WI T20 stars absence from test cricket being hotly debated

[Islandman]

I saw this coming from the time the WICB banned Gayle and he went off to play big money club T20 and proved that WI players no longer need the WI cricket administration to make a good living. That was a major turning point, instigated by the board, and in my view represents one of the last nails in the coffin for the WI as a regional cricket team. Today players simply don't have any passion to play for a regional team anymore.

It's such a waste that we have a guy who could be a great cricketer who is now not thinking of playing both formats," Lloyd said in the 2015 New Year's Lecture in Cape Town. "We have contracts, probably not as exorbitant as others, but they are getting good money. It doesn't seem playing for our country is paramount where these players are concerned

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australi...ry/954505.html


These must be the final years of the WICB as we know it. The team on tour in Australia really has no business playing test cricket. While the WI T20 team could continue to be fairly successful i don't see the test team disbanding and the other teams continuing. For that reason I believe there won't be any WI test team in 5 years and likely no regional team at all in 10.

[Peter R]

I didn't read the article but (stupid me) I'm watching the second test... don't ask me why but I am a sucker for punishment.

My feeling is we should pack in the (WI) test team and concentrate on T20. In the meantime we are "behind", 423/3... don't see any chance of even drawing this match... dem goin to declare at 600 after tea today and bowl us out twice for 400 little bit in two days.

[Islandman]

Yeah I think it will be over late on Day 3.

We have been losing for a long time but now the test team just feels like it has no purpose. The best and most well known players in the region are not on the team so what do they really represent? Seems pointless to me.

[Peter R]

Seeit deh! Dem didn't even go for six hundred.... when last did a side have four out of five batsmen who came to the crease make a century 'gains us in one innings??

I said bowl us out for less than 400 in two innings... I might have miscalculated: could be even less than 300!

[Peter R]

I don't always agree with Tony Cozier but whan a man in his mid seventies (not to say age have anything to do with anything, I just mention it for effect) can be telling men twenty and thirty years his junior the way forward, you have to wonder who are the stick in the muds?

Not getting the point.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20151...ting-the-point

[Islandman]

Yeah I read that one earlier today.

I think I am going to watch some of the carnage tonight.

[Peter R]

Carnage is right... Aussie batting like it's T20 dem playing.

They'll probably declare... 458 runs lead is more than enough. oh well, I would only hope we can extend the match to five days.

[Bricktop]

"We have contracts, probably not as exorbitant as others, but they are getting good money. It doesn't seem playing for our country is paramount where these players are concerned..."

with all due respect clive needs to shaddap...when yuh have players on $700,000/year retainer contracts from cricket australia you expect gayle et al to play for $100,000?

[Gamma]

Everyone is going to find out. The top T20 'mercenaries' got their exposure playing for West Indies ....

[Islandman]

That is true but I think it is unrealstic to expect them to turn down so much more money in order to represent the WI in test cricket. It should never be asked of them to do that on a consistent basis. Too much is at stake. Suppose they turn down the money to play the much more physically demanding longer game and get a major injury then what? Tough luck?

The ICC deserves a lot of the blame as the cricket calendar encourages it.

[Peter R]

The ICC is spineless... the BCCI (India) run di ting! Their IPL is the biggest money spinner for ALL, and you know what they say about money talking!

[Islandman]

Yep, they did. Well let's see if anyone can bat for a session or more.

Hard not to feel sorry for Holder more than any of the others. It's interesting how the WI fans have finally accepted that the captain is not the reason the team is a disaster. It's a disaster because WI cricket is a disaster and has been for going on 20 years now.

[Peter R]

I was listening to Greg Chappell and he was saying that given the West Indies situation ("re-building" (my word not his)), Holder should be relieved of the captaincy and a Captain with experience be put in charge... put there PURELY to captain the side...any bowling or batting performances would be considered a bonus.

Holder, he says, has too much of a burden at his age GIVEN the state of WI cricket. If it were in a decent position no problem...

We saw that with Smith from SA where a young captain flourished, but Holder is trying to hone his own craft while keeping the shambles of a WI team together. I think his observation has some merit. Holder has the potential to be a very good all-rounder.

I hope the captaincy doesn't take its toll. The logical person IMO to make captain per Chappell's comments would be Dwayne Bravo. hardly likely they would call him back.

[Gamma]

It's a gamble. I think Holder has the personality and strength of character to learn and grow. His own performance has been very good despite the pressures on him what he needs to learn is strategy and tactics BUT he needs his bowlers and fielders to perform ... Not to mention his batsmen.

[Islandman]

I think they are trying, they just are not very talented, for the most part.