West Indies Cricket – regional institutions in decline

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June 26, 2023 will be remembered by fans of cricket and in particular those who support the West Indies team as another dark day. It was a day orange was the new maroon. It was a day an Associate Member team humiliated a West Indies team by scoring 374 runs to tie a 50 over game in an ongoing competition and finally won it in a super over. A super over which saw Jason Holder struck for 30 runs.

On July 13, 2009 a blog titled The Darkest Day In West Indies Cricket was posted by Barbados Underground. Not many West Indian cricket fans would have envisaged the precipitous decline in our cricket thirteen years later. Baby boomers in the BU household who were fortunate to witness triumphant West Indies cricket teams of the 70s and 80s have had to stop being fans of regional cricket, including the blogmaster.

To be honest the blogmaster feels unqualified to unpack the may problems obviously affecting West Indies cricket. What cannot be refuted is that the passion with which former players from the golden era played the game has long faded. The game has been commodified and our top players from all reports are paid very well, BUT, the passion that is a prerequisite to give of ones best is gone.

To excel as a prominent figure in any field necessitates adopting the most effective management methodologies along with their comprehensive implications. Regrettably, the composition of the Board of Management (WIBC), responsible for the supervision of West Indies cricket, does not adhere to the principles that parallel the operational prowess of prosperous institutions. Astonishingly, the selection process for Directors within the WIBC revolves solely around membership in exclusive circles, driven by capricious desires and aspirations of individuals yearning for recognition and wealth.

BU Blog 2009

Like sugar the blogmaster believes cricket is dead. Many of our regional institutions have started to struggle to deliver on mandates. Whether it is CARICOM, UWI, LIAT, CXC, CDB to name those top of mind. Some may insist that mismanagement of regional economies by governments have created a difficult environment in which to excel. The demise of West Indies cricket should therefore not be critiqued in a vacuum. How have our leaders in the political and NGO spheres brought us here? Has the lack of advocacy by the citizenry helped to hasten the rot in regional institutions?

A reminder what is the Mission of Cricket West Indies (CWI) – To lead, inspire and unite cricket in the West Indies from thriving grassroots to exciting West Indies teams, ensuring sustainable success.

The global media has been reveling at the indifferent performers being trotted out by the once mighty West Indies team with mocking headlines. At least one Prime Minister in the region – Rowley from Trinidad – has been quoted as saying, “Today I saw THE WORST CRICKET MATCH ever played by a West Indies team”. Should Rowley have recalled instead the question posed by late Prime Minister Sir Lloyd Sandiford when he asked – how did we get here? Everything is out of control”, “it did not happen yesterday”.

Orange is the new maroon.

315 thoughts on “West Indies Cricket – regional institutions in decline”


  1. These comments were long overdue. I suspect diplomacy and sympathy were the reason our test rivals were holding their peace.

    They now believe that our team in no longer salvageable. They have given up hope of any WI recovery.
    Exit sympathy, enter contempt and disrespect… deservedly so.

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  2. If there was a relegation system in cricket, WI would be in 4th division.

    The powers that be are aware of the WI ineptitude, they are probably waiting for the right moment to pull the plug, sooner rather than later Test teams will refuse to tour the WI.

    BTW Don’t let DPD read the article, he will write about the good old days and ask Springsteen to rewrite “Glory Days”.

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  4. Even the women’s Ashes in England were more enjoyable than WI cricket.

    Sure, I can critique it and say the fastest woman bowler is still under 70 mph but to watch these ladies play with the commitment and dedication they showed was refreshing.

    You have to appreciate their efforts.

    Today cricket is enthralling, even more so than yesteryear. The skill sets on display are phenomenal as players dedicated to the sport practice to make as perfect as possible their execution.

    Fitness levels have risen across all countries and fielding has improved.

    I am wondering what would happen if the WI of the 80’s suddenly paid us a visit and played any of the top teams of today.

    I think they would get their asses burst.

    The principal reason is because of the advances in protective gear, batsmen while still having to worry about being hit are better protected and can withstand most fast bowling.

    But the other teams have honed their skills through constant practice and have become so much better.

    Bats have also equalised batsmen and only the really skillful bowlers threaten them.

