THE WEST INDIES CRICKET TEAM have been performing very far below the standard that has brought immense pride to us in the region.
Unfortunately, as is much too often the case in Caribbean society, we have turned to politicians for resolution! What a mistake!
Rather than get into the engine room of cricket development, they have formed committees and presented reports with the major focus on restructuring the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). This is simplistic at best and nonsensical at worst.
Seeking the head of the president on a silver platter with his colleagues as hors d’oeuvres addresses nothing.
Had Mr Cameron lost the last election, would there still be this call for the firing of the president?
I sincerely doubt!
The WICB under the leadership of Dave Cameron (inclusive of his time as vice-president) has launched many initiatives to support the players and to encourage a positive thrust in our cricket, inclusive of better pay and opportunities. So why the guillotine treatment! Is it because he is not a former test cricketer or a business mogul or politician? We can only speculate.
After a successful run under the leadership of Frank Worrell and Gary Sobers, the West Indies team languished for a number of years.
One can well remember the late Don Norville making a plea to shake the tree and let the fruit fall! He knew poor player performance was the problem. There was no hue and cry to fire the president and his board. After a while, Clive Lloyd answered the call and we became world beaters again, but even that era came to an end!
Sometime later, players went on strike in London while on their way to South Africa (as they effectively did in India recently). After the subsequent thrashing and the continued poor performances, no one called for the president and his board to go!
Indeed, the indiscipline within the team by some of its members was highlighted, but timidity prevented frank action.
The WICB gives support and puts structures in place to enhance the work of the national associations whose premier role it is for cricket development.
They are failing, and the reasons are a lack of true commitment and a misguided focus. The leaders need to accept accountability also realize that the problems of the1960s differ from those of the 21st century.
In Barbados, the Barbados Cricket Association has hired four coaches to help in our cricket development. There is also a strong programme that encompasses junior through elite tournaments.
Yet after six months of intense competition, schools are written asking them to submit the names of persons they feel should be in the Everton Weekes centre of excellence. This is nonsense. The coaches should have been seeing, assessing talent and selecting! That should be their job!
The BCA has a large group of persons on retainer contracts. While this may be good for cricket politics (and I don’t envy players being well remunerated), it is not developmentally impactful. There was a time when such an egalitarian focus was necessary, but those days of emphasising quantity have been replaced by a need to promote quality.
As a former Prime Minister once said (and a view that I share) sports is predicated on the notion of stardom not on supporting what is nothing but average.
I believe the money could be better spent on giving intense training and exposure to a few of identified quality.
The Alf Gover School in England charted such a course, and the benefits were there for all to see. The Everton Weekes centre deserves no less! The national cricket leaders, not the WICB, are failing us.
Jeff Broomes is an experienced educator, principal and community organiser who also served as vice-president of the BCA and director of the WICB. Email [email protected]
