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Groundsmen dig beneath the surface of the Antigua pitch and find a sandpit … but was anyone connected with the ground really surprised? © Getty Images

One week after the euphoric episode of the West Indies cricket team humbling England in a test match in Jamaica, a reminder of  the ineptitude and lack of leadership which shrouds this sport in the West Indies rared its head yet again. After a couple overs we understand from reports that the eagerly awaited test match at the Sir Viv Richards stadium had to be abandoned. Caribbean spectators who have had their interest rekindled after last week’s win appear to find little consolation with the news that the match has been shifted to another venue in Antigua, to commence on Sunday.

It is of mind boggling proportions that a sport which the impoverished cricket nations of the Caribbean have reportedly sunk $500 million dollars to build stadia and improve infrastructure for CWC 2007 continues to be managed by a group of old fogies who appear clueless with foul-up after foul-up, and seemingly answerable to no one. The image attached tells it all. What can we say except that the perception of the Caribbean as a THIRD WORLD area must have been reinforced today.

The continued commitment of Caribbean governments to cricket measured by the shelling-out of  scarce and significant resources, seems to be rooted in nostalgia rather than good business sense. We agree that there is no sport which threads the English speaking region together like cricket does. How long can we continue to accept the poor leadership in cricket by rewarding it with large chucks of scarce financial resources?

The head of the WIBC Julian Hunte is reported to have said that the events which have led to the cancellation of the test match do not merit any heads rolling. If the report is true it is enough to make Caribbean cricket supporters beat their heads to the wall in frustration. We do not know enough about cricket to articulate the issues like others but…. As  former colonies we have learned  to play the game well enough to beat the inventor Mother England.

What happened yesterday in Antigua is unforgivable and by any stretch requires a response by the PEOPLE.

Boycott?

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  1. Sundowner Avatar
    Sundowner

    WIBC should hang their heads in shame, I was speechless when I watched it all unfold yesterday.

  2. Me Avatar
    Me

    Julian Hunte and CEO ( cant recall name) should resign or be fired. Question is who fires them. They are accountable to no one. Hunte been loitering around West Indies cricket for a very long time. He is useless. The old boy club in WICB is alive and well and spinning top in mud err make that Antigua sand..lol.

  3. David Avatar
    David

    Some say that the match should have been canceled. To prepare the OLD stadium is fraught with unmanageable risks. Let us all ask Brother Porgie to lead the prayer that all will go well tomorrow.

  4. BUMBLEBEE Avatar
    BUMBLEBEE

    This is the standard, state-of-the-art way we do things in the Caribbean. WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? You think it gonna be any different, any time soon ?

  5. BUMBLEBEE Avatar
    BUMBLEBEE

    David … “Let us all ask Brother Porgie to lead the prayer that all will go well tomorrow.” That’s exactly what I’m getting at … how’s that going to help? This Comic Creature you have been brain-washed to “worship” will intrercede in the Laws of the Universe and suddenly the problem will be fixed?

    Really, David … you and the other 93% who still live in the Middle Ages when the earth was flat … you need replacing. Seriously.

  6. Juris Avatar
    Juris

    Will there be TV coverage fron the ARG tomorrow? Seems like the St Lucians had more sense than the nabobs of WI cricket. Notice how they never elected Julian Hunte’s party to form the government…until he left? That should have told us something. Please, Hunte, Peters et al, in the name of God go…

  7. The Scout Avatar
    The Scout

    The buck stops at the WICB. The problem did not arise overnight, it was discussed even during the Sabina Test match. To hear the officials saying that they only saw the outfield the day before the test match , to me suggest that they were out partying and not doing their work. The WICB should have had someone checking on the condition of the venues way in advance of the match. This is poor governance and the Head and his man to do this job Mr Peters should resign. The respective government should play a bigger role in the administration of West Indies cricket because it is a big tourist generator and when the WICB finds themselves in difficulty they always expect the regional government to come to their aid.

  8. Jukecheckedeyskirt Avatar
    Jukecheckedeyskirt

    Well this is just another example of shame but no one to blame.

    Julian Hunte is just echoing the sentiments that is the hall mark of Caribbean politics. i.e. No one is to blame in the face of shame, corruption and mismanagement.

    If the pitch was not properly prepared, there is no one to blame. So I guess the ground staff did an excellent job but during the night the “sand fairy” came along and mess up the ground. So there is no one to blame. The mere fact that hundreds of cricketing fans have been robbed of a test match is not good enough to cast blame because Julian Hunte sees no grounds for blame; then I could only hazzard a guess that Mr. Hunte has no shame because no one is to blame.

    This is just like the Codrington family cave in demise in Brittons Hill, were politicians simply stated… No one is to blame. We build a swimming pool in Greenland that we cannot even use up to this date, which is a crying shame because at the end of the day…No one is to blame.

