Will the West Indies ever rise again?

[Lillian Thomson]

The West Indies performances in the current series in New Zealand seems to confirm them at the bottom of the current established Test playing nations - excluding Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. But will they ever rise to the top again? When Australia were really struggling in the mid-eighties they put a lot of resources into sport to plan for the future and their dominance in recent years is due in no small part to forward planning. On the other hand when the Windies were dominant from the mid to late seventies to the early nineties it was due to a number of great players just happening to emerge at the same time rather than any deliberate plan. A number of young batsman and bowlers show early promise, but few go on to long term Test careers. So will the West Indies ever rise again? If they're just content to sit back and say cricket goes in cycles and one day it will be their turn, they could be in for a long wait.

 

[steds]

They need to get their house in order, then after that - yes, they will.

 

[BlackCap_Fan]

Not for a while - with Lara retiring soon they're gonna go to lower depths.

 

[steds]

Not for a while - with Lara retiring soon they're gonna go to lower depths.

When's the last time Lara did the business in a game that mattered?

 

[Langeveldt]

Don't think they have a chance to be honest, the cricket culture and facilities need to be sorted out first..

I think we are going to see a power shift in the game towards the subcontinent, not only in terms of finances, buit also in performances..

 

[steds]

Rich. I like the way you've got your Bradman award in your sig, but only small. People might think you were bragging but for the size.

 

[Langeveldt]

Rich. I like the way you've got your Bradman award in your sig, but only small. People might think you were bragging but for the size.

discreet bragging, not to mention the most exciting thing thats happened all day.. I poured myself another pepsi and celebrated alone

 

[BoyBrumby]

I for one hope they do; cricket needs a strong Windies team. When I first got interested in cricket (mid 80s I guess) it seemed incomprehensible that England could ever win a test series against them, such was their pre-eminence. In the event I had to wait another decade-and-a-half to see it, but such has been their fall it would be something of a shock if they even took a test off us now.

I only know what I've seen in the media: that American sports and Football have made ever increasing in-roads into West Indian youth culture, but it would be a terrible shame if the Windies cannot recover as a force again. How to make it happen? I don’t know.

 

[Langeveldt]

I for one hope they do; cricket needs a strong Windies team.

Why?

(Im not doubting it does need a strong West Indies, but I also hear the same thing said about India/Pakistan/Aus/England)

 

[marc71178]

Didn't they actually compete fairly well in at least one Test in Australia?

Not to mention the First Test of this series.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Why?

(Im not doubting it does need a strong West Indies, but I also hear the same thing said about India/Pakistan/Aus/England)

Because they're from outside the Anglo-south Asian cricketing hegemony & I think they add something unique to the sport's culture. I suppose in the strictest sense cricket doesn't "need" a strong Windies per se, as it will undoubtedly flourish because of the size of India's population, but to me cricket without a competitive Windies team would be rather like Football without a strong Brazil.

I realise one could also argue South Africa fall outside of the Anglo/south Asian divide, but although efforts are obviously being made to spread the word to the majority-population, cricket remains in practice largely a "white" sport there.

 

[aussie]

they have the talent in their ranks to be a force in World cricket, they just need the right people to take charge on & off the field & maybe they can do something. After all if they can chase down 418 againts a powerful Australian attack, win the Champions trophy shows that have the ability.

 

[aussie]

but to me cricket without a competitive Windies team would be rather like Football without a strong Brazil.there.

yea this sums it up well.

 

[steds]

After all if they can chase down 418 againts a powerful Australian attack

...On the same pitch that one man managed 400 (which is 95.693etc.% of the score you put ) all on his own against another powerful attack (plus Gareth Batty.)

 

[open365]

When's the last time Lara did the business in a game that mattered?

That's completely illogical.

Define a game that matters, go on, if you mean as i think you mean, a game that the West Indies have a chance of winning, then i can think of one reason why he doesn't perform in games that matter...

 

[steds]

That's completely illogical.

Define a game that matters, go on, if you mean as i think you mean, a game that the West Indies have a chance of winning, then i can think of one reason why he doesn't perform in games that matter...

I mean games that aren't part of a dead series. I was on cricbuzz the other night with a West Indian moaning away at me about how Lara only ever makes his big scores when the West Indies have already lost the series, and it's true.

 

[Richard]

...On the same pitch that one man managed 400 (which is 95.693etc.% of the score you put ) all on his own against another powerful attack (plus Gareth Batty.)

A powerful attack of the oh-so-wonderful Harmison, the (in those days) condition-reliant Hoggard, the purely magnificent Simon Jones (was utterly rubbish in those days) and the totally superb Flintoff (even tec admits he only became a good bowler in the summer of 2004)?
The Lara feat might've been a fantastic one, but it sure wasn't a strong attack.

 

[Richard]

I mean games that aren't part of a dead series. I was on cricbuzz the other night with a West Indian moaning away at me about how Lara only ever makes his big scores when the West Indies have already lost the series, and it's true.

How about this one?
Or this?
Or this?
Or this? (dropped on 15, yes, but played superbly afterwards)
What about this-'un?
Here?
Maybe...?
Dead as a doornail, this game...
I've stopped because I've run-out of catchphrases, not Lara innings.

 

[Richard]

The West Indies performances in the current series in New Zealand seems to confirm them at the bottom of the current established Test playing nations - excluding Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. But will they ever rise to the top again? When Australia were really struggling in the mid-eighties they put a lot of resources into sport to plan for the future and their dominance in recent years is due in no small part to forward planning. On the other hand when the Windies were dominant from the mid to late seventies to the early nineties it was due to a number of great players just happening to emerge at the same time rather than any deliberate plan. A number of young batsman and bowlers show early promise, but few go on to long term Test careers. So will the West Indies ever rise again? If they're just content to sit back and say cricket goes in cycles and one day it will be their turn, they could be in for a long wait.

If they realise the basic cyclical nature, they realise there's no need for despair.
But ask Liam of the misdemenours of the WICB in the last 3 or 4 years... then prepare yourself for a tirade...

 

[open365]

I mean games that aren't part of a dead series. I was on cricbuzz the other night with a West Indian moaning away at me about how Lara only ever makes his big scores when the West Indies have already lost the series, and it's true.

That's because the Windies loose so much that they aren't in the series for very long.