The West Indies in the 1980s was a team that put fear into the heart of other cricket countries around the world, with names such as Lloyd, Richards, Garner, Lara, Holding, Walsh, Bishop, Gomes, Dujon, Ambrose, Haynes and Greenidge.
But now the West Indies are a complete rabble.
It’s hard to believe that this was the same West Indies team that bowled England out for 51 earlier this year in the Carribean. And that this same England side went on to regain the Ashes.
Well-known West Indies commentators, such as Tony Cozier and Michael Holding, are so fed up with the state of the West Indies cricket team that they couldn’t be bothered coming to Australia to cover the series.
Several factors that led to the West Indies being what they are at:
* The dispute between the WICBC board and the players, which was recently settled, hasn’t helped ther cause.
* The West Indies players taking training in a half-hearted manner, not displaying the commitment that is required to defeat Australia on Australian soil.
* The lack of an AIS-style setup in the Carribean.
* The WICBC taking their eye off the ball during the glory era of the 1980s, believing the good times would be with them forever.
* And something that didn’t rear its head during the times of Lloyd and Richards: Inter-islands rivalry. For example, the Jamaican selector in the West Indies selection committee would always push for Jamaican players to be in the West Indies side. Ditto for the Barbados representatives as well.
How much longer can West Indies cricket go on?
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