    Hardwood housing, 3 S, Veco and the ABC high way, all cost overrun shames, but at the end of the day…NO ONE IS TO BLAME!!!

    It is a blameless society that permeates the diaspora of the Caribbean.

  9. John Avatar
    John

    Read Michael Holding at Cricinfo

  10. ESTEBAN AGOSTO REID Avatar
    ESTEBAN AGOSTO REID

    Accountability! Accountability ! And more Accountability!!

  11. ace Avatar
    ace

    BUMBLE BEE

    you are so right

    you are talking SENSE

    as opposed to others who talk C-R-A-P ! CRAP ! and more CRAP !
    CRAP ! all over CRAP !
    CRAP! pun top ‘o’ CRAP!
    CRAP! deep inside CRAP!
    CRAP! all up in CRAP!
    CRAP! alongside CRAP!
    CRAP! mesmerizing CRAP!
    CRAP! facilitating CRAP !
    —-undiluted CRAP!
    —unfiltered CRAP !
    —pure CRAP !

  12. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    Ace,
    CRAPPY INDEED.

  13. Jason Avatar
    Jason

    Please! No individual will ever be held personally accountable for this or anything else. That is not the island way and most not the Bajan way.

    David Thompson waves around a “political donation” cheque to Owen Arthur that was wrongfully deposited into Arthur’s PERSONAL bank account and nothing is done.

    What happens about this unethical and illegal act? Prime Minister Thompson appointed Owen Arthur to go supervise elections in other countries to keep them honest! HA HA HA!!!!

    Thompson is a wimp.

  14. 199 Avatar
    199

    First the lights-failure at the Cricket World Cup and now this gift for those who love the image that west indians are good for nothing!! And there are many such people!!

  15. Micah Avatar
    Micah

    I am not a fan of cricket, but as a West Indian I was embarassed and ashamed at the Test debacle which unfolded in Antigua. For a sport which is televised all over the world, and for which people have spent money to travel and stay in Antigua to watch cricket from England, the Caribbean, and maybe elsewhere, this is amateurism of the highest order. The WICB should at least have a press conference (if they have not yet done so) where they apologise to their patrons for the ineptitude exhibited here, and explain what and why it all went so wrong.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    @Micah

    We have long gone pass the apology stage don’t you think?

  17. Tourism Monkey Avatar
    Tourism Monkey

    I have to agree with Hadyn Gill who mentions the fact that Antigua has only held 2 regional matches there since 2001!!

    Yet, they are given Test after Test. That is certainly not right.

    Funny enough, the WICB office is located in St. John’s, Antigua. This is a country that is considered to be the most corrupt in all the Caribbean.

    Did kickbacks go to Julian Hunte et al too?

  18. Avatar
    Anonymous

    fiasco does not begin to cover this

  19. David Avatar
    David

    Would the BU family know the criteria for determining where test matches are to be played in the Caribbean at the planning stage?

    Using commonsense an England tour is known to bring thousands of British tourists. It seems logical that the WIBC maybe persuaded to schedule the test matches on those islands which has tourism as the money spinner e.g. Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua. We expect that Trinidad because of its size but more so its political influence would override this thinking.

  20. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    Tourism Monkey;

    RE Cricket Corruption and Antigua, I see Stanford may have to keep his head down and spend a little more time on his island.

    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5734080.ece

  21. Anon Avatar
    Anon

    @ David> A key criteria for English tours is destinations with tourism infrastructure to accomodate large numbers of travelling English fans. The English fans are tourists spending big bucks in the economies of the destinations. Some of the big bucks filter into WICB so logically Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua are going to feature . Guyana unfortunately is not. They are not attractive to North Atlantic travellers.

    St. Lucia and St.Kitts are other tourist islands but Antigua trumps them because of its stronger cricket history and culture. Trinidad because of its lucky oil and gas deposits has the political and economic clout to demand games.

  22. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    OFF TOPIC BUT….

    Let me start by saying that I do not condone criminal activity of any type.

    Is it just me or do others see the irony and comedy in the recent spate of robberies of Businesses in Barbados?

    For years the largely white dominated Barbados Private Sector has been robbing Black Consumers blind here in Barbados. No amount of asking, pleading or begging could persaude them to lower their prices and ease the suffering of Black consumers.

    Now the tables are turned. They are being robbed and they don’t like it one bit. Barbados Private Sector guess how we the Black Consumers of Barbados have felt when you were/are robbing us?

    President of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry Glenda Medford “called on the authorities to bring the perpetrators before the law courts and urged members of the public who had information to come forward and assist the Police.”

