No More

The debacle that unfolded on the opening day of the first Test between West Indies and Australia yesterday has prompted a former Test fast bowler into contemplating that the West Indies should be temporarily removed from international cricket.

Colin Croft, a member of fearsome West Indies teams in the late 1970s and early 1980s, is even suggesting that Test cricket's newest nation, Bangladesh, take the place of the Caribbean side for the remainder of the series.

In the type of collapse that has become common these days, the West Indies dramatically slumped from a lunch time position of 45 for two to 82 all out-the fifth time in five series they had been dismissed for a total of less than 100.

"Until the West Indies can perform consistently to the credit of Test level, a serious consideration should be made by the world's authorities as to having them desist from playing Test cricket for a minimum of two years, until such time that some good, not necessarily winning, efforts are produced," Croft wrote in a commentary despatched in a newsletter by the CricInfo web site.

"No team that has been so good in the past has ever been so bad afterwards."

Croft added that unless the West Indies could guarantee much better performances for the remainder of the series, they must be "sent home now".

"The agony should not be prolonged," he said.

"The embarrassment, to the players of both teams, for obviously varying reasons, and the insult of paying patrons must not be allowed to continue. This is now a totally useless exercise."

He also suggested that Bangladesh be invited to come to Australia to complete the proposed West Indies itinerary.

"Bangladesh would at least be learning something for their future," he said.

"I doubt they could do worse than the West Indies in the first innings at the Gabba."

Croft, who has covered most of the West Indies' recent tours, said it was obvious that some members of the team, especially the senior ones, were learning nothing.

"Their body language suggests that there are no positive thoughts. Going through the motions is not for Test cricket."