Rain, No Play

Photo credit: Daniel Y. Go.

Following three consecutive humiliating defeats in which the West Indies' cricketers, save a few, failed to show any any desire to win, burning questions will have to be answered. The passion that had so characterised West Indies cricket in the past was replaced by listless, gutless surrenders. We put forward these questions in the (possibly futile) hope that answers will lead to a brighter day for West Indies cricket.

1) Why do we have to air our dirty laundry in public?

Following the shocking selection of Lendl Simmons over Jerome Taylor for the New Zealand game, selector Andy Roberts was quoted as saying to local reporters:

"I can't find the words to describe it. If you play an extra batsman at No. 8, he has to be able to bowl. All I can say is that Simmons must have changed roles since I last saw him."

To which Lara responded:

"I can simply say to Andy Roberts that I did not select this World Cup squad. I was not there in the meeting. The team was selected without me. But I still go out there and fight my very best with the squad given to me"

Lara subsequently apologised for the public dispute with Roberts, but the damage had been done.

2) Will the WICB and the selectors follow Pakistan's lead?

After Pakistan's dismal performance at this World Cup, Pakistan's selectors tendered their resignation. The chair of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Nasim Ashraf also tendered his resignation. Can the Caribbean people expect a similar level of accountability from the WICB and the team's selectors? Or do fans have to take to the streets and burn effigies as they did in Pakistan?

3) Will Lara follow Inzi's lead?

Both Lara and Inzamam came into this World Cup as captains of their teams with over 10,000 ODI runs. When Inzi's team failed miserably, he retired from ODI cricket and resigned as captain, while remaining available for Test selection. Lara has already said that he will retire from ODI cricket at the end of this tournament, but having presided over the incredibly poor performance of the West Indies in the Super Eights, will he have the decency to resign as captain as well? Will the WICB and the selectors have the guts to fire him if he doesn't?

4) What kind of a relationship exists with coach Bennett King and the team?

"But whatever Lara wants Lara gets. I don't think coach Bennett King has much of a say in the selection of the team" - Tony Becca

The selection of Simmons over Taylor has largely been attributed to Lara. If this is so, then what kind of a relationship does coach King have with the team? Shouldn't he have at least had something to say about such an ill-advised decision? Which leads us to question 4b: If Lara is to go, then shouldn't King as well? There has been nothing spectacular about his reign in the Caribbean, and in what should have been the crowning achievement of his tenure, the West Indies have performed dismally in even the most rudimentary aspects of the game.

5) When will the best interest of West Indies cricket be put before the almighty dollar?

Ranglings between the WICB and WIPA, the players' association, about money have become commonplace. It has almost become a subplot to every West Indian tour. This World Cup is no different as the Windies players were the only team that received their contracts after the World Cup had started.

Lara hinted that the delay in payment had an impact on the performance of the players when he said about his team:

"Even if you have empty stadiums and no contracts, this is still the World Cup. If you're a professional, you should be able to play under any circumstances"

We've seen players not being selected simply because of a sponsorship dispute between the Digicel-sponsored board and the Cable and Wutliss, err, Wireless -sponsored players. When will money be removed from the pedastal that it now occupies in West Indies cricket?

• 1641 reads