Despite the good things said by Ricky Skerritt recently, searching questions remain following the rash of decisions made since the new Cricket West Indies (CWI) president assumed the helm.
Yes, we need to keep cricket decisions out of the hands of administrators and firmly within the purview of the experts.
And yes, all eligible West Indies players should be considered for selection, whether they roam all year long on the international circuit, without participating in Regional competitions, or regardless of their territory of origin.
Skerritt was very lucid in making a major departure from his predecessor Dave Cameron’s egregious policy of divisiveness that characterized the latter’s presidency, in recent media interviews.
However, the new president is yet to pronounce on whether the board’s top employed expert, Cricket Director Jimmy Adams, was the decision maker in the removal of Coach Richard Pybus and his entire staff following West Indies’ success against England in the just concluded Test and ODI competitions.
Given the regional side’s surprising 2-1 triumph to reclaim the Frank Worrell Test trophy, then going on to tie the said England, ranked world number one, 2-2 in the ODI’s following which the latter rebounded to sweep the home side in the 20/20 matchup, it is erroneous to suggest it was an expert decision to wield the axe on Pybus and his staff.
These days coaches would deem such a performance a dream one , considering it was Pybus’s first go handling the team, especially one as lowly ranked as the West Indies at number eight and nine, in the two formats, in which they were unbeaten against the much higher ranked England.
It could be argued the home advantage was in West Indies favor, but for a team plagued by years long unprofessionalism in its approach to competition, beset by inconsistent batting, bowling and ever-present loose fielding, which primarily contributed to them being thrashed by Bangladesh in the said two competitions, two months prior, it was a remarkable turnaround against the visitors.
So, it was not surprising that other experts like Michael Holding suggested the board thread carefully by investigating thoroughly the work of the coaches after hints began circulating of sweeping personnel changes, following Skerritt’s victory over Cameron in the CWI Presidential election.
Moreso, in light of glowing remarks on the coaching performance by top players in the post series reactions, you wouldn’t be thinking straight to disagree with the ex-ace fast bowler.
It was Darren Bravo who related he was never in a team that planned so thoroughly and made to execute as well as they did while captain Jason Holder attested to it being a fresh experience working with the new coach.
As a result Holding must’ve choked on his morning coffee when it was announced a few days after his interview with Trinidad Newsday that Pybus and his assistants Esuan Crandon, Vasbert Drakes and Toby Radford were history, along with the entire selection panel.
It is easier to understand the selection panel ouster, headed by Courtney Browne, which made little or no effort to assert their independence from the political machinations of Cameron and his directors.
All doubt was removed this past week in a revelation by attorney Tony Astaphan who in defending the work of Brown and company, admitted they adhered to a policy instituted by the board and not made by themselves of alleged marginalizing of some players from team selection. Former star player Andy Roberts would’ve been appalled, given that a panel he once led threatened to resign after alleged inference in their selections by WICB officials at the time.
Just as troubling is the prospect of West Indies heading to the world’s biggest competition under the helm of the unheralded and inexperienced Floyd Reifer at international level, as head coach.
As was the case in last World Cup in 2015 when an absolute green horn in Holder, who had never even led his native Barbados, was appointed captain, a key position in the team is filled by someone with light credentials.
Pybus was not a favorite for the post before being singlehandedly chosen by Cameron as he among other factors, came across as another of the plethora of coaches on the international circuit, bouncing from country to country, in short stints without any seeming measure of success.
However, the fact that he presided over West Indies’ success story in February/March should’ve at least guaranteed him a continuation of his contract for the World Cup at least, pending results there, instead of Reifer, who was part of the panel that oversaw the team’s hammering in the ODI series in Bangladesh and prior in India.
Or if not, it wouldn’t have been a bad idea to temporarily relieve Adams of some of his duties as Cricket Director to replace Pybus as coach if CWI so badly wanted a West Indian in charge at the World Cup.
The Jamaican was an accomplished player and was successful coaching Kent in the English County competition.
Yet this clamoring for West Indian only coaches for the team by not only Skerritt but also others like influential regional academic Hilary Beckles, could be interpreted as another side of the politicization of West Indies cricket. It is remarkable the similarity in remarks made recently by both individuals in their preference since Skerritt’s election win, and the timing of the announcement of Pybus’s removal following a speech made by Beckles, while emphasizing the need to build a cadre of West Indies coaches for the future.
Absolutely one should not have a problem with wanting to develop all aspects of regional cricket, coaching included, but this insistence at the expense of all other foreign options, especially for this prestigious World Cup, smacks of Beckles and others who agree with him, wanting to create an ideology of West Indies coaching dominance, like the Dream Team did .
Yes, West Indies has produced more world class players per capita than any other country since the regional team’s advent to international competition in 1938, but it doesn’t mean we have to prove we have the best coaches in the world.
That might take another 20 years equivalent to the time West Indies has been languishing at the World’s rankings cellar after dominating in the late 1970s’/80s’. Winning now should be of utmost importance and it can be done with the assistance of any coach from the region or any part of the Universe as fans have waited much too long.
It is important to note that every member of that Dream Team of the past were made better players by foreign coaches, while playing in the English County Championships
In other sports disciplines, countries don’t clamor for domestic only coaches for national teams, when winning is the priority.
If such was the case Jamaica would’ve never had Brazilian Rene Simoes to lead them to being the first English speaking Caribbean country to reach the football World Cup Finals.
Similarly the European, African and South American countries don’t discriminate with coaches.
So why should our cricket go against the grain?
