Roberts, 59, chided the players, selectors and officials of West Indies cricket and said what is being presented as West Indies cricket at the moment is just mediocrity.
The Antiguan believes the selectors — led by Clyde Butts and including Raphick Jumadeen and Robert Haynes — made a serious blunder in picking Adrian Barath and Darren Bravo for the February 28 Twenty20 match against Zimbabwe, after the young batsmen had recently recovered from injuries.
“I cannot understand why the selectors would play Darren Bravo and Adrian Barath in the T20 match against Zimbabwe,” Robert said.
“The two young men were coming off injuries and why did they rush them into playing a T20 match? The two young men would have been better served going to play for T&T in the regional cricket match, to help ease themselves back into international cricket. I think the selectors made a serious blunder in this regard,” he added.
Roberts, a former West Indies selector, said the recently concluded regional first-class season was not up to standard and he targeted players for some of the blame.
“When you have only seven hundreds in a regional tournament, that tells you something. Our cricket is not good at all. For this, I am not only blaming the West Indies Cricket Board but also the players themselves.
“The players must take an interest in their own development and put in the hours in training to become better. This is not happening and just adding to the general mediocrity which is present right now in our cricket.”
Roberts, who took 202 wickets for the West Indies in 47 Tests, added that the state of the pitches in the Caribbean was not good because they were under-utilised.
“The pitches are not being used enough and this is why they are not hard. By using the pitches and preparing them, they would get harder and would not crumble as they are doing now and offering so much turn for the spinners.”
Zimbabwe’s spin attack has bothered the West Indies in the current Digicel limited overs cricket series.
Roberts said the West Indies needed people who have cricket at heart to strengthen the game at the territorial level.
“We need to start by having those who serve at the territorial level, having cricket at heart. Then there would come a time when territories would become strong. Even if we have one strong territory, West Indies cricket would be better off because a number of good players would come from there. However, none is good at the moment and this is not helping West Indies cricket.
“Change needs to come and it must start from the top. If the head is not good, then what would you expect to get from the rest? West Indies cricket is worth saving but the right people have to get on board or else there’ll be more problems in store,” Roberts said.
