Numerous questions following WI defeat

THE EDITOR: On Friday the West Indies Test team crashed to an innings defeat in the first Test against India.

There are no words to describe the team's abject performance. Let us try and reconstruct the anatomy of defeat.

Two Indian batsmen scored 274 runs in their first innings. The entire West Indies team, that is, all 20 batsmen, were bowled out for a grand total of 280 runs in both innings.

West Indies batted for 64.3 overs in the first innings and 50.3 overs in the second innings. Shades of a One-Day International and certainly not Test match cricket.

Andre Coley is the current head coach of the Test team. Does the coaching staff have the relevant technology to prepare the players? Do the members of the coaching staff perform analyses of the techniques of the Indian batsmen and bowlers? Do they perform analyses of the West Indies players?

Do the players have the "nous" to understand the game from which they make a living?

Are the players given guidance by the coaching staff? Do the players take the advice (if any) of the coaching staff?

Is a sports psychologist part of the team management?

Is there a pay-for-performance incentive plan in place?

Why was the pitch in Dominica not prepared for the strengths of our bowlers?

What motivates the West Indies players? Money? Pride? Legacy history? Nothing?

What is the solution? Keep looking for ten more players with the mental fortitude and technique of Alick Athanaze. Blood players into the Test team at a much younger age. That will give them a chance to develop.

Only then will we see a light at the end of the tunnel.

LINUS F DIDIER

Mt Hope