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Let that thought resonate and then ask the question why have we not produced more in the last 30 years?

No part of a COE; no formal coaching; no cricket pathway for young Shemar. Just a deep love and passion for a game of cricket.

4 5fers in 7 FC matches also highlights the fact that potential is the antipathy of true talent. How long do you wait for someone to produce? How does a man after just 2 matches already look like the leader of the pack.

Shemar must be seen as proof, that as a region, we will NEVER lack for talent. Again I ask, what is, and what has been the problem these past 30+ years?

In reply to mkcharles

I remember wondering a few months ago that particularly in relation to bowlers is the next world class bowler ( let’s not jump the gun - hopefully Shamar will achieve this but he is not that yet ) going to come from nowhere ? ie not through the age group system etc. it is laudable to have all these set ups because it obviously is set up to try and produce not just future test players but high class successful players.

What is that has gone wrong or at least hasn’t really got anywhere near to achieving this ?

Is it overcoaching ? Bad coaching ? Insular selection even at junior level ? Over cautious selection ?… hanging on to old journey men ( but never really going to go anywhere) players ?

In reply to robbo

Read about Clyde Butts!

In reply to mkcharles

Just like many of our previous superstars were not a product of formal programs, it's happenstance, where a diamond shines through every once in a while, and gets noticed. The athlete is the raw material. The sculpture may turn out to be Track & Field, soccer, basketball, cricket, soca artiste or dancehall king/queen. The enabler is Discipline and Love of the activity, without which, it's mediocrity.

In reply to Curtis

So many of past West Indian greats learned the game playing beach cricket and road cricket.

Playing the game in those informal settings allowed players to develop their own unique style and express their natural abilities. It's why West Indians were known for playing with flair and flamboyance as opposed to English players who were textbook and stoic.

Nice to see that in Shamar we can still unearth players from such informal settings who can perform at the highest level.

In reply to mkcharles

Just the deep love.

alas...if we could identify MORE lads like him...and that being the FIRST QUALIFIER...man...we would rule the cricket world again with ease.

I hope many fellas in many villages are inspired for years to come.

In reply to robbo

I'd say over-coaching is the problem!

In reply to robbo

My take on your queries:

Overcoaching - no; not enough structured coaching

Bad coaching - more likely outdated

Over cautious selection - no, but we have a talent scout deficit; we don’t know a javelin thrower from a fast bowler though it could be the same person;

Hanging on to old journeymen - most definitely;

In reply to powen001

The village no longer produces these types because they are being placed in organized cricket at 9-10 and the system takes care of the rest: interference, nepotism, incompetence for starters.

Cricket was once played in the gap, at the beach, on the pasture, in the school yard for the fun and love of play and for camaraderie. Now you hear coaches ear-marking 12 year olds as future IPL stars because they are bigger and stronger than their peers.

In reply to mkcharles

You have asked a very good question, he gave up his job to focus on cricket.
He did not focus on the Rumshop or liming.
A guy from a humble beginning with a child and a small community, his work ethic had to be his focus.
He knows where he wants to go, the world saw a young man bowling 10 overs on the trot.
The Aussies had a rotation with the seamers after three overs.
I can only assume fitness and preparation.
He must have bowled hundreds of balls DAILY before the first test, especially at various single stumps.

A deep love eh? That’s what it takes


Who had more of a deep love than Tino Best?

You guys are more hopeless than I thought.

Shamar Joseph is a product of LUCK and TIMING

So too was Ambrose

In reply to imusic

Ambrose, Roberts.

Our coaching is a joke, every other guy now has Level 1 certification, and we produce more guys with illegal action, than when they just walked off the street!

In reply to imusic

Tino was fast and wayward, having love for the game does not mean you put in the work to be successful, the best I have seen him bowled was in either Sri Lanka or Bam, he was injured overcast day, and he slowed his speed down seamed the ball, he had a 5-wicket haul in that match.
I hope he shares his preparation for the tour, there is still plenty of work to be done, noballs for one, but his accuracy did not come from showing up, there had to be plenty of reps.

In reply to mkcharles

It's SHAMAR not Shemar.

Thanks.

In reply to imusic

Bro, the Deep Love we speak of is what it takes to put in the 3 to 6 hours per day working on your craft, training, practising, watching videos, etc apart from the
actual match itself. All this when yuh padnas dem liming and feteing.

In reply to imusic

Man what you telling me… a man take 400 test wickets and he is luck.

Talent is innate, but talent has to be exposed for it to be heralded.

