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The philosophy which once formed the gigantic pillows of West Indies cricket now seems to be challenged by the indiscretions of poor cricketers on the field of play and the unpredictable nature of the regional administrative body.

The transfusion of that rich and dynamic blood of the earlier West Indians greats, which once commanded a healthy respect for our cricket by all and sundry, has some how been misdirected, resulting in a bizarre mixture of intimidation, unconsciousness and under-achievement by our young players on the international stage.

West Indies cricket, therefore, is facing its worst nightmare since the 1920s, when that overwhelming desire amongst West Indians for world-class recognition had first begun. The West Indian spirit and quest for excellence have vanished into thin air, leaving a huge cloud of amateurism, uncertainty and imperfection in our approach to the game.

Transgressions

But our transgressions over the last decade have resulted from two major causes: the unsuccessful search for new professional pastures for young cricketers in which to ferment their vibrant talents; and the lack of institutional development and succession planning. In both instances, successive administrations have been contributorily negligent.

On the field of play, the obvious absence of that brute force and aggression, which once characterise our mastery of the game, have now given way to weak-heartedness and intimidation by poor opponents, including England who had suffered most under our cricketing conquest of the world.

Jimmy Adams, who lacks the command and authority as a specialist batsman, also lacks the tactical skills and stewardship of a captain, to the extent where the opponents enjoy the predictability of his uncomplicated leadership.

His failing was also borne out when he uttered the remarks (before the last match against Australia January 18), that Brian Lara would explode which Lara did, but Jimmy Adams could not promise to deliver anything of his own for his team and the people of the Caribbean. Clearly Adams does not understand that One-Day cricket requires all-round performances from key team players, whose combined efforts will make the decisive difference.

The root of the West Indies problems, and there are many, may not be the lack of talent, but rather the profound lack of management, captaincy and discipline, which are all paramount to a sustained development growth model for cricket in the Caribbean.

These qualities must be manufactured in a fast-track manner, through a diligent process of reshaping and reorganising of cricket at a regional level. There must be continuity, transparency and vision in our planning process, in the short, medium and long terms.

For example, let's ask the simple question: will the England 'A' and the West Indies 'B' teams be a permanent part of the Busta Cup competition, or was this just a one-off affair on the gloomy horizons of West Indies cricket?

© The Barbados Nation