If the West Indies players needed motivation for their upcoming series against England, the recent arrogant comments of incoming chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Colin Graves should have opened up their appetite for overwhelming success.
Graves is quoted on BBC news as saying "I 'd certainly be disappointed if we (England) don't win the West Indies series, because I am pretty sure the West Indies are going to have mediocre team." He was even more dismissive of the West Indies when he indicated that failure to defeat the West Indies will result in "some enquiries." http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cricket/32037349
Graves's comments must be addressed from two interrelated perspectives. It must be out rightly condemned and at the same time taken up as a challenge to prove him wrong.
As much as he would like to stamp his style of leadership on the ECB from May 15, it should not be done in a disrespectful manner at the expense of any country let alone the West Indies. His belittling comments insults the rich history and importance of West Indian cricket to the people of Caribbean and its diaspora world over. There is no denying that West Indies cricket is nothing compared to its glory days of the 1980's but it is no reason for Graves to be so utterly dismissive.
As the governing body for cricket in the region the WICB should be offended and recently re-elected WICB President Dave Cameron should condemn and demand an apology from Graves. His remarks should not remain unscathed.
The players of the region should also feel aggrieved and should use every opportunity to demonstrate to Graves that the West Indies is made up of more than 'six stars' as he claims.
The players should all look at 'Fire in Babylon' to see how in 1976 the West Indian players responded to the then English captain Tony Grieg comment that "we would make them grovel." Such a comment was seen as an insult to not only the West Indian players but also to the Caribbean people. Before the end of the series Greig was very regretful for his comments as the English literally felt the leather of ball on their bodies from the four prong pace attack led by Michael Holding and the blade of the West Indian batsmen led by Vivian Richards.
It was the same 'mediocre' West Indies team without 'three stars' who reached the quarter-finals of the just concluded ICC World Cup while England were eliminated in the group stage.
The West Indies have a new coach in Phil Simmons who has received several accolades for lifting Ireland from being a mediocre Associate team to being highly competitive by the end of his eight year tenure as coach. It was an Ireland coached by Simmons who defeated England at the 2011 ICC World Cup in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. And it was also an Ireland coached by Simmons who defeated the West Indies at the 2015 ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Therefore, if there is one surety, Simmons knows how to beat England and he is on the coaching side of the West Indies. As a player there was no questioning of his commitment to the success of the West Indies and the same will be expected of him as a coach.
The inner desire of the players to succeed plus the inspiration provided by the negative comments by Graves should motivate the West Indies as happened in 1976 to send England packing home well beaten by the same 'mediocre' team. Colin Graves will then have the opportunity at the start his stewardship of the ECB responding to his own comments, "If we did not win, I can tell you now there will be some enquiries of why we haven't."
Hopefully, there will be a West Indies series win and the opportunity will be there for him to eat his words and never ever again cast such negativity on the people of the Caribbean. As CLR James would have said, his comments is 'just not cricket.'