PORT OF SPAIN – Trinidad and Tobago’s cricket chief Azim Bassarath has called for the axing of West Indies captain Darren Sammy and his senior players, in the wake of the side’s humiliating World Cup exit on Wednesday.
West Indies suffered a 10-wicket crushing at the hands of Pakistan after they were routed for a dismal 112, their third lowest total in a World Cup.
The outspoken Bassarath said wholesale changes were now necessary in order to rebuild the team.
“I think the West Indies Cricket Board should take the bull by the horn and drop (Darren) Sammy, (Chris) Gayle, (Ramnaresh) Sarwan, (Shivnarine) Chanderpaul and (Devon) Smith from this team,” Bassarath contended.
“They should do like Pakistan and India and introduce players at a younger age to international cricket.
“They need to think carefully about what should be done over the next few tours and start bringing in the young players. The WICB should also look to stage more developmental tours and also invest in more development programmes within the Caribbean.”
The senior players came in for criticism from coach Ottis Gibson after the quarter-final, with the former West Indies fast bowler stressing they had not taken enough responsibility for the side’s performances.
Gayle, a key member of the Windies batting, managed just 170 runs from five innings while Ramnaresh Sarwan scored a mere 155 runs from six outings, in his return to the squad after being dropped last year.
Veteran left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul, in perhaps his last World Cup, scored 114 runs from four innings with his best effort being an unbeaten 44 in the Caribbean side’s quarter-final loss.
Sammy also struggled for runs with only 54 runs from six trips to the crease and his bowling was hardly noteworthy either.
Smith, however, was the only batsman to get more than 200 runs as he ended with 300, while scoring his maiden One-Day International century.
WICB director Baldath Mahabir said the manner of the Windies’ loss showed there was much work to be done regionally in trying to lift the standard of cricket.
“The WICB needs to do a lot more in terms of development work in the territories. If you look at the standard of our cricket in the region it is not good,” the Trinidadian pointed out.
“The WICB has to ask what has gone wrong with the Leewards, Windwards and Guyana. The cricket is so poor that the combined students team (Combined Campuses and Colleges) is second in the regional standings.” (CMC)
