Windies cricket in a period of structural adjustment

Teddy Griffith, president of the West Indies board, has labelled the current era of West Indian cricket a period of, what he called, "structural adjustment". Griffith said this adjustment had come about because the national side had been "caught out by the winds of change, both on and off the field, which swept through world cricket from the mid-90s".

Talking at an annual award ceremony in Jamaica, Griffith said, "If it is true that there is no stronger force than cricket to unify us regionally and give us pride, then we must all be prepared to go to bat for the regional game." He continued, "In this structural adjustment phase, I repeat, there will be no gain without pain and the way forward must entail the involvement of those with the skills, talents and ideas to lift us up."

He added that on the field, it was no secret that the professionalism bred in English county cricket had been a major factor to the success of the all-conquering West Indies team of the 80s and 90s. Griffith pointed out that, compared with those days when as many as 20 West Indian cricketers played in the County Championship, the number of regional players involved in English domestic cricket today could be counted on the fingers of one hand.

"With that avenue virtually cut off, the opportunities for regular high-class cricket so necessary to develop a player's skills and attitude have become limited," Griffith said. "These are not issues that can be resolved overnight, particularly given the financial position of the game in the Caribbean. However the WICB has been taking action to bring our cricket back to the elevated position in world cricket that its talent suggests it should attain."

Griffith also questioned whether there is a link between the high amount of injuries to players and the volume of international cricket being played. "Could it be that there is too much of a good thing?" Griffith asked. "Could it be that the stresses and strains of non-stop international competition are having an effect on the injury-levels? Even more important is the possibility of permanent damage to the health and curtailment of the careers of these young athletes."

Griffith also insisted that the Caribbean would stage the best ever World Cup in 2007. "A mere thirty-three months from today, I have little doubt that we in the Caribbean should be basking in the glow of having hosted the best Cricket World Cup ever."