    Intimidation no longer works.

    The WI of the 50’s and 60’s would probably fare better because they were more versatile and had two top spinners.

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  5. re I am wondering what would happen if the WI of the 80’s suddenly paid us a visit and played any of the top teams of today.

    I think they would get their asses burst.

    NOT AT ALL JOHN NOT AT ALL
    THE PLAYERS OF THE 80’S WERE PERHAPS OR MOST DISCIPLINED!
    NOT ONLY WERE THEY TALENTED BUT MOST OF THEM WERE SEASONED COUNTY CRICKET PLAYERS AND WERE PLAYING RELATIVELY HARD CRICKET DAILY.
    IN ADDITION THE COMPETITION FOR PLACES WAS MUCH MORE KEEN.

    TODAY’S TEAM DO NOT EVEN PLAY REGIONAL FIRST CLASS CRICKET, WHICH IN ITSELF IS A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF GAMES

    THERE WAS A TIME IN THE 80’S, WHEN YOU WENT TO A REGIONAL GAME THERE WERE SEVERAL OF OUR TEST PLAYERS ON BOTH SIDES (OR PLAYERS WORTHY OF PLAYING)

    IN CONTRAST, PLAYERS FROM INDIA, ENGLAND, AUSTRALIA ,SOUTH AFRICA HAVE VERY HARD CLUB CRICKET, FOLLOWED BY EVEN HARDER FIRST CLUB CRICKET

    I ALWAYS REMEMBER THE ARTICLE IN 1981, IN WHICH MARSHALL
    DANIEL AND CLARKE WERE CALLED NET BOWLERS FOR THE BRIDGETOWN TEST. (DANIEL AND CLARKE USED TO “RUN BOUT’ ENGLISH COUNTY CRICKETERS IN COUNTY CRICKET)

    IN THE EARLY 80’S WE BANNED 18 OF OUR SECOND TIER CRICKETERS BECAUSE THEY WENT TO SOUTH AFRICA.

    THEN LARA GOT THE TRAINER THAT KEPT THE PLAYERS IN TOP SHAPE

    THEN THE ENGLISH SEVERELY LIMITED THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR PLAYERS THE EXPERIENCE AND THE DAILY DISCIPLINE OF COUNTY CRICKET , AND EVEN PLAYING IN THE LEAGUES.

    RE Intimidation no longer works.
    NOT REALLY TRUE EITHER
    MORE BATSMEN GET STRUCK IN THE HEAD AND CONCUSSED THESE DAYS AND PHIL HUGHES EVEN DIED!

    WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VERY TALENTED PLAYERS, BUT THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY CONSISTENTLY AT HIGH LEVELS AS THOSE IN THE 80’S PREVIOUSLY DID.

    IN ADDITION THEY MIGHT NOT SEE THE NEED.AS THEY ARE WELL EMPLOYED AND WELL PAID IN THE SEVERAL T 20 LEAGUES ALL AROUND THE WORLD

    ALWAYS REMEMBER, CRICKET IS NOT JUST A GAME, IT IS A DISCIPLINE

    MOST OF THE BATSMEN TODAY HAVE POOR TECHNIQUES

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  6. MOST OF THE BATSMEN TODAY HAVE POOR TECHNIQUES
    WATCHING LOTS OF CRICKET ON WILLOW CHANNEL OVER LAST TEN YEARS MANY GET OUT PLAYING ACROSS THE LINE

    SHOULD HAVE BEEN…..THEN LARA GOT THE TRAINER THAT KEPT THE PLAYERS IN TOP SHAPE FIRED

    I AGREE THAT WOMEN CRICKET IS VERY GOOD TO WATCH
    THE TOP PLAYERS ARE VERY GOOD
    OUR BAJAN FEMALE PLAYERS ARE VERY GOOD TOO

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  7. “Brilliant session for West Indies, brilliant session of play overall.

    West Indies looked to be on the mat again, after a wicketless first session but took out the top three and Rahane in the middle session.

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  8. Oh dear, Johnny boy; you really are a funny guy. Why are you disrespecting the West Indies from the eighties with their high pedigree resume. Why are you trying to rewrite history? The scholar, GP, in his imitable way has clearly rebutted your absurd suggestions.

