Caribbean collapse
The demise of West Indian cricket is one of my sporting sadnesses.
Time was when they went 20 odd years without losing a match.
Trinidadian commentator on TMS Fazeer Mohammed attributes this to the Windies not playing a 5 Test match series. I can’t agree. Young Caribbeans do not see a pathway in cricket; being a Federation of countries it’s harder to negotiate rights; and, most importantly, West Indian cricketers do not play English county cricket.
How about this for such a side:
Gordon Greenidge (Hampshire)
Des Haynes ( Middlesex)
Viv Richards ( Somerset)
Brian Lara (Warwickshire)
Clive Lloyd (Lancashire)
Gary Sobers ( Nottinghamshire)
Malcolm Marshall (Hampshire)
Michael Holding (Derbyshire)
Joel Garner ( Somerset)
Courtney Walsh (Gloucestershire)
Lance Gibbs (Warwickshire)
Alert readers will notice no wicket keeper in the above list but the ever-adaptable Gary Sobers can be gloveman.
No place for Curtly Ambrose, Alvin Kallicharran, Rohan Kanhai,Chris Gayle and Wayne Daniel. The side would beat any Test team.
The West Indies look like losing in 2 1/2 days which reinforces the commercial imperative as no county with a test venue appreciates such a shortened match
