West Indies’ cricket exposed in New Zealand

THE standard of West Indies (WI) cricket has been brutally exposed for what it is. The two-Test plus the three-match T20 series (one of which was abandoned) in New Zealand (NZ), have proven to the world in general and to West Indians in particular, the depths to which it has fallen. The tour ended, mercifully, at the end of the second Test.

To observe WI in these two NZ Tests was painful. In the first, they were thoroughly trounced by an innings and 134 runs after winning the toss and inserting their opponents. The pitch was lush and green, however, the bowling advantage was not accepted.

Then, the second Test, a similar wicket. Again, Jason Holder won the toss and the butterfingered WI fieldsmen let the home team off the hook. It was catching at its most deplorable at Test level. Darren Bravo, who seems disinterested in the proceedings, spilt two regulation catches at first slip. It is heart-rending for fast bowlers to expend their energy to bowl, only to witness the nonchalant attempts at catching as happened.

Top-class fielding improves the disposition of a team while the opposite occurs when it is bad. There is no excuse for not taking chances offered. Observe the NZ team, full of energy and positive vibes, fieldsmen willing the ball to come to them; and that is an important difference.

The WI side appear lackadaisical, disinterested, causing a half-hearted approach. No enthusiasm! The infection soon spreads throughout the team which ended the innings with eight dropped catches and three half-chances that could have been held with better judgement. It was awful.

Of course, the bowlers by their disillusionment to see catches being spilt and missed through lack of effort, eventually went wayward.

WI allowed Henry Nicholls, a left-handed batsman, to complete a hundred, giving chances at 21, 29 and two at 47, not counting the near-misses.

He was the backbone of the innings and the key reason for NZ achieving a total of 460 runs. He eventually was removed for 174.

Then one had to face up to the disaster that is our batting.

The WI first innings imploded at 131.

Being led by 329 runs WI had the indignity in two consecutive Tests in a two-Test series, to be asked to follow-on!!

Selectors have to be mindful of building a better unit by being aware of where weaknesses lie and just how to strengthen the team while building and developing. The two 22-year-olds in the 2nd Test, Chemar Holder and Joshua Da Silva are two excellent introductions and not only for the Test team. Then there’s Alzarri Joseph as well and these three are the only ones that need salvaging. Let all work for their selection rather than make out they’re heroes, for they’re not. If one doesn’t get rid of the bad apples these brilliant young cricketers could be lost as they would not be learning the right approach to international cricket; the intense preparation required and most importantly how this attitude leads to winning games, thus, a winning culture.

Jason Holder’s experience as captain and player will be an asset, although he’s so accustomed to losing now that his mind might be affected.

The time has come to choose young cricketers, move forward and build with them. We are wasting time with failures, those for whom selection comes quite easily without effort or performance. It would be better for youngsters with the ability to be given the opportunity and ensure that all cricketers have to give of their best to gain the honour of selection and that no one is a ‘certainty’.

There are players on the touring squad who are in their thirties and have not yet made their mark, why is that, when a youngster could utilise that same opportunity to improve his game and WI have a better cricketer in a few years. Selectors must have the aptitude to be able to identify that talent with the capability to be winners. Starting time is now; get rid of the baggage and the constant failures and move on.

And what about the coaches? They talk a lot to the media, Roddy Estwick in particular, but it’s the same tiresome rhetoric about doing this and doing that plus inanities like if the batting comes off this is what will happen, the same with the bowling. Poppycock!!

It’s like saying “if we make more runs than our opponents we will win the game.” Just wait for it.