Good sense—only cure to Windies ills
Anand Rampersad
Published: Guardian
Monday, April 18, 2016
The euphoria and jubilation of the successes of the West Indies women and men’s T20 World Cup wins must be understood in the overall context of the regional game.
How is the game to be developed on these achievements along with the Under 19 World Cup win?
At the same time, these triumphs must not mask the unfortunate continuing vexatious and cantankerous relationship between the major stakeholders; the players, administrators, Caricom and the West Indian population.
The victory of the WI women’s team was astonishingly brilliant as it took place against a background of absent developmental structures. The women cricketers won the World Cup because of a sheer desire and hunger. The women won the 2016 T20 World Cup despite the drawbacks identified by the Caricom Cricket Review Panel (CCRP) 2015:
• “Lack of financial and infrastructural support and commitment to the sustainable development of women’s cricket†(p5). In 2015 women cricketers received match fees for the annual regional tournament for the first time.
• “There is no organised, official programmes and policies in place by the WICB to develop women’s cricket†(p5).
• “WICB management looks towards the territorial boards and governments to take the lead in the area of cricket development for women, while it accepts the responsibility for the development of cricket skills for the men’s teams†(p5).
• Since 2005 when the WICB took over responsibility for managing the women’s game, the amount of regional cricket played have declined. Whereas there are annual U15, U17, U19 and A Team cricket for men, the women players are restricted to playing 50 overs.
• Even more alarming, “there are no organised, consistent set of structures in place by the territorial boards. Some boards do have clubs, do not encourage the development of clubs and do not organise national/territorial competitions.†(p5).
The WI will host the 2018 women’s T20 World Cup and chances of successfully defending the title at home will be high as the majority of the 2016 team will be available. However, by 2020, there will be need for some new players and the recommendations of the CCRP is required NOW. This includes, but not limited to, leagues in all territories, U19 regional tournament and also providing the players with all the other support systems.
While the men’s game gets embroiled in the politics of administration, play on the field is not improving outside of T20. Micheal Holding posits that the successes of the T20 World Cup will not necessarily lead to a revival of the longer version 50 overs and test cricket. He asserts further that the professionalisation of the regional four-day tournament will not necessarily lead to a revival because rewarding mediocrity will not automatically lead to an improvement in performance in 50 overs and test cricket.
Maybe the performances in the four test matches against India in July/August will signal the long awaited turn-around in test cricket which still remains the premier format of the game.
Thinking ahead, the WI success in future T20 World Cups will have to be built around a new squad of players. The next T20 World Cup for men is in 2020 in Australia. Therefore, the challenge is there for players to put their hands up and be counted in the CPL to be part of this cadre.
Additionally, good performances in the CPL may result in these players catching the attention of international franchise holders in Australia, India, South Africa, England, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Failure in planning ahead can see the current shining star of World Champions of women and men T20 fade into obscurity. It will then be a repeat of the aftermath of the dominance of the 1980s where the WI men team have struggled since 1995 to consistently perform well against the top nations in test and ODI.
Time will tell if that is the case of West Indies cricket.
www.guardian.co.tt/sport/2016-04-18/good...ly-cure-windies-ills
