SARWAN

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

DESCRIBING IT as a 'new beginning' manager Mike Findlay has compiled a vision and mission for the West Indies team for the tour of England, which he shared with the players at a vital meeting yesterday before they flew off to London.

"It's a new beginning for West Indies. For a number of years we have been saying that we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and each time we say this, the players who we identified as the forerunners for the future seem to reach a level and not peak, not go any further," Findlay told CMC Sports in a wide-ranging interview at the team's south coast hotel.

"Clearly it is now time that we've got to take things into our hands and virtually ensure that whatever gains we make now are not reversed."

He said recently installed West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) chief executive officer Bruce Aanensen would also be at the meeting as the team, under a new captain in Ramnaresh Sarwan following Brian Lara's dramatic retirement from international cricket last month, now focus on the two-month tour which includes four Tests, two Twenty/20 internationals and three one-day internationals.

A vision for WI

"I have put together a vision for West Indies cricket, which I am going to discuss with the players ,and also a mission for the tour of England, because I think it is important that the players buy into what we see as being crucial and vital for the future of West Indies cricket," explained Findlay, a former West Indies wicketkeeper, who also served as a regional team selector for six years, including his last four as chairman in the past decade.

"The players themselves will certainly have to let us know what we can do, and I say we here meaning not only the management team in England but by extension the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), because I think it's a two-way street.

"We need unity, we need support from the board, support from the public. We need the players to understand that they have the support and they will have to say to us, we feel this is lacking. We must have dialogue.

"I'll expect that we will have a lot of mutual respect, respect for management, respect for players and once we understand that clearly and understand the objective that we are aiming for, then I think things are going to work.

"The vision goes like this: To serve the best interest of West Indies cricket and the expectations of the people of the West Indies through excellent performances, exemplary conduct, discipline and deportment on and off the field of play. That's the broad vision for West Indies cricket.

"And the mission: To recognise the 2007 tour of United Kingdom as the first stage in the rebuilding process for West Indies cricket and to remain focussed on the elements of cricket to achieve the highest level of success."

Findlay said he hoped the players would understand the importance of the tour as West Indies seek to rebuild following a disappointing 2007 World Cup campaign in the Caribbean at which they finished sixth.

Hopeful

"What I am hoping is that once they can buy into this and you can sell them this, that they will keep this in their minds throughout the tour.

Findlay, a 63-year-old Vincentian, also said that the players themselves had put together a creed a few years ago.

"I am not sure if many people are aware that a few years ago, the players themselves had put together a creed. I got this a couple days ago and I thought it was an excellent creed.

"I am not sure what went wrong because if they had been following this creed, then things would have been better.

"It goes like this: We the members of the West Indies team are a successful, professional unit that are proud role models and ambassadors for West Indian people. We see it as a great honour to be part of a select few that don the maroon cap and continue the legacy of West Indies cricket.

"We will display a high level of quality cricket through commitment, reliability and a strong work ethic, always aspiring to achieve our goals both individually and collectively as a team.

"As the unifying force in the Caribbean, we will continue to play cricket in the true spirit, bringing enjoyment and entertainment to the world."