Dear Editor,
West Indies cricket won’t be fixed unless the problems are correctly diagnosed. Loose talk must be replaced with facts. There is a widespread belief in the region that the cricketers do not train and/or practise as hard as they should. The long series of defeats the team has endured is considered proof of the truth of this belief. One would have thought that those who are so convinced, would have attempted to offer some more reliable evidence. Such evidence would not only have enabled management to demand an explanation, it would also have given management the leverage to take steps, including punitive actions, to put things right. It would clearly be helpful to have the facts.
Some years ago in Antigua, similar assertions were made to the strength coach in my presence and in the absence of any player. His response was unequivocal. The players, he said, were working very hard. I hasten to add that his answer, by itself, does not conclusively disprove the allegations.
On a different occasion, also in Antigua, Mr Williams of Trinidad and Tobago, in his capacity as acting or assistant coach, in my presence, said essentially the same thing as the strength coach had done.
I have watched Darren Bravo develop from a fourth-rate to close to a first-rate fielder. Dwayne Bravo, Pollard, Russell and Sammy perform acts requiring such strength, speed and dexterity that few, if any, cricketers can emulate. Dwayne Smith used to be until recently one of the best fieldsmen in the game. Despite Gayle`s apparent slow footedness, he was certainly, and still may be, a superb slipper.
I have not seen them in training or in practice, but I would be very reluctant to believe that what they do just comes naturally.
It is just possible that the problem with the team might be more fundamental than lack of effort. The thrust of my writings has always been to suggest that perhaps those who are really interested should dig a little deeper. There are some facts that are not subject to dispute. Among the most glaring was that the team was the only one at the recent World Cup without a head coach. For years there was no batting coach, nor indeed a bowling coach. It has not had either a fielding coach or a sports psychologist in years. WI cricketers play less first class cricket than those from any other major country. If you factor in the relative lack of resources, you may start asking different questions, like how could the coaching staff ensure that Narine be eligible to play in all forms of the game without reservations.
Finally, does anyone seriously believe that Barath, Bess, Cummins, Marshall, Kieron Powell, Pagon and Devon Smith were all victims of their own laziness?
Or does anyone have any idea why England is contemplating the hiring of Jahawardene and Collingwood as consultants for the shorter version of the game?
Laziness and lack of practice are likely simplistic explanations for failures with much deeper roots, that can be tackled if they are approached with less emphasis on ancient history.
Yours faithfully,
Romain Pitt