    Now isn’t that something? This is the same Barbados Private Sector that has “skinned their backsides” at members of the public in their justified calls to the same Barbados Private Sector for an ease in the cost of living. Now they need our help. Wonder of wonders. They refused to help Black Consumers.

  23. Rumplestilskin Avatar
    Rumplestilskin

    I was not much surprised by the Antigua fiasco.

    Certainly, the main poison to West Indies cricket has long been poor administration and management.

    Over the last fifteen years, we have had players who have consistently either underperformed or behaved unprofessionally, maybe both, yet these players, through some strange selection policy, have been kept in the fold.

    Meanwhile, some talented players have been left on the benches to carry water, watching Windies cricket decimated at the hands of poor management and selection policy.

    Second rate players have become the norm, while real talent languishes.

    This Antigua debacle is just a latest in the wonderful trend of ineptitude from the top.

    What did we really expect, even at a time when a few talented souls, such as Gayle, Sarwan, Chanderpaul, Benn, Nash and last but not least, Taylor, are trying their hardest to revive some glory.

    Management needs to be changed, the management process itself needs change.

    These are no longer the days of banana boat cricket, these are times when professional sportsmen are really fully professional, in attitude and execution.

    In the same way, management of sports also requires a professional approach.

    See what happens when a team such as Liverpool, just for example, gets beaten?

    The management gets changed!

    Peace & Live Strong

  24. Tourism Monkey Avatar
    Tourism Monkey

    Second rate players have become the norm, while real talent languishes.
    ——————————————
    The problem with this is that it then becomes a cycle where the players aren’t thought of as good and then they think that too. So rather than have the confidence of being a team that should be equal to any world-class side, you can see in the body language that most feel intimidated.

  25. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    “Certainly, the main poison to West Indies cricket has long been poor administration and management.”

    It is not the main poison RC, it is the ONLY poison. Leadership is the most critical issue for any organisation.
    Solve that issue and we are off and running…

    ..Liverpool (and any serious organisation) knows that.

  26. David Avatar
    David

    The assumption that the legacy benefit would give the return on the investment in Antigua and elsewhere is now water under the bridge given the global financial meltdown.

  27. peltdownman Avatar
    peltdownman

    Carson Cadogan
    Please report to the nearest police station and tell them what you know about white businessmen forcing people into their stores at gunpoint.

  28. reluctant nonbeliever Avatar
    reluctant nonbeliever

    Carson Cadogan says:

    Is it just me or do others see the irony and comedy in the recent spate of robberies of Businesses in Barbados?

    It’s just you – and I guess a few other losers like Hopi and Negroman…

  29. JC Avatar
    JC

    peltdownman // February 16, 2009 at 3:07 pm

    Carson Cadogan
    Please report to the nearest police station and tell them what you know about white businessmen forcing people into their stores at gunpoint.

    ___________________________

    At first, I laughed when you wrote this but ……… you aint lie ya know. Nobody never put a gun to ur heads and tell us to buy from them its a shame!

  30. Bonny Peppa Avatar
    Bonny Peppa

    Peltdownman
    Ya got ma crying. Ya funny. Ya got ta fagive my man CC, he never ceases to amaze me with his outlandish comments at times. Leaves one to wonder what he had for ‘breakfast’.

  31. de gap Avatar
    de gap

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29237750

    Sir Allen charged. Where all the money gone?

  32. David Avatar
    David

    It has taken the English to come and sound loud complaints about standing in long lines to buy tickets and demanding to buy tickets in advance. The folly of asking people to stand in the sun for 3-4 hours has finally be exposed for what it is by our cricket authorities.

    We spent millions to build stadia but the management of cricket continues with stone age thing.

  33. 740 + declared Avatar
    740 + declared

    I am not returning to Kensington if Prof. Edwards is head grounds man. Prof has proven he is clueless. He f**ks up kensington every year with dead ass pitches that send spectators to sleep.

    Prof its time to hang up your jock strap. Strike up the band and go home for good.

  34. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    What should he do. Prepare a pitch so that the game lasts 3 days? Think of all the people that made a few dollars selling stuff during the game.

    Didnt he prepare the wicket in recent times when we got beaten in our back yard.

  35. David Avatar
    David

    Interesting report just out by the ICC which governs world cricket. It seems to be suggesting that that the WIBC is responsible for ensuring cricket grounds are up to par to host matches, surprise, surprise. But how does this gel with the report initially by the WIBC that nobody should be fired for the incident?

    Here is a quote from the report:

    The ICC have informed the West Indies Cricket Board that following last month’s abandoned Test the ground would not be used again until extensive remedial work was carried out and it passed an inspection from the governing body. The Test was called off after the West Indies bowlers complained of an unfit surface for their run-ups.

    Maybe our cricket fans in BU can shed some light.

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