New Management for Windies Cricket

The West Indies Cricket Team’s new management is well on its way to implementing changes that should result in an improvement in the team’s performance. Some of these transitions are bringing stability in the office and on the field.

As is always the case with sports teams, the coach is often the one to set the team’s technical, administrative and disciplinary standards, as well as encourage cohesiveness among all the stakeholders.

President Ricky Skerrit has carefully scrutinized the problems which caused the standard of cricket to deteriorate and appears to have found a methodical formula for the various departments of the sport. This includes the immediate re-employment of our former West Indian batsman Phil Simmons as the new coach. He proved his worth as a top-class Cricket Coach, after the end of his stints with Zimbabwe, Ireland, Afganistan and the Windies.

A New Way Forward

It has always been my hobby to evaluate the work done by coaches, especially Football and Cricket at all levels.

I had the opportunity to share discussions with Phil and his general method of sharing ideas led me to believe that he is among the best of the best. We’ve seen this over the last few months when the team travelled to different parts of the world and faced many opponents. We saw the maturity of the new skipper Kieron Pollard demonstrated by his competence and leadership skills on the field.

His commentary before and after matches resonates with the supporters by his frank observations regarding the various good or moderate areas that led to final decisions.

Beyond the Field

I suppose that between himself and his coach, eyes were seriously placed on the team on and off the field, a feature in his duty which seemed to have transformed the attitudes in certain players.

However, there are still players who are transitioning from immaturity to competent batsmen and bowlers.

I will not go deeper into the efforts of the direction in which many of the young players are going because change does not arrive suddenly, especially when it must be in conjunction with consistency.

The omission of Evin Lewis and Hetmeyer may well not be made in isolation of their ability to bat or even field.

However, an astute assessment by a good coach will have recognized areas like body language, response to adversity, sometimes, “swell-headedness” and deep into off the field behaviour when players do not remember that their careers are scrutinized everywhere.