THE?TIME?has come for layoffs in the cricket service.
The regional game is at crisis stage, both on and off the field, and the time has come to remove some of its unproductive temporary workers.
Heavy defeats in India and New Zealand dented regional pride and proved once more that our boys are not good enough to beat good teams away from home. What has caused more alarms bells and fuelled plenty of speculation throughout the Caribbean is the view that all may not be well in the camp.
The sudden return home of Darren Bravo, the leading run-getter in the three-match Test series in New Zealand, has been the subject of much negative speculation over the last week.
A release from the West Indies Cricket Board indicated that Bravo’s return was for personal reasons but did not go into details. Whatever the reason, it is clear that there is more in the mortar than the pestle and the time has come for a meeting of rational minds to nip this potential crisis in the bud.
The forthright comments of Darren’s older brother Dwayne about the need for unity in the team have made it clear that there may be some discord among team members.
This evidence raises searching questions that Darren Sammy, the struggling Test captain, Ottis Gibson, the head coach, and Clyde Butts, chairman of selectors, need to answer before any decisions are made about the future of captains, coaches or selectors.
This is one of the most critical junctures in West Indies cricket and major decisions have to be made to take us forward, which means a change of personnel to the selection panel and the leadership of the Test team.
Make no mistake about it, this West Indies side is moderate to poor but the truth is, the best possible teams have not been selected and a bad situation has been made worse. Fans know that Sunil Narine should have gone to India, Veersammy Permaul is an ordinary spinner and should not
be playing international cricket, Miguel Cummins deserves to be in the Tests squad, Chadwick Walton does not merit a place in the One-Day team and Narsingh Deonarine should not be in the Twenty20 squad.
Everyone knows that Sheldon Cottrell was picked for a Test tour based on a stylish military salute and performances in the inaugural Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament.
Butts, Courtney Browne and Robert Haynes have earned a failing grade and should be removed. Coach Gibson has questions to answer as well.
How do top-order batsmen like the experienced Chris Gayle and promising young guns such as Kieran Powell and Kraigg Brathwaite fall to basic technical errors, such as pushing at deliveries without foot movement?
How is it that Mohammed Shami, good enough to hit Hashim Amla’s stumps twice in the Test series in South Africa, has learned more about the art of swing in four matches than Tino Best has in 25?
The major disappointment of the series was Marlon Samuels. He often appeared distracted at the crease and his footwork to the moving ball became non-existent.
Let’s not forget the visa fiasco that delayed Brathwaite’s entry into New Zealand and prevented him playing in the first two Tests. It was an administrative blunder that should embarrass those who preside over West Indies cricket.
Sammy looked out of place and is clearly an underemployed bowling all-rounder. He took just eight wickets in 2013 and has had three ducks in his last four matches.
Vice-captain Denesh Ramdin is the best option to lead the team that is desperately in need of leadership and guidance. In his last 12 matches he has raised his game with three overseas hundreds and seems to be maturing.
Now 28 years old, he would have the role of quietly transforming the side for the home series against New Zealand and the tour to South Africa at yearend.
