Tony Becca - FROM THE BOUNDARY THE PERFORMANCE of the West Indies cricket team, in recent times, has been such that, after being one of the best for a long time, after being the best, the very best between 1976 and 1995, it is now, after only nine years, ranked at number eight only above Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
For the fans, and particularly so those who experienced the glory days, that is difficult to swallow and in their disappointment, a number of them the majority of them are blaming the players.
According to them, the present players, but for a few, are lacking in talent, are way below par when it comes to skill, and are so uncommitted to the game that they do not spend the time necessary to develop their game neither as batsmen nor bowlers and certainly not as fielders.
In a nutshell, as far as the fans are concerned, the players of today pale in comparison to the champions of the past, and in many respects, that is true.
LACKING PRIDE AND PURPOSE
The players of today, too many of them, really do seem, for example, to lack the pride and the sense of purpose that was so evident in the players of yesteryear.
That, however, is not the only reason for the below par performances.
When it comes to talent, for example, the players of today are not necessarily less talented than those of yesterday. The question, therefore, must be this: why is it that today's players do not possess the skill that is necessary to perform at the highest level?
Is it, as some are saying, really that they do not care, that things come too easy for them, and that they are making so much money that the hunger is not there? That also does not seem to be it not looking at them in action.
THE FAULT OF THE SELECTORS
Looking at them, looking, for example, at the technique of some of the batsmen, of most of the batsmen, at the simple way some of those who do look good get out after batting well, the answer is simply that they lack the necessary skill, as is evident on less than perfect pitches, and the ability to bat long against top class bowlers. If that is so, then the fault is not theirs, but rather the selectors.
When one looks around and sees the absence of mature players in territorial teams and the number of youngsters in them, however, the fault is not so much the selectors, who now hardly have a choice, but rather the situation that exists in West Indies cricket.
Because of the lack of financial reward at the first-class level, players who do not get into the West Indies team, or who are dropped from the West Indies team, leave the game too early, and their absence is hurting West Indies cricket.
The absence of the older players not only affects the proper development of young players, but when it is remembered that selectors can only select from what is available, with hardly a mature player around, with so many youngsters around, it also affects the West Indies team, because it leaves the selectors no choice but to select young, inexperienced players.
The hunt for young players is good no question about that, every selector should have an eye open for the young, gifted player, and if that player also possesses the necessary skill and the maturity, he should be afforded an opportunity.
But for the few, however, but for the very few, regardless of talent, skill comes with experience, and too many youngsters are being selected to the West Indies team without the necessary experience and therefore the skill to perform.
Right now, players are getting into the team after a few first-class matches, right now, batsmen are getting in after one good innings, right now, bowlers are getting in after a few wickets in an innings, and when one remembers that Test cricket should be for the best, that is not good not for the West Indies and not for cricket.
SCHOOLBOYS VS 'BIG MEN'
Right now, the skill level on the West Indies team the strokes that some of their batsmen play, the way some of the batsmen get out, and the failure of the bowlers to bowl a consistent line and length is generally such that against South Africa and England, they looked like schoolboys playing against 'big men'.
Such is the situation in West Indies cricket at the moment that it may be difficult to do, but instead of selecting every young batsman who looks good or who performs reasonably well on an occasion or two, instead of selecting every young fast bowler who bowls fast and lets go a bouncer or two, instead of selecting fast bowlers who are not fully developed physically, instead of selecting players who are not considered among the best by their own territories, the selectors should allow them to play more first-class cricket.
But for the exception, maybe a young player should not be selected to the West Indies team before he has played three seasons of first-class cricket - certainly not until he has demonstrated that he is matured.
By playing more first-class cricket, the young, talented players will develop their skills, will be more experienced, will be properly groomed, will be more confident and will therefore be ready to compete with the best when called on to do so.
