By Tony (McWatt) and Reds (Perreira)
One of the English dictionary’s definitions of the word reform is “to amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults!” As a result of its calamitous performance in the ICC 2021 T20 World Cup, the need for a radical and total reform of West Indies’ white-ball cricket has now become undeniably apparent. The disastrous net effect of the West Indies’ woeful performance was its status transformation from defending champions to next year’s 2022 tournament qualifiers.
The highly embarrassing status relegation of the two times T20 World Champions West Indies to that of lowly qualifiers for next year’s 2022 tournament is just the latest episode of a now four-and-a-half decades-long very sad saga. The forthcoming 2023 ICC 50 overs World Cup will mark 44 years since the West Indies was last crowned as that tournament’s champions and 40 years since its appearance in a final. To redress both of these T20 and ODI anomalies, radical reform of every aspect of West Indies white-ball cricket is indeed urgently required.
As an example of the potential positive effects of such a reform, CWI need only to look as far as its English Cricket Board (ECB) counterpart. Regarded as the 2015 World Cup favorite, England was instead thrashed by Australia, New Zealand, and Bangladesh en route to an ignominious preliminary round exit. The ECB in response conducted a comprehensive reform of its white-ball cricket including the appointment of a new captain and coaching team, as well as the establishment of a reconstructed squad of 20 centrally contracted white-ball players. The results since then have spoken for themselves. England won the 2019 50 overs World Cup and, after playing unbeaten during the preliminary Super6 round were narrowly defeated by New Zealand in the semi-finals of this year’s T20 World Cup.
Instead of embracing the necessity of emulating such progressive change, CWI has disappointingly taken a step backward with the recently announced extension of the Roger Harper-led Selection Panel’s term of office for a further three months. The net effect of which will be that despite all their repeatedly demonstrated incompetencies, Messrs Harper, and Company will now be overseeing the selection of the squads for both of the immediately forthcoming T20 Series against Pakistan and England.
Despite CWI’s apparent reluctance, the replacement of Harper and his Selection Panel must now be fully embraced as a prerequisite of the required reform. The actual composition of the panel should also be increased to five members plus a chairman, as an approximation to how it used to be when the West Indies dominated international cricket. Our suggestions would be for a Panel headed by Jeffrey Dujon as Chair and comprised of former players such as Kenny Benjamin, Tony Gray, Lockhart Sebastien, and Philo Wallace with the Coach as the sixth member.
Nicholas Pooran should also replace Kieron Pollard as captain for the forthcoming white ball series against Pakistan and England. Pollard’s unsatisfactory actual results, both as a player and as captain, fully justify his immediate replacement.
Pollard has scored 1468 runs at an average of 24.46 per innings in his 93 T20 International West Indies appearances. His West Indies ODI stats are 2633 runs scored at a 26.99 average from 119 matches. Pollard’s record to date as West Indies T20 captain is 10 wins, 15 losses and five no results in 30 matches. His ODI captaincy stats are 10 wins and six losses.
Seven of Pollard’s T20 captaincy wins have, however, come against low-ranked teams such as Afghanistan, Ireland, and Sri Lanka. Much the same can also be said for his ODI captaincy wins, only two of which have been against top-ranked teams.
The win-loss results of the Phil Simmons-led coaching staff are also suggestive of its immediate replacement. Of the 36 T20 International matches the West Indies has played since Simmons’ October 2019 reinstatement as the team’s Head Coach, 14 have been won, 17 lost and 5 have ended as no results.
Simmons’ ODI record as head coach during the same period is four wins and two losses from six matches played. Not unlike Pollard’s, the majority of Simmons’ wins in both T20’s and ODIs, have, however, come against low-ranked teams. Conversely, the losses have been against teams that are placed within the top five of the ICC’s rankings.
Our replacement suggestions would be a Coaching unit comprised of Desmond Haynes – Head Coach; Ronnie Sarwan – Batting; Larry Gomes – Asst. Batting; Franklyn Stephenson – Bowling; Samuel Badree – Asst (Spin) Bowling and Gus Logie – Fielding.
Radical improvements in the West Indies squad’s fitness standards, across all formats, are also required. As such the coaching staff must also be supported by a Dennis Waight no-nonsense type physiotherapist.
There must also be a uniform required fitness level standard for all players with absolutely no special exemptions for anyone. Either you are satisfactorily fit and fully eligible for selection or you aren’t and hence not worthy of consideration.
India utilized Mahendra Dhoni as a mentor during this year’s T20 World Cup. We would also suggest similar roles for former players such as Sir Curtly Ambrose, Ian Bradshaw, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Brian Lara as part of the West Indies preparation for both the 2022 T20 and 2023 50 overs World Cups.
Joel Garner’s indisputable qualifications, as one of the most effective bowlers international limited over cricket has ever seen, warrants his return as the West Indies Team Manager. Meaningful roles must also be found for the likes of Sir Andy Roberts and Deryck Murray.
Progression from qualifiers, beyond the Super6 and into the semi-finals should now be West Indies’ established minimum achievement goal for next year’s 2022 T20 World Cup. Likewise reaching the final, after having failed to do so since 1983, must now be the minimum goal for the 2023 World Cup.
In order to achieve either or both of the above, West Indies must also revamp its entire playing approach to white-ball cricket. No more ultra reliance on power-hitting, instead the adoption of continuous strike rotation towards significantly decreasing the number of dot balls faced. Sharp singles taken at every opportunity, and the conversion of ones into twos and the latter into threes.
There must also be specifically established roles for every player. For each and every match played, someone within the batting lineup must also be willing to stick their hand up as the person who will act as the innings’ stabilizer. Batting through the majority of the overs and rotating the strike at one end, while the established power hitters go after the bowling from the other end.
The weaknesses of opposition batsmen must be identified and fully exploited. Their strengths must also be nullified. The lines and lengths 0f every bowler must be immaculate. No balls and wides should be regarded as cardinal sins committed!
The bowlers must also be supported by fitness-influenced fielding of the highest order. Every catch and half chance taken. Every run-out opportunity fully grasped through significantly increased throwing accuracy.
Radical reforms now urgently required indeed! Out with the old; In with the new.
About The Writers:
Guyana-born, Toronto-based, Tony McWatt is the Publisher of both the WI Wickets and Wickets monthly online cricket magazines that are respectively targeted towards Caribbean and Canadian readers. He is also the only son of former Guyana and West Indies wicket-keeper batsman the late Clifford “Baby Boy” McWatt.
Guyana-born Reds (Perreira) has served as a world-recognized West Indies Cricket Commentator for well over fifty years. Reds made his broadcasting debut during the 1971 West Indies-India Test Series, and has commentated on hundreds of matches since then!
