- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 18/Jul 04:04

Yes, WI cricket is dead

THE EDITOR: In March 2004, the West Indies was bowled out for 47 at Sabina Park. At the time it seemed unthinkable that things could get worse. They did this week. In front of a stunned Jamaican crowd in the third and final Test against Australia, the WI was dismissed for a humiliating 27 runs – its lowest-ever Test total in 96 years of international cricket. Only New Zealand’s 26 against England in 1955 stands between the WI and the most shameful record in the sport’s history. Several years ago I wrote that West Indies cricket is dead. Back then it sparked debate. Today, it's undeniable truth. This isn’t just a defeat. It’s a collapse of culture, pride, and regional identity. Cricket was once the heartbeat of the Caribbean, a unifier that brought islands together in celebration. Now it’s a recurring embarrassment. Australia, ruthless and clinical, tore through the WI batting in a session of chaos and incompetence. The scorecard read like a tombstone: 27 all out. No technique, no temperament, no fight. It begs the question: What are we still playing for? There is no leadership. No structure. No vision. The legends – Sobers, Lara, Ambrose, Holding – must be watching in agony. What they built this generation has dismantled. Cricket West Indies continues to recycle coaches, shuffle selection panels, and speak in hollow PR soundbites. But no boardroom meeting can fix what has been lost: passion, pride, and purpose. The sport that once brought the Caribbean global dominance is now reduced to headlines of humiliation. No schoolchild aspires to be the next Brian Lara anymore. Instead, our brightest athletes flee to basketball, football, or franchise leagues that offer money – but no meaning. The defeat to Australia isn’t an isolated event. It’s the latest nail in a coffin that’s been years in the making. The WI isn't in decline. It's dead. And the world is no longer mourning. SIMON WRIGHT Chaguanas The post Yes, WI cricket is dead appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.