Fundamental change the way forward (3 January 1999)

3 January 1999

Fundamental change the way forward

By Clive Lloyd

The West Indies's painful loss to South Africa in this, the first post-apartheid series between the two countries, is one that hurts very deeply. It is also something of an embarrassment to the proud people of the Caribbean, and even to many of the non-white population of South Africa.

However, it certainly is not the end of the world for us. On the contrary, this crushing defeat, which was occasioned mainly because of indisciplined batting, and a general lack of cerebral application by the team, clearly indicates the need for fundamental change in the development of West Indies cricket at all levels.

The proliferation and of international cricket that has taken place so rapidly in the 90s and the simultaneous sophistication dictate that for the traditional Test-playing competitors to be successful, they must make major investments in technology, and physical and psychological training.

The new direction will, of course, be capital intensive, as there must be immediate extensive infrastructural development, to coincide with the new regime of personnel and player development.

And it is imperative that full scale planning and organisation be blueprinted as soon as the new direction is defined. The urgency for such implementation cannot be over-emphasised, particularly in view of current events here in South Africa, as, of the nine Test-playing nations, the West Indies are perhaps the least well prepared infrastructurally, strategically and technologically.

We are suffering from the ill-effects of such underpreparation, and the consequences will certainly be even more severe if the problems are not identified, and solved holistically.

The West Indies Cricket Board must be totally committed to elevating West Indies cricket from its current critically vulnerable state. Territorial agendas, whether real or imagined, must be abandoned, and any semblance of insular rancour completely dissipated. There should be an accelerated plan and time-table to restore a level of confidence, competitiveness, consistency, credibility and character to West Indies cricket by the time the World Cup, scheduled to start in England in May this year, rolls around.

Our performance in that tournament should incrementally crystallise the way forward to the long-term goal.

With the WICB providing leadership, territorial cricket entities in the Caribbean, should contrive to make the sport of cricket more attractive, accessible and affordable to the average young man between the ages of say 10 and 12.

Each territory, through its governing cricket body, along with governmental and non-governmental organisations, should effect initiatives that would result in improved playing fields at schools, issuance of cricket equipment, structured school coaching programmes, and organised local and national school cricket tournaments.

With the underpinning of such a comprehensive school cricket structure throughout the region, the WICB should implement the institution of a Cricket Academy for the development of West Indies cricket.

It is important to note that the call for such an academy does not come because it is politically correct, or because several other countries have implemented a version of such an institution.

The Academy would essentially serve as a sort of cricket institute of higher learning where talented young cricketers, specifically identified, would spend a period of two years or so, honing their skills, developing a cerebral approach to the game, and would benefit from the expertise and experience of former cricketers, academics, professional coaches and other professionals.

The institution becomes critically important since the ICC seem ready to sanction regularly scheduled World Under-15 tournaments, and maybe biennial Under-19 World Cup.

The Academy would enhance the traditional regional reservoirs of cricket talent. It would not necessarily make cricketers, but would be designed to improve them, to make better cricketers.

The current trends of international cricket lead one to believe that in the 21st century, the more efficient, focused, mentally tough all-round teams, would stay at the top. And so, one of the focal points of the coaching programme at the Academy, should be to develop more allrounders, high-class fielding techniques.

That said, let me add that one of the most outstanding features of any successful player, athlete, or team is invariably its fitness.

Our cricket of the 70s and 80s followed a strict code of fitness that translated into success. Fitness complements the athlete's natural talents, enhances his or her performance, and ultimately helps the all-round game.

Fitness helps the player to think clearly and to work out difficult situations earlier, rather than later. Fitness more often than not provides that all-important competitive edge.

With the proliferation of international cricket now, the sport has become intensely competitive.

We, therefore, can no longer rely on the sheer natural talent of our players to take us back to the top.

Evidently we must ensure that our cricketers are technically, physically and mentally prepared or readied, if you will, to compete at the highest levels, before they are selected to represent the West Indies.

Clive Lloyd is the most successful West Indies captain ever and is currently manager of the West Indies team on tour of South Africa.

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)