    I can remember when England played West Indies, some 4 years ago in a three match series and were expected to win whilst smoking a cigar. They were two nil down after two test matches. With the series lost, after having received some punishment from the West Indies batsmen. The England captain, Joe Root, decided to play Mark Wood. I was watching the game live at the Kensington Oval. Our boys could not handle the searing pace of Wood. They were intimidated by his raw pace and succumbed meekly.

    The West Indies under Clive and Viv became battle hardened warriors with an all pace attack which proved nigh impossible to stop. Today’s cricket with a maximum of one bouncer is relatively soft. May I suggest to you that today’s cricketers would wilt under the pressure of genuine pace bowlers from yesteryear.

    The extraordinary feat of the West Indies chasing down a target of 342 in 66 overs to win a test match on the last day is the stuff of legend.

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  11. I was looking at BT and saw the headline “WI victory at Kensington ranked No. 2 among five memorable matches against India”

    Nostalgia, fond memories and cricket fumes. Look likes dPd got a job at BT, resurrecting WI cricket history

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  12. I grew up hearing “de Lord don’t come but he does send”, de Lord sent some rain to save the WI bacon.

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    • More than bat and ball

      West Indies cricket is truly more than bat and ball. It is the proverbial Caribbean canary in the regional mine field. An analysis of West Indies cricket is an analysis of West Indies civilisation. To my mind much of what was said by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley at the 2023 Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Lecture entitled Cricket, Lovely Cricket: It Is More Than Bat And Ball was on point and worth repeating.
      Some may argue about this administration’s success in implementing the visions articulated when she speaks. But, let us not confuse issues. The value of analysis is not necessarily affected by the levels of success in implementation.
      The problems of West Indian cricket and, by extension, Caribbean civilisation are deep and require longterm examination, experimentation and effort. These efforts and the analyses on which they are based must cut across administrations.
      We must go beyond the boundaries of politics as usual.
      We’ve gone past the point of blaming any particular person or entity. It is time to simply admit, as PM Mottley puts it, that “We are playing the fool. And it is not a little bit of foolery. It is a lot. And I am not casting blame on any single person.
      But I am reaching out to a civilisation and a people.” She goes on to say that, “We have reached a point when the absolute imperative must be to change the governance of our game.” While she is speaking overtly about the game of cricket, I interpret this statement to go beyond bat and ball.
      Status quo
      Living in England when she was a student, the PM and West Indians like her had a thirst for anything that represented the region.
      “We understood that we were very much still fighting battles, as we are today, to be able to establish ourselves and to reshape a status quo that very often didn’t hear us, didn’t see us and didn’t feel us other than on a few occasions. And, one of those glorious occasions was cricket, lovely cricket.” However, the PM acknowledged that, “When you really go deep, cricket has been the bastion of the preserver of the status quo . . . . At every stage of the game we have been battling with the status quo.”
      The Prime Minister referenced C.L.R.
      James who noted that it would come to pass that the West Indian middle class would seek to mimic the coloniser more than the coloniser themselves. The point I take here is that once where West Indies cricket was primarily waging war against an external status quo, it is now primarily engaged in an internal conflict with our own indigenous
      and internalised status quo.
      Deep flaws
      “What we haven’t gotten is an appreciation between governance and excellence.” This point made by the PM does not only apply to cricket. Neither is the point she also makes that, “The first issue we need to get right is governance.
      The longer we take to do it, the worse the results will be.”
      For Caribbean cricket and Caribbean society to progress we have to face the deep flaws in our administrative, corporate and governmental cultures.
      Mottley indicates, this is not to castigate any person or administration or entity, however, “There are things that we may not want to say but . . . I (PM Mottley) have come to understand that we must talk always as family if we are to improve the circumstances which we have.”
      Too many of us seem afraid to talk, though.
      And too often when we do talk we seem to talk from a place of rancour and bias rather than as family. There was irony in a light-hearted moment between PM Mottley and Floyd Reifer, where the PM spoke directly to the former Democratic Labour Party candidate saying that cricket can bring us together across party lines. Recall that a while back a member of the Barbados Labour Party questionably questioned Reifer’s qualification to be an MP because he was a cricketer.
      There is more substance in the presentation than I have space to highlight.
      To sum it up, I will pull out this quote. “What we have found ourselves in is a predicament that is no longer sustainable.”
      I add that this does not only apply to cricket. Prime Minister Mottley’s speech shone a light on the failure of Caribbean administrative culture to establish sustainable governance models among and within nations, in cricket and, in my estimation, across the board and boards.

