West Indies may be demoted to second tier...

[jrwb]

If a two tier system is introduced in test cricket, then according to Julian Hunte, West Indies may end up having to play only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe...

This prospect sounds truly awful when one considers the magnificent heritage of cricket in the West Indies, and chaps like the great George Headley must surely be turning in their graves.

Many have complained about the lack of strong opposition from teams like Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, and the only option that appears to be available is a two tiered system if those two countries aren't kicked out of test cricket altogether. This would also mean that the West Indies may be required to join them in this group, a definitely unwelcome situation for West Indian people.

But the facts are there - the West Indian team plays absolutely atrocious cricket, and obviously merit is going to decide who plays in which tier, and the West Indies are at the bottom...

[batoutofhell]

it will be sad if that happens
hope at least this message makes the current windies team to put that extra effort to consistently win/not lose matches from hereon
but they got some tough teams ahead(srilanka,australia etc)

[greg]

It would be a shame if it happens but also it would be understandable as since Ambrose and Walsh retired the West Indies have struggled to compete with any of the better sides home or away.

[Occasional Fan]

Isn't the first word of JRWB's post the most important one here? "If ...". I've not come across anything in the papers lately which suggests that the authorities are actively considering a two-tier test circuit. Have I missed something?

[Aurelius]

Just seen the squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka, and it's good to see that they've made the smart move an included not one, but two spinners. This Amit Jaggernaught sounds like class.

My line-up for the first Test:
1. Chris Gayle (c)
2. Sewnarine Chattergoon
3. Ramnaresh Sarwan
4. Marlon Samuels
5. Shiv Chanderpaul
6. Dwayne Bravo
7. Denesh Ramdin
8. Amit Jaggernaught
9. Jerome Taylor
10. Pedro Collins
11. Daren Powell

I suspect that they'll play Edwards ahead of Collins or Jaggernaught, well that would be a mistake. I've lost all patience with him. Collins is a far superior bowler, and it boggles the mind that he hasn't played a lot more. At least they've made a smart move in dropping Ganga, who was really worse than useless.

But this team ought to be competitive, at least that's what I'm really hoping. They've got decent batsmen and decent bowlers, now they just need to make it come together.

[Ninjaman]

That's my XI too Aurelius. I agree with you about Edwards too. I would swap Chanderpaul around with Samuels though and play him at 4.

As for this issue about a two tier system.

I always have to ask people what they hope to achieve by it.

Because any team in the 2nd tier is bound to see their income reduced. Sponsors, TV rights etc... which bring in a lot of money to nurture the grassroots game will be reduced by virtue of them being second tier. Likewise, why would supporters bother turning up to see West Indies vs UAE, for example, in a 3 Test match series?

The WI once were the best in the world, have fallen to the 8th best and find it hard to be anything other than 8th best under the same system we have now.

And somehow demoting them, the equivalent of the little kid's table at a wedding, is going to help them?

I'm sure the "carrot" of relegation/promotion will be floated around that at the end of a cycle, the top team from the 2nd tier plays the bottom of the top tier.

What happens when that match (or series) ends up drawn?

What happens when the series deciding match is lost by a small margin by virtue of some highly contentious umpiring? "Tough luck just try again in another X years".

And let's say you do get promoted. How will having played all those lower teams for so long, get you ready for now playing against the big boys?

Also, where is the cut off point for this 2nd tier?

[Ninjaman]

Here's what jrwb is referring too (at least I think)

:West Indies Cricket Board Threats to West Indies Cricket on Agenda

WICB President Attends ICC Board Meeting

With three of the top West Indies players involved in the Indian Board's International Premier League (IPL) which takes place during the Sri Lanka - Australia Tours of the Caribbean, what is the impact of the IPL on the future of West Indies Cricket?


This and other key issues including the use of technology to review umpires' decisions and the "Bucknor" matter are on the agenda of the next ICC Executive Board Meeting which takes place in Dubai on March 16 - 18, 2008.
The President of the West Indies Cricket Board, the Honourable Dr. Julian R. Hunte, who leaves on Thursday, March 13, 2008 for the meeting said, "We are deeply concerned about the future impact of leagues like the IPL on our cricket particularly when their seasons are in direct competition with our tours or our domestic season. We and New Zealand will be the big losers. Already it is clear that three of our players will have to choose between representing teams in the IPL or representing their region. Given the amount of money at stake, it already seems to be a foregone conclusion. We also have the ICL and again the dilemma faced by our players. We just had an example of a player who would have been selected for the WI team but who went to the ICL."


At the most recent meeting of Chief Executive Officers of ICC Member Countries, the CEO of the WICB, Dr. Donald Peters raised the question of a window for the IPL and a similar window for Stanford 20/20 with which the WICB is negotiating a license for the Regional 20/20 event. Dr. Peters commented, "The IPL is the second biggest threat facing West Indies. There is an even bigger one. There is a move to limit the first tier of Test Playing countries to the top seven which will then leave the West Indies with only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe to play."


Commenting on this attempt to marginalise West Indies Cricket, Dr. Hunte said, "The WICB will never allow this to happen. In most of the cricket playing countries of the world, we are the team they like most after their national team. However, we have to use this as motivation to get back to the top of world cricket. Our players must be mindful of this when they go out to play since if our standing in world cricket does not improve we might find our options and opportunities severely limited."


Dr. Hunte also spoke of the "Bucknor" matter. He explained, "When Steve Bucknor, our premier regional umpire, was removed and replaced during the India - Australia series, I wrote to the ICC asking for information, essentially the reasons why the ICC acted as it did. I said at the time that the ICC was setting a dangerous precedent but that before we took a decision on the matter we needed to know more. So far, I have not received the information I sought and I consider this an insult to the WICB which is a full-member of the ICC."


The ICC meeting will also look at the use of technology to review the decisions of umpires and how that will operate. The WICB fully supports any innovations in the game that will ensure fairness and improved decision-making.

There should also be something in there for Ernest to get his teeth into too!

[Aurelius]

"We just had one example of a player who would have been selected but has now gone to the ICL."

And whose fault, may I ask, is that?

[jrwb]

I agree with Greg - if the West Indies don't make a startling change in their success rate, and if this multi-tier system is introduced. there is going to be a lot of trouble in the West Indian territories...

The way things are now, I wonder why countries like Australia even bother to play teams like the West Indies given the choice.

I remember in the late 'sixties/early 'seventies when the West Indies were a little on the weak side. they could always put on a good show when playing at home - but not with these guys...they never play well anywhere.

[Ninjaman]

Originally Posted by jrwb

I agree with Greg - if the West Indies don't make a startling change in their success rate, and if this multi-tier system is introduced. there is going to be a lot of trouble in the West Indian territories...

And there is not trouble now? A demotion will effectively be the end of the WI as an international team and serve no purpose other than to destroy it.

The way things are now, I wonder why countries like Australia even bother to play teams like the West Indies given the choice.

I'm sure if they did not have to they probably would not. But then that says more about them than the WI.

I remember in the late 'sixties/early 'seventies when the West Indies were a little on the weak side. they could always put on a good show when playing at home - but not with these guys...they never play well anywhere.

Yes the late 60s and early 70s.

Last time I checked we are in the late 2000s (i.e. 40 years on).

Whilst we pine away for a bygone time, the rest of the world soared past us whilst we were wallowing in past glories.

The landscape of world cricket now is different than what it was then and how we used to produce cricketers is dead because many, if not all, of those avenues are closed to us now.

But keep looking back into the past if it makes you feel happy.