debut: 2/16/17
39,807 runs
Time for CWI boss Shallow to face facts
Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Dr Kishore Shallow has rekindled the old fire stick of insularity in West Indies cricket. He must, however, be careful that once started, the blaze does not consume him. More importantly, it can rage anew in the tinderbox that houses West Indies cricket of today.In typical political style, President Shallow, whose tenure at the helm of CWI has done little to revive the regional game, responds to the criticism of the abject failure of the West Indies in the just concluded Test series against Australia, 0-3, inclusive of the disgraceful 27-run total in the final match at Sabina Park, with attempts at diversion and bombast.Instead of understanding the pain of West Indians, which is felt deep within their being, he counters by relegating such generational hurt to a dislike of coach Darren Sammy because he is St Lucian.What a sad commentary for the CWI president to attack West Indians, young and old, those who have felt the pride and joy of West Indies cricket and now the sorrow of defeat, in this way. Moreover, he adopts such a political gimmick in the face of the reality of the failure of successive administrations to do what has been necessary for more than two decades to revive this greatest gift that West Indians have given to the world.
Just in case President Shallow missed it, the core of the criticism has been directed at his executive, which fired a successful coach of the Test team and heaped coals of responsibilities on Sammy by giving him the Test, ODI and T20 teams. Further, the criticisms have been levelled against the CWI for its brilliant “unwisdom” in replacing a panel of selectors headed by a chairman and making Sammy the Tsar of “all that he surveys.” In fact, the penetrating analyses have been far more directed at President Shallow and his board than at coach Sammy. Maybe he will now say the criticism of him is because he is from St Vincent and the GrenadinesIncidentally, it is the St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves who referred to his countryman (Shallow) as a non-achiever. Maybe he will turn on the Prime Minister as an anti-small islander.
Regarding his solution of getting the greats of West Indies cricket to assemble in what in T&T terms can be called a “crash programme,” how long has it been popular opinion in the region that successive boards should use our great storehouse of cricket champions to lend their experience and expertise to build on the foundation they left behind? Is President Shallow seeking to implicate our greats in a scheme which will ultimately lay blame on them if their efforts cannot provide an overnight injection of wisdom and practice?How many reports have gone to the CWI since the PJ Patterson declaration? What of those of Sir Dennis Byron, the Wheby and Charles Wilkin reports? Have the recommendations been implemented?If the West Indian cricketing nation is to gain any trust in President Shallow and the CWI, they have to immediately have Sammy focus as coach of the T20 team and return to the selection committee system; his political diversion has failed.
T&T Guardian Editorial
Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Dr Kishore Shallow has rekindled the old fire stick of insularity in West Indies cricket. He must, however, be careful that once started, the blaze does not consume him. More importantly, it can rage anew in the tinderbox that houses West Indies cricket of today.In typical political style, President Shallow, whose tenure at the helm of CWI has done little to revive the regional game, responds to the criticism of the abject failure of the West Indies in the just concluded Test series against Australia, 0-3, inclusive of the disgraceful 27-run total in the final match at Sabina Park, with attempts at diversion and bombast.Instead of understanding the pain of West Indians, which is felt deep within their being, he counters by relegating such generational hurt to a dislike of coach Darren Sammy because he is St Lucian.What a sad commentary for the CWI president to attack West Indians, young and old, those who have felt the pride and joy of West Indies cricket and now the sorrow of defeat, in this way. Moreover, he adopts such a political gimmick in the face of the reality of the failure of successive administrations to do what has been necessary for more than two decades to revive this greatest gift that West Indians have given to the world.
Just in case President Shallow missed it, the core of the criticism has been directed at his executive, which fired a successful coach of the Test team and heaped coals of responsibilities on Sammy by giving him the Test, ODI and T20 teams. Further, the criticisms have been levelled against the CWI for its brilliant “unwisdom” in replacing a panel of selectors headed by a chairman and making Sammy the Tsar of “all that he surveys.” In fact, the penetrating analyses have been far more directed at President Shallow and his board than at coach Sammy. Maybe he will now say the criticism of him is because he is from St Vincent and the GrenadinesIncidentally, it is the St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves who referred to his countryman (Shallow) as a non-achiever. Maybe he will turn on the Prime Minister as an anti-small islander.
Regarding his solution of getting the greats of West Indies cricket to assemble in what in T&T terms can be called a “crash programme,” how long has it been popular opinion in the region that successive boards should use our great storehouse of cricket champions to lend their experience and expertise to build on the foundation they left behind? Is President Shallow seeking to implicate our greats in a scheme which will ultimately lay blame on them if their efforts cannot provide an overnight injection of wisdom and practice?How many reports have gone to the CWI since the PJ Patterson declaration? What of those of Sir Dennis Byron, the Wheby and Charles Wilkin reports? Have the recommendations been implemented?If the West Indian cricketing nation is to gain any trust in President Shallow and the CWI, they have to immediately have Sammy focus as coach of the T20 team and return to the selection committee system; his political diversion has failed.
T&T Guardian Editorial
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