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BY BRYAN DAVIS
WEST INDIES under-19 team placed 11th out of 16 teams in the U-19 World Cup. England opposed India in the final and were defeated by four wickets. The game was played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, on February 5, 2022. May I offer my congratulations to all those involved in the staging of this mammoth event. An excellent job.
The team of the tournament to me was Afghanistan who placed fourth behind three heavyweights of the cricket world, India, England and Australia. It is wise to reflect on the fact that the Afghans lost in a competitive game to the Australians in the semi-final and that they were both originally grouped with the WI and minnow Scotland at the start of the tournament.
It was more than obvious that Australia and WI were the two favoured to advance from this group because of their overall record and experience. Given the glorious uncertainties of cricket, one might be excused to believe that the Caribbean lads fell victim to that phrase. However, WI youths appeared unbelievably short of the skill, ability and approach of what was expected of the “rising stars” of the region that were once the proud rulers in the world of cricket, almost invincible in their nearly flawless performances.
Over to you, Jimmy Adams. You are the one with the knowledge and the answers as Cricket West Indies’ Director of Cricket. Yet, it is the sound of silence that is so apparent. One would think by this stage the WI public would have been given the basis for this dismal display and the grounds for it. Plus, what is being done to improve WI cricket. A couple of the sides that have placed ahead of WI are Ireland and the United Arab Emirates, tenth and ninth respectively, while the teams that WI have finished ahead of are, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Scotland, Canada and Papua New Guinea.
One Test-playing country in the lot is Zimbabwe. How low can we go? The least that can be expected from the director of cricket is what new plans are being put in place for WI players’ development.
Even if our international team improves their performances, where is the continuance for the future of cricket? Everywhere in the world has been struggling to build and improve their cricket because of the pandemic, so let’s not use that as an excuse. Every Caribbean territory has the responsibility to develop its cricketers, even if it is under the most strenuous situations. However, the fight for improvement must continue, although it should be admitted, if only for the sake of honesty, that WI were not in a good place even before the deadly virus took over.
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The first question cricket administrators and their coaches must ask of themselves is, what is the criterion for developing a worthy cricketer? And how does one seek them out? The first clue that comes to mind is through the schools. The secondary schools first of all as the 11 to 16 age group is the most relative for the absorption of cricket knowledge and skills. Hence, we must get our teenagers back onto the cricket pitches as soon as possible, even if it means having to push the various governments of the territories to get it done. Cricket is important.
If the youngsters are not playing, then the sport will be on the way out.
It also has to be made interesting and exciting for them. This would mean organising competitions for them to participate. Competitiveness breeds winning desires, hence, the improvement of the skill needed to win.
Adams ought to visit every territory and assist them in setting up age group competitions in the schools, to allow boys of similar age to compete against one another. Because of competition, the desire to win is developed and the youngsters would want to improve on their ability in order to whip their rivals.
CWI can’t sit back and wait for the virus to blow over for, if nothing is done in the meantime, young promising cricketers could very easily slide into other sports that may be easier to play and less time consuming than cricket. They may find enough enjoyment to lure them away from the more difficult yet satisfying attributes of cricket.
This poor effort of WI’s under-19 cricketers must not be ignored. If left unattended, within five-ten years it could find cricket, as we know it, struggling for survival in the region.
 
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