ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The journey of returning West Indies cricket to its former glory will not be easy, given the multitude of challenges impacting the region’s standing in the international game, but with the combined, committed efforts of stakeholders and the entire Caribbean cricket community, West Indies cricket’s resurgence is possible.
Those were the sentiments expressed by Cricket West Indies Chief Executive Officer Chris Dehring when addressing the media after an emergency two-day summit on Monday at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad.
Members of the Cricket Strategy & Officiating Committee (CSOC), West Indies greats, past players and current players – including current captains Roston Chase and Shai Hope – the Men’s Team Management Unit and CWI Executives, met on Sunday, August 10, and Monday, August 11 to examine a broad range of interrelated topics affecting team performance.
These included the effectiveness of player development pathways, the quality and competitiveness of domestic competitions, preparation and support systems for international duty, the need for alignment among stakeholders, financial resources, player motivation and retention, and the mental aspects of high-level performance.
Speaking at the post-summit media briefing, which featured a panel of the Chair of CSOC, Enoch Lewis, Sir Clive Lloyd, Brian Lara, Dehring, CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe, the CWI CEO insisted that a collaborative effort is required to position West Indies cricket at the top of the tree once again.
With a plethora of topics discussed over the two-day summit, the one recurring theme was the recognition that the challenges faced are systemic, with DoC Bascombe stating.
Dehring indicated that several areas requiring improvement were highlighted during the meeting, including but certainly not limited to improving facilities, practice pitches, and regional domestic tournaments.
He also pointed to the difficulty of seeking to correct ingrained technical habits developed through age group and regional play, noting that some skill deficiencies only become apparent at the international level, where they become exacerbated.
One preliminary solution included the urgent need for a high-performance center equipped with the latest in professional cricket training facilities and territorial academy systems to instill and reinforce the West Indies cricket methodology from as early as possible in the production pipeline.
In support, Bascombe spoke to the current coaching education and certification system, noting that inadequacies in this area limit the production of regional coaches at the desired level for modern cricket demands.
He referenced CWI’s hiring of a coaching development consultant as a temporary measure to work with franchise coaches, while simultaneously working on a comprehensive programme to upgrade the coaching education system.
In closing, Dehring reiterated that it is now up to every corner of the Caribbean cricketing community to rally behind this vision for growth, because the resurrection of past success will take nothing less than the collective and diligent pursuit of excellence.
Coming out of the summit, CWI Management will now prepare detailed recommendations for the Board of Directors, with immediate attention on moving to implementation.
The public will be kept informed of the Board’s approved actions and the specific plans that will follow.
