The disappearing Test match fan

So it’s back to the combat of Test cricket once more. The West Indies team is engaging Bangladesh, with the home advantage of Caribbean pitches.

That’s the only backing that can be gained, as there’s absolutely no semblance of a crowd that one can rely on by referring to them as the 12th man. Winning is the only attraction to bring back fans.

That support is not there and it’s a pity, because the benefit of playing at home is considerable when cheers erupt from the home fans for attractive strokes, from elegant drives to powerful hooks and pulls, played by their batsmen.

Then there are the bowlers, both fast and slow, who reveal their fitness and tenacity in their attempts to lure the stubborn visiting batsmen into error; the unadulterated joy of witnessing a tumbling stump, or the ducking to evade a bumper from a pace bowler that is too close for comfort at one’s head. The shouts of encouragement shake one’s opponent and lift the spirit of the home team.

Sharp, brilliant fielding, accompanied by accurate throws and safe catching, spur on the home team to play better if there’s a crowd of home fans in the ground.

Wicket-keepers diving to take catches, plus quick stumpings, always help to improve the team’s ability to lift their game, thus becoming winners. All because of the support from the stands.

It is so sad to be viewing a Test match on empty home grounds – not only for the players, but for the sport of cricket on the whole, which has pleased and given so much joy to West Indians over the years.

This game is against Bangladesh, a side that has travelled from the other end of the world to engage their West Indian counterparts in Antigua, where the first Test is being played, being the headquarters of Cricket West Indies. It’s a ground dedicated to the glory of the fascinating batting and fielding of Sir Vivian Richards, who was knighted for his tremendous efficiency, reliability and ability, plus captaincy (he never lost a series) in the sport of cricket.

Nevertheless, life goes on and CWI has to encourage players to be winners, and this series is a good place to start.

WI are in the bottom half of the table in Test cricket and ODIs. They have to gradually rebuild their teams into winning combinations.

The only way to do that is by having deserving cricketers representing the WI, ensuring that there’s no readymade selection, but that all cricketers are competing with one another for a place in the side.

That is what brings out the best in players.

How many more series does Kraigg Brathwaithe have to lose and how many times does he have to fail with the bat to be replaced? He hasn’t scored a Test half-century in over two years. Every player who represents the WI must be successful to maintain his place in the team. Those who are continually failing, regardless of their status, must be replaced.

What is so difficult about that for a selector, who must also be under the same microscope? If not, it looks like favouritism for special cricketers and officials. To win, one has to fight the odds and if one is successful, WI supporters and cricket fans will start gradually heading back to the stands, to observe their new heroes, to cheer them on while liming with their friends.

To win, one has to believe in one’s ability to be the best. CWI has to have teams that are mentally and physically alert to what is required.

Cricket fans are asking questions, like: who are the selectors?

I tried to find out and was told the selectors for each men’s team are the coach (main selector) with information from the territorial/franchise coaches and unnamed scouts.

Let’s take a closer look. The main selector, they’re saying, is the coach of the team.

That is wrong, for a number of reasons that even a blind man could see.

The coach ought to be a selector, but should not be the chairman.

The main selector must be dispassionate in his outlook: hence he must have no closeness with the players.

A coach is naturally close to his team; therefore, through no fault of his own, he could develop favourites among his players without realising it.