West Indies wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin (back to camera) stumps Sri Lanka batsman Lokuhettige Dilhara off the bowling of Narsingh Deonarine (out of picture) during one of the tri-series ODI's against Sri Lanka. - DELLMAR PHOTO
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, CMC
WEST INDIES cricket coach Bennett King has very few disappointments about his side's tour of Sri Lanka.
King and his team that had been hastily assembled following the fallout from the labour dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players' Association flew out of the Sri Lanka capital early yesterday.
Although they failed to win either Test against the hosts, and were unable to reach the Final of the three-nation limited-overs international series that will feature the Sri Lankans and India, King could still break a smile at the end of a trying tour.
"It might have been a difficult tour for you guys travelling and reporting on the team, but it has not been a difficult tour for me," he quipped in an interview with CMC CricketPlus.
He added: "I have had a willing bunch of players, and the whole Caribbean should be proud of the players that decided to play. It was a tough decision for them, but they have performed creditably.
LACK OF EXPERIENCE
"We thought a good show for us would have been to reach the Final of the limited-overs competition, and get at least one Test win, so from that perspective it was disappointing. I think the lack of experience - people not knowing how to play the game at this level - hurt us in the end."
King's major regret was that most of the players that chose to hold fast to WIPA's position in the dispute missed a golden opportunity to play the game in some unusual conditions which might have enhanced their game.
"The sad thing is that everyone who is in the frame to play for West Indies was not here to experience these conditions because it is pretty hard playing under them," he said.
"The pros have certainly outweighed the cons and I think there is a good cluster of players that have stuck their hands up and have a really bright future in West Indies cricket.
"We have to nurture them well, and make sure that when they return home they get nurtured in a similar way. The camaraderie has been very good. The environment that we have tried to create I think enhances it. We are certainly starting to mould together a good group of players."
King acknowledged that the bowling had improved significantly, and there is still some work to do with the fielding, but his major concern was the batting.
"It's now more about us getting the runs, and getting them consistently," he observed.
He continued: "On this tour, the lower order has been propping up the side, and I do not think it was only our side.
"It was a good opportunity for the opening batsmen, and the No. 3 and No. 4 batsmen to make a name for themselves, but I do not think that anyone put their hands up, so there are opportunities in the team for batsmen."
King agrees the main positive coming out of the tour was it illustrated that there is talent in the Caribbean, and he hopes cricketers taking part in regional competitions take the game more seriously.
Prior to the first Test, King revealed that he taken on-board much more responsibility than he had intended, but this and the labour disputes that have bedevilled him have not waned his joy for the job.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the job of West Indies coach," he stated.
"I wake up every morning with a smile on my face, and while this keeps happening, and I keep getting the response from the players, they'll have to try to shift me with a crowbar."
King however, is philosophical about the labour dispute that prevented Ian Bradshaw, Dwayne Bravo, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Devon Smith from making the trip.
"I have not spoken too much about what's been going on, but I personally don 't like to see cricket threatened," he commented.
"I think it is important for world cricket that it is played competitively.
"Cricket can be hurt in a bad way in these situations with all these other sports around the world trying to gain exposure themselves.
"We have got to make sure cricket remains exposed, remains open to everybody, and is shown to be a game to be loved and enjoyed."
