HEADLINE: Ambrose bemoans Windies struggle but believes structural change could turn the tide

WHILE lamenting the current state of West Indies cricket, legendary fast bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose firmly believes the Caribbean side can reclaim its former glory, but only if the right structures are put in place and the right people are involved to guide the next generation.

Ambrose pointed out that each series loss is a reminder of the decline of a once-mighty cricketing force. Though West Indies have twice won the T20 World Cup since, Ambrose argued that they have struggled for the consistency and competitiveness that defined their dominant era of the late 20th century.
“It’s very, very difficult because coming from the West Indies, we are so accustomed to winning, and every time we turn up to play, everyone expects us to win. Sadly, it’s not that anymore, and for me it’s really tough because I am so accustomed to seeing us winning and ruling the world,” Ambrose told The Royal Gazette.
Ambrose, who retired in 2000 with 405 Test wickets and 225 one-day international scalps, reflected on an era when West Indies cricket commanded global respect. Now, he admits it is painful to witness the team languish outside the world’s top three.

“Every team in world sport goes through a phase where you lose great players, and then you rebuild and become a dominant force again. But sadly, for about two decades, we have really been struggling and can’t seem to get out of that deep hole,” he said.

“It’s really frustrating for me as a former cricketer and hard to watch our beloved West Indies team not in the top three in the world. Everywhere I go, people ask me the same question, ‘When is the West Indies team coming back?’ Ambrose stated.

Read more at Guyana Chronicle

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With all respect to Curtley Ambrose, everything he advocates as solutions has been tried. He’s not saying anything new.

What I must say I'm seeing from this new board is that they are really trying to sort out grassroots. Because theu understand that getting things right when they small is one the few ways of making sure thay yoy have the right set of players to complement the spots in each team.
The thing is making aure yoy select at least the right XVI then the proper XI. Can't have round pegs trying to hit in square holds.
I think we will have some short term successes but will also have aome tough losses like that double whitewash we just take on. Ans all that is because yoy still dint have the proper playerans the players playing the right amount of cricket just yet. The investment into getting our players not just physically but mentally prepared to battle it out there in the field is what is really needed to make aure we become competitive.
Goals, not sure what the goals are but like any jobs having KPIs and marking them off is important

[b]In reply to imusic[/b

I must agree with you on this, not only Ambrose many of these so-called legends failed to articulate any ideas that can assist with improving our cricket.

In reply to positiveg

Agree with this!

In reply to imusic

Ambrose is right...as usual. until some benevolent dictator with unlimited resources brings the wicb to its knees and forces major governance reforms, then WI will never improve consistently

In reply to tc1

meanwhile the patterson report collecting dust somewhere

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

You spoke a book, and then your last paragraph was a nothing.

In reply to Jumpstart

I don' know much about the report, we needi better and smarter administration. Maybe you should throw your hat in the circle

In reply to tc1

lol nah......we need a billionaire who could bribe some of the administrators into retirement and who willing to spend money on a project that will not have overnight returns

In reply to Jumpstart

Where is Alan Stanford when needed?

In reply to googley

In the Pen unfortunately. Free World boss lol. He get set up. Sanford was excellent for WI cricket, but I could never respect a man who stole life savings from elderly people.