West Indies legend Brian Lara criticized Cricket West Indies (CWI) following their heavy defeat against England in the first Test at Lord’s. Lara pointed out that CWI’s failure to uphold standards at the grassroots level has been the primary cause of the team’s decline.
During the match, West Indies struggled throughout and failed to mount any significant challenge. None of their batsmen managed to reach fifty in either innings, resulting in them falling short of England’s first-innings total and ultimately losing by an innings and 114 runs.
Brian Lara blames Cricket West Indies
While speaking on BBC World Service’s Stumped podcast, Lara reasoned West Indies’ defeat to their lack of proper cricketing facilities and the inability to nurture the talent.
“If you put 100 million, 200 million dollars into the West Indies’ bank account, is it going to change the way we play the game? I’m not sure. We are not harnessing the talent that we have,” Lara said.
Lara blamed the Cricket West Indies (CWI) for attracting sponsors, which could have improved the cricket at grassroots and academy levels.
“The West Indies Cricket Board (CWI) hasn’t done the right job in attracting these sponsors to ensure that at least grassroots, but also the academy, all the different things, the facilities, are up to standard. I think these things are very, very important,” the former batter added.
The West Indies cricket team is experiencing a challenging phase in recent years, contrasting with their illustrious history that includes winning the first two Cricket World Cups. Despite their storied past, the team has struggled to achieve consistent success.
Internal disputes between top players and the board have further complicated matters. Additionally, many players have shown a preference for participating in lucrative T20 leagues over committing to international cricket, affecting team cohesion and performance.In the ICC Test Rankings, West Indies currently hold the eighth position, while they are placed sixth in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.
“Cricket has been diluted by the number of different sports” – Brian Lara
Lara also felt that the other sports in the Caribbean like athletics have reduced the importance of cricket, which has reduced its talent pool.
“Apart from players opting to play more of white-ball leagues, cricket has also been overtaken by other sports like Athletics in the Caribbean, thus affecting the talent pool. Obviously, cricket has been diluted by the number of different sports and different opportunities for kids, but I still believe that Cricket West Indies have got to get involved,” the legendary left-hander opined.
West Indies’ recent international cricket performances have been marked by disappointments in major tournaments. They missed out on qualifying for the main draw of the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup. Additionally, they will not participate in the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy.
In a recent opportunity to shine, co-hosting the T20 World Cup 2024 with the USA, West Indies showed promise by topping their group and advancing to the Super 8 stage. However, they fell short of progressing to the semi-finals, reflecting their inconsistent form in global competitions.