      Adrian Green is a communications specialist.


      Source: Nation


  13. A LOAD OF CONCENTRATED BOVINE EXCREMENT!
    WHY MUST EVERYTHING BE LINKED TO POLITICS?

    EVERYWHERE THE ENGLISH WENT THEY TOOK THEIR “GAME” TO ENGAGE IN THEIR LIESURE TIME AS A SOURCE OF PLEASURES AND ENTERTAINMENT
    ,
    IT MIGHT HAVE STARTED AS A GAME WHEN ONE MILK MAID THREW PEBBLES AT ANOTHER ONE WHO DEFENDED HER “WICKET” WITH A STICK. THE WICKET BEING THE THREE LEGGED STOOL UPON WHICH THEY WOULD SIT TO MILK THEIR COWS.

    HOWEVER, THE GAME HAS EVOLVED AS A DISCIPLINE.
    THOSE WHO ARE VERY DISCIPLINED PLAY IT WELL THOSE WITH LITTLE DISCIPLINE DONT.

    THIS CAN EASILY BE DETERMINED AND DEDUCED BY READING THE BIOGRAPHIES AND AUTO BIOGRAPHIES OF VERY COMPETENT AND SUCCESSFUL PLAYERS, BOTH PAST AND CURRENT

    LACK OF A DISCIPLINED APPROACH HELPS TO UNDERSTAND WHY MANY A TEST MATCH THESE DAYS CAN NOT LAST EVEN THREE DAYS, AND THAT MAY BE OBSERVED IN GAMES PLAYED BY EVERYONE OF THE TEST PLAYING NATIONS.

    CERTAINLY, THERE ARE MANY FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN ANALYZING PERORMANCE IN A PARTICULAR GAME, OR THAT OF A NATION OVER A TIME.

    HOW HAS POLITICS AFFECTED THE CONTEMPORAY PERFORMANCE OF EITHER THE INDIAN OR NEW ZEALAND CRICKET TEAMS.. BOTH OF THESE TEAMS WERE TRADITIONALLY THE UNDERDOGS IN TEST CRICKET

    WHY HAS THERE BEEN A RISE AND FALL IN THE CRICKET FORTUNES OF SRI LANKA?

    IF ONE LOOKS CAREFULLY AT THE STANDARD OF THE ENGLISH OR AUSTRALIAN TEAMS OVER TIME, IT OUGHT TO BE CLEAR THAT THEY PLAY A LOT OF VERY HARD AND COMPETITIVE CRICKET, IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON.

    SIMILARLY, THERE ARE NUMEROUS CRICKET COMPETITIONS PLAYED IN INDIA.

    THERE IS MUCH MORE TO BE SAID ABOUT CRICKET IN GENERAL…..AND WEST INDIAN CRICKET, BUT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS.

    VERY FEW BOYS ARE PLAYING BAT AND BALL THROUGHOUT THE ISLANDS.

    OF THOSE WHO EMERGE FROM THE RELATIVELY AVAILABLE SMALL POOL IN THE ISLANDS, MOST HAVE THEIR EYES NOT ON NATIONAL DUTY, BUT ON THEIRE PERSONAL LIVELIHOODS………AND NONE SHOULD BLAME THEM.

    DONT ALL OF US BASICALLY DO THE SAME?

