88 years of West Indies cricket must not go down the drain

Says Delvon Mc Ewan

Sometime shortly after noon on Friday, September 30, I heard the cries of hundreds. It was so loud and everywhere, in the streets, in the news, in the bars, and especially on social media. I certainly could not have missed it. And even if I had missed those voices, I would have heard at least one because I was part of the cry.
Astonishingly, it was not a natural disaster causing havoc on the earth’s surface, or some attack by an extremist group causing death to many or some inhumane action that caused emotions to rise. It was a heart rendering cry from the child, the doctor, the nurse, the teacher, the coach, the housewife, the security guards, the Police, the soldier, from the people of the Caribbean, known as the fans of West Indies cricket.
Yes the cries were very loud and it was all for one thing. Again to my surprise, not the performance on the day due to the loss against Pakistan, but a cry that yelled for answers. Answers none of the voices who cried could accurately answer, otherwise to assumption. But answers only one entity could provide; answers only the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) could provide, but for years now continues to ignore.
Immediately I asked myself, with such loud cries, would the WICB ever fix the structure of West Indies Cricket, or are they are going to sit by on their thrones and see 88 years (the official age of West Indies cricket) of hard work fall by the waste side?
Well judging from the current actions of the incumbent board, I am not too optimistic of betterment. I do believe the Board has no respect for itself, much less the millions of Caribbean and other fans whose sleepless nights, among other, means just to see the brand that the West Indies team has to offer.
As a youth I would have done almost anything to get to view an entire match involving the West Indies, there were side attractions, but none substantial enough to grab my complete attention. Presently a youth would prefer to watch Usain Bolt run, the NBA, or even the English Premier League instead of viewing a match involving the West Indies; especially when they are batting.  Watching the match via Facebook live on Friday, when Pakistan were batting, the viewership was over 5000 but when West Indies began their reply, it dropped below the 3000 mark. A situation that was not imminent.
How is it possible for a team to win a World Cup then lose three successive matches in the same year to a team rated far below them? How could a team be competitive against the number one side and another powerhouse but faltered against a team weaker than them? These questions would puzzle the thinking of anyone in the right frame of mind, but again could only be answered by the WICB. Hastily, the Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr Keith Mitchell, tendered his resignation as Chairman of Caricom’s sub-committee on cricket governance because he was angered by the behaviour of “a couple of our leaders in the region”. However, in his absence who will represent the fans? Who will try to correct what is going on in West Indies Cricket?
Personally, it probably was a good move for Dr Mitchell to resign due to the internal fighting at Caricom. But was it a good move for West Indies cricket? I do not think so. Dr Mitchell needs to return there and continue to be the leading voice for the regional fans. There is no other voice that is louder than Dr Mitchell’s in opposition to the Board.
Again, the cry was loud on Sunday as West Indies suffered another defeat against Pakistan and if there is no immediate action, then the cry would only get louder once the West Indies are playing. It is vivid that there is a void in the hearts of Caribbean people, that void could only be filled when the once unbeatable West Indies return to their successful ways.
The Board executives care less about the main resource (the fans) that is keeping West Indies Cricket alive. Eighty-eight years must not go down the drain; there must be the renaissance of West Indies Cricket. That joy needs to return to the Caribbean people. Cricket is a part of the Region’s DNA.
GUYANA TIMES