Woeful West Indies put a new twist on lazy days of summer

[daryn]

Woeful West Indies put a new twist on lazy days of summer
By Robert Craddock
November 29, 2009
Five years ago, when Australia decided it was time to reduce Test series against West Indies from five matches to three, some stalwarts were offended.

To them, playing only three Tests against the Windies was like inviting Jamie Oliver over to cook dinner and asking him to prepare the entree only. It seemed demeaning. A waste. Almost a tease.

Not any more.

The Gabba massacre shows just how pathetic West Indies are - the key issue now is how on earth can anybody be expected to maintain interest in this dog-eared series for two more Tests. And then five one-dayers.

That is, potentially, 15 days of cricket. Imagine watching Melbourne Storm play Sydney Roosters 15 days in a row. That's what it will be like.

It could actually do more harm than good to Test cricket to play the last two Tests.

If the West Indies don't improve - they have been dreadful for a decade - there is no way Australia should be so gracious towards them in the future. Test cricket is battling for survival. You just cannot afford to clog up a summer with such cringingly bad fare.

Give them two Tests and three one-dayers.

As one blogger said on Saturday, watching them is like watching Titanic, the movie - we all know the plot.

The Gabba was like a ghost town at the start of play on day three, with a crowd of around 4000 people. Later it built to just 10,000.

Crowds at the game have been modest and the build-up and atmosphere has made this the flattest Gabba Test I have covered in two decades.

Hits on newspaper stories have been down. Iconic Caribbean commentators Michael Holding and Tony Cozier didn't even bother coming. And radio stations in the Caribbean haven't picked up the broadcast.

The worst indictment is that this team has some ability, but no one is worse at extracting talent than the Windies.

The comment that keeps ringing in our ears came from rugby league coach and former West Indies fitness coach Steve Folkes, who said: "When you ask an Australian to jump they say 'How high?'. When you ask a West Indian they ask, 'Why?"'

It was a throwaway line but it said a lot. Another former Australian coach tells of the day he tried to get the team into the middle of the oval for exercises but the players sent a message saying they didn't want to leave the shade of the grandstand.

They are lazy players. It was all on show at the Gabba when three of them got out hooking in the second innings, including Dwayne Bravo who fell to a baited hook from Mike Hussey.

Mike Hussey!

Cricketers from other nations can usually be be relied on to train privately when they leave camp. But a lot of the West Indies players don't have the same drive. They sleep a lot but are not big on exercise.

This is why English counties baulk at signing West Indies players. It's a serious setback because most of the the greats of the past - Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall, Holding, Andy Roberts and Viv Richards - all spent significant periods in county cricket.

It is a long way back to the top of the world. Our tip is that they will never get anywhere near it again.

[boss]

They are lazy players. It was all on show at the Gabba when three of them got out hooking in the second innings, including Dwayne Bravo who fell to a baited hook from Mike Hussey.

Mike Hussey!

Cricketers from other nations can usually be be relied on to train privately when they leave camp. But a lot of the West Indies players don't have the same drive. They sleep a lot but are not big on exercise.

This is just unnecessary. I don't have first hand knowledge of the West Indies' fitness regime, but these two statements without anything to back them up is just lazy journalism and the enforcement of a negative stereotype.

[vb]

We will bounce back and we'll remember these btches and their talk.

We gave SA a scare in their backyard last year. We beat England when no one thought we would.
It's a long road ahead. But already I see great promise with the batsmen.

The two biggest obstacles. Bowlers who can get wickets.
Is Benn really the best we can do for a spinner?

And we need to concentrate. The nucleus of our batting is too talented for us to flop like this.
It's been the same old story for most of this decade.
If Garner and Lloyd can't teach these fellas professionalism, who can?

VB

[weary1969]

We will bounce back and we'll remember these btches and their talk.

We gave SA a scare in their backyard last year. We beat England when no one thought we would.
It's a long road ahead. But already I see great promise with the batsmen.

The two biggest obstacles. Bowlers who can get wickets.
Is Benn really the best we can do for a spinner?

And we need to concentrate. The nucleus of our batting is too talented for us to flop like this.
It's been the same old story for most of this decade.
If Garner and Lloyd can't teach these fellas professionalism, who can?

VB

Bounce back where VB? please 3-0 in we waist Aus rank 4th loose d ashes we in 4 a long Austrailian summer and it good 4 we.

