to
understand that Cricket aint only played on the Cricket Field .

When the England Cricket Board refused to have Overseas Players playing Cricket in England . I firmly
believe that was done to affect the
competitiveness of Our Players in
the International Cricket Arenas .

This freaking factor never dawned on those in the WICBC/CWI , so they did
Nothing . They could have, at that juncture , Form a Regional Cricket
League . THE WICBC/CWI DID NOTHING !!

Obviously the competitiveness of Our
Players in all facets of the game slowly and surely were diminished .

The WICBC/CWI could have formed a Regional League It did Nothing .

The Final Blow was when the ICC decided
to stop the many matches that were played between the Test Matches were
stopped .

It was those matches that made our Players acclimatized to the Weather and
the Pitches . Also very important was
the fact that Our Players Concentration
Skills and Fitness were superb .

History informs us that many years passed , before it dawned on the WICBC/
CWI that it should have a Regional
Tournament .

What I have stated above are :

FACTS NOT FICTION !!!!!!!!!

In reply to b4u8me2

In reply to POINT
I started to look at cricket as a professional sport, after the 1976 Olympics.
Australia after not doing well, looked at sports as part of its economy, thereby developing a ministry of sports.
For us West Indians, we only have to look at Jamaica T&F, to see why so many homegrown track stars.

In reply to openning

The stark Freaking fact is that in
International Cricket is, as I
have already stated is chock full of
Intrigue , Deception , and Connivance.

Looking at Cricket from a Geographic
perspective . The closest Region to
England where Cricket is played is
the West Indies .

So when England decided to limit the
number of Overseas Players , playing Cricket in England , That obviously affected the competitiveness Our Players in International Cricket .

BTW it was Our Players who were the Best in the World at that time . When
it was decided that Pace Bowlers , it
was the Our Team that had the fastest bowlers .

Now what I have stated aint a figment
of my Imagination . That is a freaking Undeniable Fact .

The fact is that rather than being a
Gentleman's Game , the fact that Our
Players were very Good , and were also playing Cricket in England , England decided to limit overseas Players from playing Cricket in England .

That had no effect on Players from South Africa ; Australia ; New Zealand , India ; Pakistan . However
it affected Our Players due to the fact that Our Players ,from a geographical perspective ,were the
closest Players to England .

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the ICC is a Hot Bed of Intrigue . Absolutely No One can change my perspective on this matter.

The fact is that the Dimwits in the
WICBC/CWI , were so Dumb , THEY were
so oblivious to what was happening ,

THEY DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING !!!!!!!!

This is precisely why West Indies Cricket , is akin to running very fast , yet finding Itself floundering
at the Bottom of International Cricket .

This is precisely why if there is to be any meaningful Progress in West Indies Cricket .

THERE MUST BE A TOTAL RESTRUCTURING

IN WEST INDIES CRICKET .

Current Members of the WICBC/CWI must
demit their Offices . They have become , and are a Blight on West Indies Cricket .

That is precisely why WE are floundering at the Bottom in International Cricket .

In reply to POINT
I cannot understand why you think ECB had the obligation to continue developing West Indies cricketers.
One would think the the WICB would have programs in place, to develop players.

In reply to openning

True... chanderpaul and Lara were homegrown

In reply to openning

The salient point , pardon the pun,
that I have continuously stated is the
Stark Freaking Fact that

THE WICBC/CWI LACKED THE FORESIGHT

TO FULL UNDERSTAND THE FREAKING IMPACT

AND COMPETITIVENESS , THAT OUR PLAYERS

SUFFERED DUE TO THE TOTAL INCOMPETENCE

OF THE WICBC/CWI .

At that juncture ,the WICBC/CWI could
have started a Regional Cricket League.History informs us ALL , that it
did nothing .

Interestingly , it took an American
Crook to in essence have a Regional
Cricket League . The WICBC/CWI should
be freaking ashamed of their lack of
Foresight .

