Sun sets on the Islanders
Golden days of West Indian cricket just a memory
Posted: Monday December 14, 1998 12:04 PM
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The South Africans had their way with the West Indian side AP |
LONDON (Reuters) -- Cracks have been evident in the make-up of West Indies cricket for sometime.
Last weekend they became gaping canyons.
Humiliated inside three days by South Africa in the second test in Port Elizabeth, West Indies are already 2-0 down in the five-match series and reaping the wrath of their countrymen at home.
An article in the Barbados Advocate newspaper headlined "The woeful West Indies" launched a scathing attack.
"West Indies' impotence to rise to this great occasion not only confirms the low status assigned to them among cricketing nations, it also creates the very real prospect that sponsors and administrators will have wasted their substance on a sterile tour," it said.
It was not just defeat, but the manner of it that has angered supporters used to long years of world dominance by a string of terrifyingly fast bowlers and brilliant, stroke-making batsmen.
"That our players are willing victims in this affront to West Indian culture is attested by their lack of proper focus, their blatant indiscipline in running between the wickets, swiping without reasonable cause, giving catching practice to fielders, and bowling well wide of the stumps," the paper said.
What will have stung the players even more were harsh words from two of the West Indies former greats who watched the sorry capitulation in Port Elizabeth.
Colin Croft, once a member of West Indies feared four-pronged fast bowling attack alongside Andy Roberts, Joel Garner and Michael Holding, did not mince his words.
"This was as disgraceful a performance by a test team as I have ever seen," he said.
Sir Garfield Sobers, considered by many as the greatest player the West Indies has ever produced, was equally curt. "They must remember that playing for [the] West Indies is a privilege, not a right. Test cricket is all about accepting responsibility and this team is not doing that."
Only aging fast bowlers Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh escaped condemnation, but they were unable to compensate for the inadequacies of others.
Even captain Brian Lara, holder of world records for the highest test and first-class scores, is failing to live up to his immense talent.
As the West Indies collapsed ignominiously for 141 in their second innings at Port Elizabeth, Lara top-scored with 39 from 49 balls but it was a mere cameo from a man who only recently was hailed as the greatest batsman in the world.
And Lara admits it himself.
"You can't tell me that the Brian Lara we saw today is the Brian Lara of four years ago, or Carl Hooper, or Shivnarine Chanderpaul -- reliable people," he said.
He refused to blame the pitch. "The West Indies team of the mid-80's, [Gordon] Greenidge and [Desmond] Haynes up front would have scored 500 on it. It was fine."
That all is not well with the West Indies set up has been clear all along and illustrated by the initial players' strike which almost caused the tour to South Africa to be aborted.
But player unhappiness in the West Indies squad has been rife for years over inter-island jealousy and lack of money and sponsorship in the game.
Once cricket was viewed by Caribbean youth as the only avenue to relative prosperity and fame but under American influence a great deal of sporting talent is now channeled towards more affluent sports, especially basketball.
Increasingly over recent years, administrators have bemoaned the lack of talent emerging.
Where once there appeared an inexhaustible line of truly top-class fast bowlers and batsmen, West Indies now have to rely on a small nucleus. The Islanders are forced to fill the remaining places in the test side with journeymen cricketers who only a few years ago would have struggled for selection in their island team.
Gone is the dominance in the world game they once held.
Perhaps the most significant indicator came more than three years ago when they lost a test series 2-1 at home to Australia.
It was their first series defeat in 15 years, their first at home in 22 years.
The golden days are over.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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