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    • Why Caribbean cricket needs women in key positions

      by AMANDA REIFER

      CRICKET IS NOT just a sport; it is an integral part of the Caribbean identity and culture. However, the continuous exclusion of women from key strategic leadership and management positions within Cricket West Indies and the territorial boards across the Caribbean is a travesty that hinders the growth and success of these organisations.
      For over three decades, Caribbean cricket administrators have struggled to achieve success.
      The continuous demise of West Indies cricket can arguably be attributed, in part, to the absence of women in key leadership positions. Research consistently shows that diverse leadership teams bring fresh ideas, creativity, and enhanced decision-making capabilities.
      Indeed, it is important to acknowledge that in some instances, women have been voted onto boards but have been given limited influence or voice, often only representing women’s cricket. This limited representation fails to tap into the intellectual, strategic, and problem-solving perspectives that women can bring to the table. The absence of a female chief executive officer, president, or vice president in any cricket board in the Caribbean, including Cricket West Indies (formerly West Indies Cricket Board), is a clear indication of the underutilisation of women’s talents and capabilities.
      Gender diversity
      The impact of this exclusion becomes even more evident when examining the success stories of organisations around the world that have embraced women in leadership roles. Companies across various industries have witnessed the transformative power of gender diversity, both in terms of financial performance and market competitiveness. However, West Indies cricket continues to lag behind, stuck in a cycle of mediocrity that could potentially be broken by embracing women in key positions.
      Here are just a few examples of the exceptional leadership skills and abilities of women in top positions, in both the corporate and sports sectors, demonstrating their capability to successfully manage and drive growth: Mary Barra is the chairman and chief executive officer of General Motors, a Fortune 500 company.
      She became the first female chief executive officer of a major global automaker in 2014 and has been instrumental in leading GM through significant transformations in the industry.
      Ginni Rometty served as the chairman, president, and chief executive officer of IBM, one of the world’s largest technology companies. Under her leadership, IBM focused on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
      Leadership positions
      Kathy Carter is a sports executive who has held leadership positions in various sports organisations. She served as the president of Soccer United Marketing (SUM) and has been involved in the growth and development of soccer in the United States.
      Jeanie Buss is the controlling owner and president of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most successful basketball franchises in the NBA.
      She has played a crucial role in guiding the team’s operations and has been a strong advocate for gender equality in sports.
      Amy Trask is a former chief executive officer of the Oakland Raiders, making her the first female chief executive officer in NFL history. She played a significant role in the team’s operations and helped navigate complex
      issues within the organisation.
      Whether intentional or not, the lack of representation by women in key strategic leadership and management positions has undeniably robbed our regional institution, West Indies cricket. The exclusion of women from key leadership positions in Caribbean cricket perpetuates the notion of the “Old Boys Club” and reinforces gender inequality.
      This outdated mindset limits the potential growth and progress of these organisations. By clinging to archaic traditions and practices, Caribbean cricket administrators undermine the principles of fairness and equality.
      The lack of representation by women in leadership roles also sends a detrimental message to young girls and women who aspire to be a part of the cricketing world. It reinforces the notion that their voices and contributions are not valued or considered important. This not only limits their opportunities for growth and advancement but also perpetuates gender inequality within the sport.
      To address this issue, it is necessary to take intentional steps to embrace and invite women to the table. This may involve actively seeking out qualified women and headhunting them for leadership positions. It is important to create an inclusive and empowering environment where women feel encouraged and supported to step forward and take on leadership roles.
      Barriers
      Furthermore, it is essential to examine the barriers that may be preventing women from stepping forward and address them. This could include biases, stereotypes, and systemic obstacles that hinder women’s progress in the cricketing world. By actively dismantling these barriers, we can create a more equitable and inclusive environment that allows women to thrive and contribute their unique perspectives and talents.
      In conclusion, it is necessary to go beyond token representation and ensure that women have a real influence and voice in West Indies cricket. By embracing women in leadership roles, we can break free from the shackles of the “Old Boys Club,” foster innovation and growth, and restore its position as a powerhouse in the cricketing world. Only then can Caribbean cricket truly unlock its full potential and thrive in the global cricketing landscape.

      Amanda Reifer is Deputy Dean, International Partnerships and Business Development at the University of the West Indies’ Faculty of Sport.

