The West Indian . Sep 21, 2019 . Page 32 www.thewestindianonline.com COMMENTARY By DR. DHANPAUL NARINE West Indies Cricket Hits Rock Bottom Pity the old timers. They sit through opined that T20 crick- formats. This is not the for the IPL, the players et is undermining the fi rst time that the term from the Caribbean were the Test matches and hope for a fi ght. purity of the longer for- ‘rock bottom’ has been bowled out for 181 in the They want to see someone, anyone, mat. While Test cricket used to describe the state second innings, slogged stand up and play a long innings. But is seen as the ultimate of West Indies cricket. their way to 196 in their any such thought is squashed by an- test, no West Indies Test In October 2010, Viv second, taking just 50.5 player seems capable of Richards said that West overs to fold up.’ other spineless display to be followed digging in and building Indies has reached rock It was pointed put by what is now all too familiar: an big partnerships. There bottom and criticized the that these listless and excuse that the players did not apply is no Joe Solomon or West Indies Board for one-sided performances themselves and that there are lessons Shiv Chanderpaul to an- ‘ostracising former play- were having a negative chor the side or to blunt ers and preventing them impact on the crowds. to be learned. the bowling. from helping to revive They were staying home How long can we West Indies team as they The recently conclud- the Caribbean’s glorious and the stadiums were Dr. Dhanpaul Narine make excuses for this have forgotten the script. ed Test series between past.’ He said that a lot empty. A year later, little mediocrity? There is The fans in the pavil- West Indies and India of work was needed to has changed. The venues no longer the pride and ion are not the only ones has revealed many les- bring West Indies to the may have been diff erent be fi xed. passion that has been to be fed up with West sons for West Indies glory days. but India has again de- How can one change the hallmark of West In- Indies. Joe Solomon says cricket and there are Richards suggested feated West Indies and things around? There dies cricket. While other that the performances not many positives. The that the team needed a in front of empty home is no shortage of opin- countries play as if they are too painful to watch old timers were gestic- dynamic head coach that stadiums. ions as to what should are hungry to get to be done to make the top, West Indies West Indies great seem to be content again. There are with going through those who suggest the motions and to that patience is wait for the next needed. They ar- T20 format. This is gue that greatness where the money comes in cycles. lies but in which the We were last dom- real test is absent. inant thirty years Afghanistan has ago; we are tired won its fi rst Test being patient and away from home the cycle has long when it defeated gone. Patience Bangladesh. Af- should be replaced ghanistan’s perfor- by passion, op- mance on the inter- timism, and by national stage ‘is proper planning. the only thing that Jason Holder, brings happiness Ricky Skerritt Dave Cameron Jason Holder the current Test to the nation,’ ac- captain, spoke be- cording to some of the and that he turns off the ulating at the poor shot could spot talent and When the ship is sink- fore the 2019 World Cup players. The point is that television. Ian Bishop, selection, sub-standard work with it, without the ing there are numberless about the likely solutions with its limited resources who is close to the ac- bowling and fi elding pernicious infl uence of fi nger-pointing and ex- to West Indies cricket. the players take the game tion, says that the play- and a body language that cricket board politics. cuses. They come from He wants cricket to be seriously. They play with ers have to learn ‘to dig signaled resignation and He suggested that some- the players, the Board, a global sport, and for heart. They know what in and fi ght’ while Viv defeat. India defeated one like him might be the public, the players more consistency from a victory means to their Richards felt that some West Indies most com- that person but nothing association, and others. West Indies. But he is country. The determi- players were ‘playing prehensively; the home came of it. West Indies The David Cameron aware of the divide be- nation and application mickey mouse strokes.’ team did not win a sin- continued to plod along, administration did not tween the players and the should be a lesson for the Clive Lloyd has long gle game in any of the fi nding the occasional enjoy the widespread cricket administration. bright spot, in choppy support of the public or Money cannot fi x waters. the players. Cameron this, nor can Holder as In their tour of India was accused of using the captain. There is the in 2018, West Indies suf- Board as his fi efdom. He feeling that more money fered its second worst has since been ousted but is going to the adminis-    defeat in Tests as the has made it clear that he tration overheads that to team crashed to an in- wants to return. the players.          nings and 272 run defeat As it stands, players This has caused re- in three days. Carl Hoop- are running to the T20 sentment among some        er said at the time, ‘I had formats because of mon- players and an unsettled expected defeat but not ey. Who would want to coaching staff has only this badly.’ In the 1958- play a Test match for added to the problem. 9 series, West Indies de- $5,000 when he can Viv Richards has prom-  feated India 3-1 and won make $150,000 from ised a more competitive again in other series. But the minor Canadian T20 and professional side there has been an aston- league or the Afghan- when the next touring    ishing loss of pride to istan Premier League? team visits. It is diffi cult accompany the dismal This would help to ex- to see how this can hap- performances. plain why Chris Gayle pen, in the absence of  One journalist did not play against In- radical surgery. summed up the 2018 dia in August 2019. The    West Indies defeat in batting in the West Indies The views expressed in this article India in graphic terms. line-up remains a prob- are those of the writer and do not       !"" He said, ‘playing as if lem; even Jason Holder necessarily represent the position or they were auditioning does not know how it can policy of the THE WEST INDIAN.