[daryn]

Bounce back where VB? please 3-0 in we waist Aus rank 4th loose d ashes we in 4 a long Austrailian summer and it good 4 we.

well glad to see yuh using we.  welcome back on the bandwagon.

[Deeks]

I watch the team play. The lack of professionalism is not the issue. Some stupid shots(of all people Bravo). Yes they drop some catches,  but their fielding was very good. gayle and ramdin had superb catches. They work hard at bowling but they not good enough. just plain and simple. They are not good enough.

Our local inter island cricket competition is not good enough to produce pro. cricketers. We need to have a pro-league and play just like the English. Have 3 teams each fron JA, TT and Guy. Then let each island have seperate teams. include Bahamas, Turks/Caicos, Virgin Isl.

[STEUPS!!]

now taylor injured an on he way back to Jamaica
STEUPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

why we does waste plane ticket to send dem dey if dey cyah even last 2 days. for a team dat hardly playing any cricket dese days, i cyah understand how men mashin up so fast. since when we west indies team get so weak an feeble.

like dem fellas need some porridge ah wah?

Steups!! 

 

[kaliman2006]

now taylor injured an on he way back to Jamaica
STEUPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

why we does waste plane ticket to send dem dey if dey cyah even last 2 days. for a team dat hardly playing any cricket dese days, i cyah understand how men mashin up so fast. since when we west indies team get so weak an feeble.

like dem fellas need some porridge ah wah?

Steups!! 

It could be that their fitness regimens are poor, hence the injuries.

 

[Conquering Lion]

Woeful West Indies put a new twist on lazy days of summer
By Robert Craddock
November 29, 2009
Five years ago, when Australia decided it was time to reduce Test series against West Indies from five matches to three, some stalwarts were offended.

To them, playing only three Tests against the Windies was like inviting Jamie Oliver over to cook dinner and asking him to prepare the entree only. It seemed demeaning. A waste. Almost a tease.

Not any more.

The Gabba massacre shows just how pathetic West Indies are - the key issue now is how on earth can anybody be expected to maintain interest in this dog-eared series for two more Tests. And then five one-dayers.

That is, potentially, 15 days of cricket. Imagine watching Melbourne Storm play Sydney Roosters 15 days in a row. That's what it will be like.

It could actually do more harm than good to Test cricket to play the last two Tests.

If the West Indies don't improve - they have been dreadful for a decade - there is no way Australia should be so gracious towards them in the future. Test cricket is battling for survival. You just cannot afford to clog up a summer with such cringingly bad fare.

Give them two Tests and three one-dayers.

As one blogger said on Saturday, watching them is like watching Titanic, the movie - we all know the plot.

The Gabba was like a ghost town at the start of play on day three, with a crowd of around 4000 people. Later it built to just 10,000.

Crowds at the game have been modest and the build-up and atmosphere has made this the flattest Gabba Test I have covered in two decades.

Hits on newspaper stories have been down. Iconic Caribbean commentators Michael Holding and Tony Cozier didn't even bother coming. And radio stations in the Caribbean haven't picked up the broadcast.

The worst indictment is that this team has some ability, but no one is worse at extracting talent than the Windies.

The comment that keeps ringing in our ears came from rugby league coach and former West Indies fitness coach Steve Folkes, who said: "When you ask an Australian to jump they say 'How high?'. When you ask a West Indian they ask, 'Why?"'

It was a throwaway line but it said a lot. Another former Australian coach tells of the day he tried to get the team into the middle of the oval for exercises but the players sent a message saying they didn't want to leave the shade of the grandstand.

They are lazy players. It was all on show at the Gabba when three of them got out hooking in the second innings, including Dwayne Bravo who fell to a baited hook from Mike Hussey.

Mike Hussey!

Cricketers from other nations can usually be be relied on to train privately when they leave camp. But a lot of the West Indies players don't have the same drive. They sleep a lot but are not big on exercise.

This is why English counties baulk at signing West Indies players. It's a serious setback because most of the the greats of the past - Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall, Holding, Andy Roberts and Viv Richards - all spent significant periods in county cricket.

It is a long way back to the top of the world. Our tip is that they will never get anywhere near it again.

Those stereotypes were always there and English counties/Clubs will always sign Aussies, New Zealanders or South Africans before WI players because of the impression/stereotype that West Indians are not hard workers. However, some of the players don not help their cause. They do not do anything to challenge that stereotype. The players of the past played at a time when there were no restrictions on overseas signings, WI were on top, and everyone wanted a West Indian player.