The fact is that an American Crook ,
did what the WICBC/CWI should have done . BTW ,unwittingly HE was helped
by some of our Former Players who were of the fact that HE was a Crook.

When England banned overseas Players
from playing Cricket in England , It
was the Responsibility of the WICBC/CWI to form a Cricket League in
the Region.

History informs us ALL that :

THE WICBC/CWI DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

NOW THIS IS A FREAKING FACT NOT

FICTION.

In reply to b4u8me2

One of the reasons why Gayle is not considered great is because of the way he makes his runs, he is not as classical as both Haynes and Greenidge were.

In reply to dayne

This bullshit again...who cares how the runs are made?

In reply to DIEHARD

Well obvious the people who do the ratings and the cricket critics care. For example look at the numbers of Gary Sobers and Kallis, their numbers are close to similar, but many cricket fans would not put Kallis on the same level as Sobers. Another one, Graeme Wood was one of the most consistent openers in modern times, but how many cricket fans ever talk about Wood, it all about how he made his runs.

In reply to openning

Evidently , Your knowledge of West Indies Cricket has a gap . I have in this Forum , continuously stated the
stark freaking Fact that , it took quite a bit of time before in dawned on
the Incompetent WICBC/CWI to fully
understand that there needed to be a
Regional Tournament .

When England decided to ban all Overseas Players from Playing Cricket
in England , What was the immediate
response of the WICBC/CWI ?????????

THE GIST OF WHAT I HAVE CONTINUOUSLY

STATED IN THIS FORUM IS THE FACT THAT

THE WICBC/CWI WAS CLUELESS WHEN IT

SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRO ACTIVE .

What was the immediate Response of the WICBC/CWI when England decided to
ban Overseas Players from playing Cricket in England ????????????????

BTW , MOST OF THE OTHER CRICKET

PLAYING COUNTRIES GEOGRAPHICALLY WERE

NOT CLOSE TO ENGLAND . SO THEIR

PLAYERS WERE NOT AFFECTED BY THE BAN.

Now this is a fact not freaking Fiction . I do not recall the WICBC/CWI Immediately forming a Regional Cricket League .

When the ICC decided to discard the
many matches between the Test Matches , It was only Our Region that suffered the most .

Sadly the People in the WICBC/CWI refused to understand the effect this would have on Our Players competitiveness in International Cricket .

I do not recall the WICBC/CWI at that
juncture forming a Regional Cricket
League . That obviously would have been helpful to Our Players competitiveness in International Cricket .

THE WICBC/CWI DID NOTHING !!!!!!!!!!!

What I have stated above :

ARE FACTS NOT FICTION .

Cricket is also played in various
Countries , that play International
Cricket .
Exhibit 1.
England decided to curtail the number of Overseas Players playing Cricket
in England it was only our Region that was severely affected due to Our
Geographical distance to England .

EXHIBIT 2.
Which International Cricket Team had
the Fastest Bowlers in the World when
the ICC decided that Pace Bowlers can only bowl 1 Bouncer per Over ???????

EXHBIT 3.
Which International Cricket Team suffered the most when it was decided
to curtail the many matches played
between the Test Matches ???????

no-one knows the main reason for WI failures..

In reply to tc1
Anyone that followed West Indies cricket over the years, could see the professionalism that the players of the 70's and 80's, was gained from the World series and county era.
The players played at the highest level on a daily basis, returning home, bringing that experience to the region.
Here is an example of two players, who played in the same era.
1. Richie Richardson, he was able in a year to represent the West Indies, Played county cricket trained in Antigua before and sometimes after the regional tournament, played regional cricket.
2. Carlisle Best, he was able in a year to represent the West Indies, his club practice session was 20-25 minutes per person, Tuesdays thru Thursday, he played club cricket on Saturdays .
Thats an Amateur vs a Professional.
Kraigg, Cummins,Joseph and Fidel are in England, the practice facilities in England are far superior than at the club level in Barbados, their games are Thursday thru Sundays weekly.
Hope you see the difference