Dear Editor,
As I watched West Indies v New Zealand on the first and second days, a few telling observations were noted. If we are to go beyond ‘improvement’ to actual victories, there need to be some drastic changes to the squad’s composition and their mentality.
This West Indies can now produce a very good Test team because the quality of our reserves is high, especially in the fast bowling department. Our benchmark should no longer be “competitive” as stated by our coach. We now have the quality to produce a Test squad that can actually beat the top rated countries.
Darren Sammy creates a serious imbalance in the Test squad and places a major burden on our fast bowlers. We need another attacking fast bowler to complement Roach and Rampaul. A number of names come to mind, but the two foremost would be Russel, who is a better batsman and bowler than Sammy, or Johnson, who would bring pace, height and variety to the bowling line-up. There were times during this Test match when our opening fast bowlers showed glimpses of real aggression, but this was always relaxed when the first change bowler came on. We now have too many quality fast bowlers in the wings to continue to play with only two frontline genuine pacers. The Sammy experiment needs to come to a conclusion immediately.
Darren Sammy is nowhere near as good a captain as people make him out to be and his basic errors could cost West Indies. Just before lunch Roach and Rampaul gave a genuine WI bowling effort by softening the New Zealand batsman. It was an effort very rarely seen of late. Everyone expected this to continue after lunch, but Sammy inexplicably took off both bowlers and used himself and Narine. The end result was inevitable – both bowlers being hammered by batsmen who, before lunch, seemed completely incapable of negotiating our bowlers. The lack of a genuine third pacer also seriously affected the WI The Darren Sammy experiment must come to an end. He has given his all to the West Indies and took them to a new level in terms of discipline and fitness. However, our team now seems capable of achieving great things, but is being kept back by the obvious imbalance of our squad which is created by the presence of Sammy. It is now time for the selectors to offer their appreciation to Sammy and then let him go. If this is not done we will continue to only be “competitive” when we can be winners.
Ravi Rampaul seems a very good choice for captain. There is the ever present argument that Sammy continues to play because there is no logical alternative to be captain. For some reason the selectors seem to overlook Rampaul. A few stats on Rampaul show that he is an automatic starter in this WI team, is an academic, articulate and a loyal WICB player. In general terms he is a similar individual to Sammy, but a much better player and more worthy of his place in this team. If the WICB could have moulded players such as Walsh and Sammy into captains then they could do the same with Rampaul.
West Indies cricket has come a long way in recent times, and much credit needs to go to the coach and captain. They have achieved their mandate but do not have what it takes to take the WI to the next level where they can actually win matches against the better test teams.
The small areas which could differentiate being competitive from winning – the inspired captain’s decision when the chips are down, or a hostile bowling spell when batsmen are set, or clinically finishing off a tottering opposition – continue to be lacking in this team. It is almost as if the team feels content with being competitive rather than winning. This can only change if there is a change in leadership and Sammy is the obvious choice to make way for this change.
There is much to feel optimistic about in West Indies cricket. But the change cannot come unless the correct leadership, players and mentality are met. The time is right for the WICB to now seek a higher level of attainment and success.
Yours faithfully,
M Abraham
