Get Up, Stand Up: The State of the West Indies

The West Indies will miss the Cricket World Cup. Let that sink in.

Daren Sammy's squad is in rough shape. As Coach put it:

When the first-class season of cricket in the country only spans 5 games, and the Caribbean Premier League is still young and going through its own host of issues - it's no wonder there's an exodus of talented cricketers from the West Indies.

A decreased investment in domestic cricket breeds generations of kids with other sports to turn to, despite former West Indian coach Stuart Law saying that's bogus. Mr. Law should spend more time in Antigua (shouldn't we all).

TTY spoke to nearly every restaurant server and cabbie across the islands, "Sir Viv Richards has our respect, man. But Chickie Baptiste, the DJ, has a bigger following in cricket than most players on the field. Nowadays, our kids are playing American football, basketball, and my nephew thinks he's the next Usain Bolt," said our driver on a recent visit to Sir Viv.

Windies' wonder years
The golden era began in the 70s under the leadership of Clive Lloyd. Windies dominated Test cricket for over a decade with a formidable lineup of batsmen and a fearsome quartet of fast bowlers known as the 'Four Horsemen' (Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Colin Croft, and Andy Roberts).

The crowning glory came when they won the first two editions of the World Cup in 1975 and 1979, showcasing their dominance in the limited-overs format as well.

West Indies cricket reached its pinnacle during the 80s with Sir Vivian Richards, who epitomised power and flair, becoming a bonafide celebrity. The team achieved an unprecedented feat by winning 11 consecutive Test matches and retaining the Wisden Trophy for 15 years against England. The intimidating aura of their fast bowlers, backed by the flamboyance of their batsmen, made the West Indies a formidable force in world cricket.

Where Windies stands today
The decline has been slow and steady ever since an uprising led by Brian Lara over pay ahead of West Indies' first tour of South Africa. The Windies have never been the same, losing all seven series against South Africa and every Test against Australia.

Add in some more internal and contractual disputes between players and the cricket board, along with the exodus of talented players to lucrative T20 leagues disrupting team dynamics - and you're left with West Indies missing the 2023 World Cup.

The Warning
Read the report by an independent three-member group appointed by Cricket West Indies (CWI) - which included Brian Lara - which highlighted the plight of WI cricket after their early exit at the World Cup in Australia last year:

WI Cricket does not lack for talent but our small size in comparison with other cricketing nations means that we cannot afford to lose any talented players. Cricket West Indies (CWI) must develop and create clear pathways for the identification, development and management of talent. Otherwise, WI cricket runs the risk of being strip-mined by other professional leagues that can afford to harvest and develop our players for their benefit.

The globalisation of cricket continues - there's no stopping it. And now the West Indies may lose their seat at the big kids' table. Unfortunately, West Indian kids might not bother to notice.

Michael Holding on West Indies Treatment: It is Sickening

We continue with cricket legend Michael Holding, who responded to the ICEC Report for TTY in our last issue.

Below, Holding shares his thoughts on the state of West Indies cricket:

Note: The following has been edited for clarity and brevity***

Sad news about the West Indies. They will not make the CWC. What's your reaction?
West Indies cricket is where it is because of a lack of funds. West Indies Cricket Board cannot pay the monies required to keep their cricketers playing for the West Indies. They haven't got it. They will never have it under the current circumstances and the way the ICC structures the funding of world cricket. India receives something like 32%. The Indian board is the richest in the world, followed by Australia and England. Yet they get more than 50% of all of the ICC money. It is sickening.

Would you ever consider a role at the board level to help make structural changes?
I've sat on various committees in cricket. I was on the West Indies Cricket Board Cricket Committee once. I had to resign. I was on the ICC cricket committee once. I had to resign.

Each time, I wrote a letter explaining exactly why I resigned. But it doesn't matter. You see, I am not one to sit around and watch rubbish and talk about this collective responsibility. If I do not believe in it, I will not be a part of it. And I alone cannot change things.

When I resigned from the ICC Cricket Committee on a certain matter of principle. Do you know how many committee members saw me afterwards and said, "Oh, Mikey, you were right."

But they said nothing at the time, not publicly. I cannot be a part of that. Sorry. Neither West Indies Cricket Board nor the ICC. I'm not going to be a part of that sort of ignorance.

Thinking about the next Michael Holding, what is your message to the young generation of cricketers?
Be hopeful. That's all I can tell them. Do not believe it is a world of despair. Be hopeful that things can change. Don't let the bad news and bad vibes turn you off of something you enjoy and want to progress in. But at the same time, the youngsters in the Caribbean know.

They look at the situation and head towards the shorter form of the game because if they have the talent, they can make a very good living. And I cannot blame them.

Until the West Indies Cricket Board finds the funding to pay them properly. They will go there. A sportsman's life is very short. At the end of your sporting career, you still have to live. You must earn as much as possible during that short career to live and look after your family post-career.

That is why we need to solve the funding problem in the West Indies and all these poorer countries. It can be solved with a more equitable distribution of the funds available to the ICC, but greed prevents that.

The Slip Corden

• The Ashes: Game On
  At this writing, it's 2-1 in The Ashes. The drama is only building from here, but we must tip the hat to the Women's Ashes. 20,328 people saw England pounce on the Aussies by three runs at The Oval. The record-breaking crowd shows the significant growth of the women's game in the UK.
  

• The PM is calling
  The Bangladesh ODI Captian, Tamim Iqbal, retired this last week. Then with one call from the PM, he quickly unretired. The cricket-obsessed nation was left confused but seemingly happy. ESPN Cricinfo reported on the 3-hour-long meeting with Iqbal and PM Sheikh Hasina that turned Iqbal back to the game.

Issue: Get Up, Stand Up: The State of the West Indies
Publisher: J. LaLonde
Editor-At-Large: Angus Wilson
Contributing Writer: David Scipione
Illustration: Sidney Secolo