      Source: Nation


    • West Indian cricket is dead

      By Peter Laurie

      So, am I saying the glorious heritage of West Indian (WI) cricket has come to an end? No.
      I’m saying that WI cricket in its present incarnation is dead. We now have to re-imagine it as Caribbean cricket under new management.
      It’s time we retire the quaint neo-colonial term “West Indies” in cricket. After all, it’s not the “West Indian” community and common market, and it’s not the “West Indian” Premier League. Why stick with colonial labels that induce cricket administrators and commentators to still refer to sovereign nations as “territories”?
      Besides, unless we innovate, in cricket as in anything else, we degenerate and die. The world in which our Caribbean cricketers now function is vastly different from that in which we dominated the world from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s.
      Despite our amazing cricketing prowess in Test cricket’s early years – Constantine, Headley, the three Ws, Sobers, to mention a few – there were two unique historic events that catapulted us into world dominance.
      The first was the humiliating 5-1 loss to Australia in the 1975-1976 Test series, with Australian fast bowlers Lillee and Thomson wreaking havoc on our players. This experience led captain Clive Lloyd to appreciate the value of a hostile pace attack.
      The second event was Australian Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket (WSC) from 1977 to 1979. Packer demanded fitness, relentless practice, and discipline. Our WSC team included Croft, Garner, Holding and Roberts, the first incarnation of the four-pronged pace attack. The Packer experience moulded a bunch of highly talented Caribbean cricketers into a professional team led by Lloyd, with steel in their backbone and fire in their belly.
      And, for the first time, our cricketers were paid a decent wage.
      That four-pronged pace attack (90+ mph), backed up by batsmen like Greenidge, Haynes, Richards and Lloyd, was the key to our success along with professionalism and resolute captaincy (Lloyd followed by Richards). In later years Marshall, Ambrose, Walsh and Bishop, among others, would join the quartet.
      Between 1979 and 1995 we played 31 series, won 21, drew nine, and lost just one, quite controversially, to New Zealand in 1980.
      One example of our dominance: in the 1984 tour of England we demolished the English 5-0.
      But let’s set cricket in its Caribbean civilisational context.
      As C.L.R. James observed in his masterpiece, Beyond A Boundary, “an investigation of Worrell, Walcott and Weekes would tell us as much about the past and future of the West Indies as about cricket”.
      Cricket is the foremost example of the genius of Caribbean civilisation: creolisation. The ability to combine foreign cultural influences and transform them into something uniquely
      ours. In the case of cricket, we took a quintessential English game and infused it with an African-derived Caribbean sensibility typified by aggression + elegance + flair = art: whether fast bowlers, batters, fielders.
      The aggression was not just in playing. It was in the attitude (we take no S from nobody). Just watch Sobers (collar turned up) with a flick of the wrist disdainfully dispatching a good ball from Lillie to the boundary; or the saintly swagger of Richards.
      We changed cricket by the way we played it. We made it our Caribbean game. Hence the intense popular mass appeal.
      Let me ask: Would we give up pursuing excellence in our musical idiom just because Boogsie Sharpe, Peter Minshall, Sparrow and Marley are no longer active?
      No more can we give up excellence in cricket, just because Sobers, Holding, Ambrose and Lara are retired. It’s in our soul.
      So what are the causes of our decline since the mid-nineties? What a sad litany it is.
      Some highlights: We finished ninth among ten teams in the 2019 ICC World Cup. We finished eighth out of nine teams in the World Test Championships of 2019-2021 and 2021-2023. In the T-20 World Cup in 2021, we managed just one win. In last year’s T-20 World Cup we made a firstround exit.
      And this year we were humiliated as we were eliminated from the ODI World Cup for the first time.
      Even when we now win the odd game or series, we flatter to deceive.
      So many have written or voiced their opinions about the causes of our decline, I list a few in no particular order.
      • Governance of Caribbean cricket
      • Inconsistency in selection, constant changes in captaincy
      • Poor succession planning
      • Insularity
      • The concept of several sovereign nations playing under one flag is obsolete
      • Lack of effective player development
      • Today’s players abandon their homeland to play in lucrative international T20 leagues
      • Today’s players simply aren’t good enough or care enough
      • Too much emphasis on T20 cricket
      • Cricket has been replaced in popularity by football, basketball, athletics, and so on.
      I dismiss the notions of insularity, poor player skills and motivation, and the appeal of other sports.
      All the other issues really boil down to one: the (mis)management of Caribbean cricket.
      Players (male and female), not administrators, must be at the centre of Caribbean cricket.

      Peter Laurie is a former head of the Barbados Foreign Service and author of several books.

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