Dear Editor,
As a people, we must not be afraid to discuss the burning issues anymore. We love our cricketers, but calling a spade a broomstick is just quite wrong…it's still a spade or is it?
Cricket West Indies (CWI) recently announced their Test and ODI squads for the tour of Bangladesh, departing our shores on January 8, 2021. Matches to be played include three ODIs and two Test matches. CWI stated in their release, that 12 players refused the opportunity for selection expressing covid fears and personal reasons. The board also made it clear that their policy of players not being blacklisted for future tours is still very much in place.
<LIFE IN A BUBBLE>
What are the issues that surround this mass exodus? West Indies had been decimated on two consecutive tours this summer, the first to Eng followed by a very poor and lacklustre showing in New Zealand.
But back up just a bit, hold on to your supporter's cap. It all started with 3 players declining selection to tour Eng, with Shimron Hetmeyer and Keemo Paul sighting covid concerns, worried about the bubble life. The board indicated that Darren Bravo declined for personal reasons. Yet, mere weeks later after the CPL, a very overweight looking Hetmeyer and Paul journeyed to Dubai to play in the IPL.
Maybe their fears were justified. These are the ugly stats:
England population - 65 million
Covid-19 cases - 2 million
Covid-19 deaths- 62,000
Having completed the IPL, suddenly, Hetmeyer and Paul were both available and selected for the tour of New Zealand, departing Dubai the day after the conclusion of the IPL. The results could not have been worse. In two Test matches, New Zealand won both, scoring nearly 1,000 runs in just 2 innings.
Dropped catches, inaccurate bowling and poor batting were prevalent amongst the hapless WI players. The T20 team was also whitewashed in their three-match series.
Straight after this, several players immediately journeyed to another bubble event at the BBL in Aus, where covid cases have spiked significantly, so much so, that the touring Indians until last week weren't yet sure where the 3rd Test would've been played. Then comes the announcement that 10 players declined invitations to be selected to tour Bangladesh. This is after a full medical team sent by CWI to Bangladesh before the sign off on the tour gave the green light to participate.
Again, those ugly stats:
Bangladesh population - 160 million
Covid-19 cases- 570,000
Covid-19 deaths- 7,400
One can't expect the players to be cricketers and scientists at the same time, therefore I accept that they may have received professional advice to base their decisions not to tour. Now I'm no scientists myself, but from the outside, this sounds like Trump science to me.
<Compare the two locations>
Now the tough questions, is covid-19 the real concern? Or, are they already fed up of the bubble life? If so, then why several of those Windies players made themselves available to play in a T10 tournament in Dubai, which clashes with the tour to Bangladesh. You see, the answers are never far away, just dig deep enough, you'll find them.
Captain Jason Holder, having the painful record of being the most losing captain ever for the WI, the writing may have been on the wall for his role as captain. There had been a regional call for Holder to step down. So too for a few players who failed to impress in New Zealand.
So taking the skipper's lead, Trump science led to trump and follow suit behaviour. Clearly, this was a united effort to perhaps hope that the tour would be cancelled. But as stated earlier, CWI has stated that that's no problem at all. See you next tour, or whenever you feel like taking part it seems. How can any organization prepare, invest and plan with that arrangement in place? A bunch of guys just participated in NZ playing for the Windies A-Team, grooming/preparing them for Test cricket. In my view, it's a slap in the face to CWI and all West Indians to now say, so sorry, I don't want to play for you.
I haven't a clue what it's like to live a bubbled life, play franchise cricket etc, but I'm pretty confident that it's an extremely lucrative way to go. Can I blame the players? Not one bit. It's their choice, it's their careers at stake.
Then gentlemen, carry on. But while you do so, surrender your maroon cap, please. Those who've signed contracts with CWI should make themselves available to train and play for the WI barring injury or unavoidable personal matters.
To CWI, retract your overly generous policy. WI cricket needs now, more than ever, dedicated young professionals because sadly, those days are TRULY dead and gone. Until this changes, I can see the players starting to wear Versace suits and ties over their cricket clothing because it's apparent that they're the ones actually running CWI.
Andre Lawrence
Former National cricket