You think because a man arrive late like a Shamar or an Ambrose before him, that they are by luck and not because of a talent like a Joe Root who had the means to have his talent nurtured and feted at every stage of his career?

Talent has no face or no boundaries unless tethered.

As for Tino, from a kid he loved the game. He too didn’t come through the age group teams because they were others more TALENTED; but apart for his love for the game, he was always a hard worker, supremely fit, very confident and could bowl quickly especially as he got older and stronger. That ABILITY to bowl quickly and his spirit is why he had a successful FC career and, yes, he was better than most of the lot that we have produced in the past 30 years which tells its own story.

It's unfortunate, but West Indies does not have the finances or resources to compete with the big dogs at this time. Finance and government resources are critical for the sports in the region to develop - no if and but!!

We have to rely a lot on natural talent. We are probably 20 years behind on the science, so even though CWI is trying to make strides step by step, it will take us a while to catch up. We've only recently had a professional first class setup and it costs around US$400,000 a month to operate.

The first class teams have a head coach, physio and trainer and players are on yearly contracts, yet some guys in the franchise still cannot pass a fitness test. Players need to also be held accountable for some of their own short comings. We need to get out of this mentality that it's the board alone. The boards are somewhat limited because of financial constraints and lack of resources in each country.

I was told by a first class cricketer once, when they went to Trinidad to practice before a first class match, they met Lara in the nets. Their team left training and Lara was still there doing his thing. These are the stories you never hear, all legends do more than the average man. Sometimes you have to be able to realise the system doesn't give you much but you still have to try and make the best of it. Shamar Joseph made the best of it.

Alick Athanaze was dropped from Windwards and he said that made him change. The guys who are willing to hold themselves accountable, are the only ones who will exceed in our system. I look at Junior Sinclair, and he reminds me of Paul Collingwood. Not the most 'talented' bloke but because of his share determination to exceed, he will end up punching above some of your more naturally talented guys.

I'll agree that some boards/administrators can do better. Some people (selectors) deliberately try to kill people career. I ain't going argue that, we all live and see it. But any successful person in life will tell you, you focus on the things you can control. The ones you can't control, if you dwell on them too much, you'll lose sight of what you can control.

In reply to mkcharles

You’re making my point

Tino had an intense love for the game. In addition, he was an extremely hard worker and very fit. He took the game seriously.

He was extremely successful at FC level hit that success, despite his love for the game and hard work, did not translate to the international level.

So for those who suggest that it just takes a deep love for the game and hard work to be successful at international level, I give you Exhibit TB. Tino Best

On the batting side, Devon Smith and Daren Ganga are similar examples.

Hard work and dedication and a love for the game are pre requisites for success I would agree.

But they don’t guarantee it.

Something seems to be changing in regards to regional cricket. This was a 2nd string team that fielded better than a fully established pakistan team just the tour before, most of the new guys came because of their A team results against South Africa, we can cuss the board but they do seem to be doing somethings right

In reply to imusic

love +hard wuk and dedication doesn't guarantee success but luck and timing does? Whap'n to yuh man?

Shamar was able to develop because of growing up in the country part of Guyana where there are few options and playing cricket daily is the only interesting thing most young boys can do. It is an interesting occurrence that all the recent good cricketers that came out of Guyana all came from Berbice, where conditions are harsher

In reply to imusic

I’m dealing with the notion that Shamar and others like him before is because of luck.

The is nothing lucky about talent which is innate.

How talent translates to success is a whole other story. Rather than use Tino Best as your case study, tell me about at Jerome Taylor .

In reply to mkcharles

Tino Best, and Daren Ganga and Devon Smith all are great examples of what I’m saying

You brought up Jerome Taylor. Don’t be shy. Make your point

In reply to Brerzerk

You should read and comprehend before commenting

No part of a COE; no formal coaching; no cricket pathway for young Shemar.

His emergence is indeed proof that we have talent in the region ....local Chanderpauls/Lara , home grown and bred.

It is also glaring proof of how the current structure for identifying emerging emerging talent is deficient.

With West Indies depending on strokes of luck as Shamar to emerge , is it any wonder why our cricket is where it is today?

In reply to johndom90

What’s wrong with you?

You eh see everybody saying luck wasn’t involved with “unearthing” Shamar Joseph?

It was all structured and meticulous development programs aligned with finely tuned talent identification. Not to mention prolonged exposure playing regional 4 day cricket against the best the region has to offer

In reply to imusic