Can anything good come out of the bad of the abandoned Indian tour?
I believe so. The unfortunate events were a blessing in disguise.
While we continue to pick up the broken pieces, the clear message being sent is that we must truly fix the problems that have inflicted pain and embarrassment on West Indies cricket for almost two decades once and for all.
It is now or never or the same issues will recur and this means that every step forward will equate to two steps backwards. We simply cannot continue to ignore the fact that the current piecemeal and knee-jerk reaction to every woe that arises is paramount to committing cricket suicide.
Without good governance from the head, the entire body will be affected. I think the time has long past for pointing fingers and apportioning blame about who was responsible for the India debacle, but how could the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) not make it a priority to meet with the players and reason about the new collective bargaining agreement and memorandum of understanding before the start of the tour?
The board’s excuse for not doing so was lame when you consider that the document was hailed as a game changer in West Indies cricket, notwithstanding that some of the key stakeholders weren’t given a final chance to have a say in what was put in it.
From now on, the board must take the players into their confidence because if they are unhappy, there’s every chance that it will severely affect their performances because their minds aren’t at ease. And how dare we underestimate the psychology of sports in the outcome of intense, competitive battles?
This is not to say that the board will be able to please everyone all the time but at least nobody can make out a case against them for not sharing vital information on matters that impact on careers.
When there’s no apparent transparency and accountability in the way people govern, there’s always bound to be mistrust and conflict. The Indian tour is the perfect example of this.
Despite the fact that the claim can be made that the players’ representatives,WIPA, is responsible for keeping them abreast of the issues, the ultimate responsibility lies with the WICB to ensure that everything is done within its power to avoid recent events and the catastrophic backlash that has been threatened from those who have been wounded.
I don’t know of any organisation where the buck stops with subordinates.
As we have seen, the WICB is now in a rush to do major damage control because they realise the long-term harm that can be done to our cricket particularly from a financial viewpoint. We must create a system now and apply it rigidly so that we won’t need to compromise our image and self-esteem in the future.
At the moment we are at the mercy of India who have the economic clout and the backing of others to recolonise the way we think and function in international cricket. Unlike us, they are calling all the big shots now that they are in control of the world game.The West Indies are being made to condescend to regain the favour of their masters.
It doesn’t look good but we have backed ourselves into a corner through inept structures and policies.
Personally, I believe the task force being set up to review what happened in India is a public relations ploy to give the impression you are doing something serious about it, but will turn out to be like the several commissions of inquiry we set up just to tell us what we already know but was delinquent in acting upon information either to protect friends, cliques and old boys clubs.
We need people of strength to fulfil the mandate of placing our cricket back on the front burner without fear or favour. What good will be the reviews and consultations if we continue to function in the manner we have been doing for ages?
I accept that there must be collective responsibility going forward, so the WICB can’t do it alone. The players and WIPA must fix their fracture so that they will speak as one and garner more respect when they sit at the table to negotiate salaries and conditions of work; what their just dessert is for image rights and other perks.This doesn’t make them mercenaries either.
I will be the first to agree that the players, too, need to look at being much more proficient on a sustained basis not only because they are well paid but they must know that the supporters’ expectations and the legacy of West Indies cricket are severely compromised when they are not competitive.
Given all that’s transpiring now, I can’t see why all stakeholders in West Indies cricket won’t be determined and enthusiastic to make a difference to be agents of change and to demand better from ourselves as we attempt to move from the crossroads to higher ground.
• Andi Thornhill is an experienced, award-winning sports journalist.