With regard to the injuries, that is likely a consequence of lack of fitness and match practice. Yes players must take care of themselves, but there is really no structure in WI cricket (as compared to AUS).

[weary1969]

Bounce back where VB? please 3-0 in we waist Aus rank 4th loose d ashes we in 4 a long Austrailian summer and it good 4 we.

well glad to see yuh using we.  welcome back on the bandwagon.

Slip of d finger.

[Storeboy]

Woeful West Indies put a new twist on lazy days of summer
By Robert Craddock
November 29, 2009
Five years ago, when Australia decided it was time to reduce Test series against West Indies from five matches to three, some stalwarts were offended.

To them, playing only three Tests against the Windies was like inviting Jamie Oliver over to cook dinner and asking him to prepare the entree only. It seemed demeaning. A waste. Almost a tease.

Not any more.

The Gabba massacre shows just how pathetic West Indies are - the key issue now is how on earth can anybody be expected to maintain interest in this dog-eared series for two more Tests. And then five one-dayers.

That is, potentially, 15 days of cricket. Imagine watching Melbourne Storm play Sydney Roosters 15 days in a row. That's what it will be like.

It could actually do more harm than good to Test cricket to play the last two Tests.

If the West Indies don't improve - they have been dreadful for a decade - there is no way Australia should be so gracious towards them in the future. Test cricket is battling for survival. You just cannot afford to clog up a summer with such cringingly bad fare.

Give them two Tests and three one-dayers.

As one blogger said on Saturday, watching them is like watching Titanic, the movie - we all know the plot.

The Gabba was like a ghost town at the start of play on day three, with a crowd of around 4000 people. Later it built to just 10,000.

Crowds at the game have been modest and the build-up and atmosphere has made this the flattest Gabba Test I have covered in two decades.

Hits on newspaper stories have been down. Iconic Caribbean commentators Michael Holding and Tony Cozier didn't even bother coming. And radio stations in the Caribbean haven't picked up the broadcast.

The worst indictment is that this team has some ability, but no one is worse at extracting talent than the Windies.

The comment that keeps ringing in our ears came from rugby league coach and former West Indies fitness coach Steve Folkes, who said: "When you ask an Australian to jump they say 'How high?'. When you ask a West Indian they ask, 'Why?"'

It was a throwaway line but it said a lot. Another former Australian coach tells of the day he tried to get the team into the middle of the oval for exercises but the players sent a message saying they didn't want to leave the shade of the grandstand.

They are lazy players. It was all on show at the Gabba when three of them got out hooking in the second innings, including Dwayne Bravo who fell to a baited hook from Mike Hussey.

Mike Hussey!

Cricketers from other nations can usually be be relied on to train privately when they leave camp. But a lot of the West Indies players don't have the same drive. They sleep a lot but are not big on exercise.

This is why English counties baulk at signing West Indies players. It's a serious setback because most of the the greats of the past - Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall, Holding, Andy Roberts and Viv Richards - all spent significant periods in county cricket.

It is a long way back to the top of the world. Our tip is that they will never get anywhere near it again.

Those stereotypes were always there and English counties/Clubs will always sign Aussies, New Zealanders or South Africans before WI players because of the impression/stereotype that West Indians are not hard workers. However, some of the players don not help their cause. They do not do anything to challenge that stereotype. The players of the past played at a time when there were no restrictions on overseas signings, WI were on top, and everyone wanted a West Indian player.

With regard to the injuries, that is likely a consequence of lack of fitness and match practice. Yes players must take care of themselves, but there is really no structure in WI cricket (as compared to AUS).

There is no question that our fitness regimen is questionable. Especially as these players were on strike and did not play frequently.  Garner's point about fitness is spot on.  What sense is there is organizing a 50-over series to select a Test team.  Pick a team with no training sessions and send them to play in the Australian summer against what is arguably still the best team - despite the ranking.  Makes absolutely NO SENSE. Gives you an idea how out of touch our administration is!

[sjahrain]

A fedup of the same thing over and over......

Check this equation   WICB + or - TTFF
                              ------------------  = In competence
                                        1

[Deeks]

Our team is NOT LAZY. OZ just has a far superior team than us at this time. Arrogance is a two edge sword. You use it to propel your team over an oponent at your level. But when you use against a weaker team as if they are a piece of shit , to me it show contempt. I do hope the WI remember these moments. By the hook or crook we will rise again maybe not the 70's level. But when we do have a strong team, I hope our guys shove their bats down the OZ f...king throats.