Time to make changes (25 June 1999)

25 June 1999

Time to make changes

Garth Wattley

"Clearly there are some who have peaked and have reached the end of their international careers."

Chairman of the West Indies cricket selectors, Michael Findlay conceded that much.

But while accepting that former Windies captain Sir Viv Richards was not off the mark about a lack of commitment among some members of the current regional team, the chief selector is not dropping the axe just yet. Still, there are signs that the Windies may soon be replacing the old with the new.

"When we meet and consider the reports on the Australian tour and the World Cup, we will have to consider whether the process of rebuliding should be accelerated," Findlay said.

Findlay's comments follow the blunt observations of Sir Viv in a recent BBC television interview during the just-concluded World Cup.

In the programme, Richards, who acted as the stand-in coach for what proved to be the Windies' final match, against eventual champs Australia, called for drastic changes-the sacking of half the squad-because, "the individuals today don't quite realise what cricket means to the Caribbean."

Sir Viv's statements have since been endorsed by his former colleagues Michael Holding and Colin Croft, both members of Clive Lloyd's all-conquering team of the 1980s.

Findlay too was unhappy with certain aspects of the World Cup side's display.

"I thought they made some tactical errors on the field," he said.

"I was a little concerned too about some of the selections....

"I found it was a little unfair to the young man Powell to be selected against Pakistan and not again. I expect the (manager's and captain's) reports will say why if Arthuton was fit again, why he did not play (after the first match). But Findlay is not certain that sweeping changes will solve the problem. "Basically, it appears to me Viv was obviously comparing the attitude that he is seeing now with those in his day and before," the chief selector told the Express.

"Not all the players have the commitment that is required. I'm not disagreeing with the question of the commitment. This is something that we have been harping on. But that does not come overnight. I think the basic thing is the mental attitude. We now have to put that as part of the development programme."

In the meantime, the selectors are struggling to get more than moderate results from their players. In the last two Test and One-day International series, including the World Cup, only four players-Ridley Jacobs, Brian Lara, Sherwin Campbell and Jimmy Adams-have averaged over 40. Jacobs, averaging 45.28 in the Test series against South Africa, and 46.00 in the One-day rubber against Australia was the only player to have done so more than once.

Questioned about whether the selectors have persisted with too many for too long, Findlay argues that it is this general inconsistency rather than outright ineptitude that has been the problem. He laments too, the lack of suitable young replacements. "We introduced a number of young talented players this year. We also introduced some young talented batsmen in the A team, President's XI and Board XI with the hope that they would be able to lift their game to the standard required.

Unfortunately on the evidence of what we saw, there is still need for them to adjust. If the talent can't adapt to the higher level, you have a problem."

Findlay added, "If we bring the young fellows (en masse) and they fail, won't they be demoralised?" While he waits to sit with his fellow selectors Joey Carew and Joel Garner to consider the reports on the World Cup and the preceding Australia series, Findlay is hoping the WICB will soon adapt some practical suggestions.

Findlay said that at a meeting of the WICB's Cricket Development Committee and cricket sub-committees in Antigua from July 9-11, a proposal will be made for a process of specified coaching and monitoring to be initiated.

"The idea is to set up coaching modules for the players," Findlay explained. "We will recommend that promising bowlers (for example) be put in a two-and-a-half-week clinic to be conducted by some of the region's leading fast bowlers of the past, people of the calibre of Michael Holding, Andy Roberts and Joel Garner."

Findlay said the findings of such clinics will be combined with the findings in the various tour reports. This data, it is proposed, will be passed on to selected people in the individual territories who will then continue to work with the players. Findlay said it was also possible that individuals can be hired to travel around the islands to do the follow-up work.

"I think that it is out of these courses that the technical problems that players are facing will be addressed on a continuing basis," he ended.

Source :: The Trinidad Express