What will it take to raise the level of West Indies cricket?

TIMES INT'L

Dear Editor,

I am an avid follower of West Indies cricket and cannot help noticing the drastic decline in the levels of performance of our players. Guyana has always been a top producer of outstanding West Indian cricketers. When the glory days of West Indies cricket and its players are talked about, names such as Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Alvin Kallicharran, Colin Croft, Roger Harper, Clive Lloyd and Farouk Bacchus, to name a few, are proudly mentioned. All of these men went on to become superstars in their own right.

Over the last decade or so, West Indies cricket, on the whole, has fallen below the standards that Caribbean people are accustomed to; since, for a number of years, our (West Indies) team had dominated world cricket, especially under Clive Lloyd. But who is to be blamed for this steady decline? And what will it take to raise the level of West Indies cricket? It is my view that a number of factors are responsible for this decline, including the administration of West Indies cricket, the players themselves, and the national boards.

Perhaps it is time that the stakeholders sit again at the table and find ways in which performances of players would be improved. At the moment, both Guyana and West Indies cricket lack good leadership, discipline and commitment – all necessary criteria to compete and win games. I think our players have also to understand that cricket requires mental toughness. Players will not be able to cope with the game if they cannot cope with the related pressures that come with it.

Concerned,

S Jainandan

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