West Indies

[eugene]

The decline of the West Indies is a sorry sight for all cricket fans. While most cricketing powerhouses are not usually particularly popular, the BCCI being megalomaniacs and the Australians being as loathsome as ever, the West Indies were always popular and often everyone's second team. For the past 25 years the decline in West Indies cricket has been constant and there is seemingly no sign of things improving.

Where did it go wrong for the West Indies? T20 cricket surely hasn't helped as many of their stars don't really seem committed to international cricket, but honestly the rot had already set in well before T20 appeared.

Is there any hope for a revival? Their bowlers aren't helped by low and slow wickets, fan interest for anything other than T20s seems minimal, and their batsmen struggle with both pace and spin.

[eugene]

Completely pathetic showing against India in the first test, most of the batsmen simply threw their wicket away.

[sloandog]

I don't even get to watch meaningful cricket anymore. It's always on BT Sports but I do miss seeing the west indies. They have a good crop of young fast bowlers but at the same time, they aren't helped by the world cricket situation. T20 cricket is effecting them massively as they can't field their best side. Narine still makes their best ODI side, let alone T20's.

In the COVID years and before, they pushed England hard, and New Zealand, and appeared to be experiencing a revival. Joshua De Silvia appeared, Blackwood was scoring runs and Joseph, Seals and Holder appeared to be a very potent test line up. You had Chemar Holder, too, who had a yard. What ever happened to Oshane Thomas? There's a lot of questions without much closure. I don't think things will ever get back to the way they were. Too much damage has taken place within Caribbean cricket and the world of cricket, and its landscape, is totally different to what it was in the 80's, 90's and early to mid 2000's even.

Shame really, because they have some wonderful talent. Darren Sammy is a born leader and I still think he can have a positive effect on the team, but he'll need time, patience and a lot of support.

They've pretty much exhausted all their options too, in terms of personell. They've had Ambrose, Walsh, Clive Lloyd, Haynes, Greenidge and many more within the coaching structure at some point, but nothing has changed.

Fingers crossed

[eugene]

West Indies have certainly shown that bringing in past legends doesn't guarantee improvement. Most of their coaching appointments have been pretty decent, the players simply don't have the talent and passion anymore it seems.

[eugene]

Obviously the rain helped, but a better performance from the West Indies in the second test.

[eugene]

Todays first ODI against India highlighted one of the biggest issues in the West Indies. The quality of pitches. It seems nobody can prepare a good wicket anymore anywhere in the region.

[Pat_Bee]

Smashed England though hey

and we beat WI at the qualifier so by default better than England

[Pat_Bee]

Tonking England all over again Moeen Ali, he’s a shady character.

[Pat_Bee]

Getting schooled by England this week yo. England have gone backwards though it’s all WI making them look good, shows the pitfalls of hiring a successful women’s coach expecting big things Moeen Ali is their best player by far picking up a wicket first ball of the innings. Bossing it like raz dawg these shady Muslims yo.

[Pat_Bee]

20/1 off his first over, that’s raz dawg all over inshallahed that one right out the park.