WI Cricket is dead

intro

The words "West Indies" for at least half a century has been synonymous with the WI Cricket team.  So much so that we have had spin off names such as "Worst Indies" when they perform poorly and the conjunction of the name to "Westindies" in our verbal communications.

There is no denying how much Cricket has helped to develop the region but the current state of affairs is reversing much of this progress.  As with all failed models, it is time to disband the WI Cricket Board and start a new model of governance in our regional cricket. 

What was meant to unite us as a region is now dividing us more; what was meant to develop us as a people is now breaking us down.  With all the "educated fellows" that purport to have their hearts and minds in the Game and in the interest of regional development and integration, we have still failed to realize a sense of pride and loyalty to this system.

Proposal

I am proposing that the WI Cricket Board be scrapped and the three/four main cricketing territories form independent boards while the Eastern Caribbean block form a union with a new name or retention of the West Indies name.  In the case of Guyana, they will have the option to join the EC block or alternatively satisfy the requirements for a full international status.  This is a similar situation with Barbados and only because of the population sizes.  The Bahamas and other territories falling outside the EC geographical region would also play through the union unless they meet the requirements for full international status.   

The Requirements

At top of the requirements should be the number of professional players registered(30), local league structure and feeder systems in place as well as the availability of at least two grounds to host international matches.  In addition to that, qualified/certified coaches and officials should be at a minimum and at least six months of competition at the local levels.

Structure

Given the nature of Test Cricket and its waning appeal, full international structure would account for Limited Overs Games (T20, ODI's) while additional requirements would be implemented for test status according to the ICC guidelines.  This is no different from the current structure where teams such as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe - relatively fringe teams - have been subjected to certain pre-requisites to determine their Test status.  They do however, along with Ireland, Kenya, Canada, Holland and a host of other countries play Limited over games internationally, including the world cups.  The popularity of T20 has been influencing the growth of the game and the Future is the shorter form of the game. 

 rationale

Test cricket is a niche form of the game that does not even have a world championship and therefore should not be used as a definitive factor in deciding the faith of states that want to participate autonomously.  Opening up the territories will only grow the game of cricket and give more world class players the opportunity to represent their countries and make a living for themselves and family.  

The current structure of WI Cricket in particular has stifled hundreds of players who are on par with the best in the world but because of reasons belying their talent or ability they are lost in the "wilderness of WI Cricket".  Classic examples include Ramnaresh Sarwan, Darren Powel, Franklyn Rose, Corey Collymore, Tino Best with hundreds of others who have just lost hope.

WI Cricket has been failing since the 90's despite turning out great stars like Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh, Curtley Ambrose and Chris Gayle.  These guys have made their names within a system that was fruitless.  They were the rose among the thorns where the thorns have failed to recede.  Today we see great talent and bright young men being stifled by these thorns because the visionaries have had their eyes plucked out by the very thorns they have nurtured - The WICB.   

Lets take Brian Lara for example, arguably the best Batsman ever.  Put Brian in an Indian team or an Australian team where he would have gotten more games, more respect and a better system;  Maybe he would be still playing today - who knows?  My point is that great talent needs even better management and the system has to be fair and transparent. 

Now, take Chris Gayle as my second example.  The most exciting player to watch - no apologies for that- He was put in the wilderness of the WICB for being frank and standing up for what he believe in.  When Lawrence Rowe went to South Africa in the apartheid era we chide him, when Bob Beamon protested at the Olympics we hail him.  Different people are motivated by different things and playing cricket is at the apex of Chris Gayle's heart and you take that away from him because of some puerile grudge you break not just his heart but the hearts of an entire people.  

The Jamaican Prime Minister The Honorable Portia Simpson Miller made a statement in Gayle's defense but has attracted criticism from you guest it - The WICB.   The PM has since defended her statement and pledged to stand by it.  She has been endorsed by a number of local organizations.

Every man has a right to his opinion and my opinion is that we scrap the WICB and break away into autonomous teams.  This will do better for regional integration if only to stop the regional division and gross injustices that puts a dagger in our hearts, like the thorns that have obscured our vision.  We have been stagnant for too long with our conservative and cowardly fiber and until we learn to evolve and move on we will forever be left behind by the rest of the world.  

This current model only works when the WI team wins and this is a preposterous gamble and the annoying cliche "turn the corner" can never happen if we have no driver - worse yet no steering wheel (vision).  This is 2012 and the WICB is still operating in 1982.  That is THIRTY (30) YEARS outdated.   

EVOLVE OR DISSOLVE!!