foreign affairs
Calypso kings in a spin Once the powerhouse of the game, West Indian cricket has been hit for six. With a World Cup looming in the Caribbean, can the sport’s governing bodies arrest the decline before it’s too late? Henry Blofeld reports he light is fading but play continues. It’s a humid Sunday evening on a plot of public land just outside the Antiguan village of Urlings and two youngsters are at the crease. In the field, close to the bat, are mothers, grandfathers, aunts and uncles. A teenager is at mid-wicket and a toddler is looking lively in the covers. What a glorious scene – especially to those of us who know that cricket is more than just a game. But scratch the surface and all is not well. Indeed, the outlook for West Indies cricket has never seemed bleaker. After ruling the world in the 1970s and 1980s, they have since been paying the penalty for thinking that their success would continue indefinitely. Those in charge ignored the need to look to the future and nurture new talent. When old age finally caught up with the side Clive Lloyd passed down to Viv Richards they had not brought on nearly enough top-quality players. Today, there is a danger that West Indies cricket may disintegrate completely. Defeat has become commonplace. Worse still, the reputation of West Indies cricket has suffered because of one badly flawed genius, Brian Lara. As the principal player it would have been impossible to deny Lara the captaincy. But he has now had two shots at the job and
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1970s watches A full house in the rule the world et ck cri n West India
28 Hurlingham
28-30. Cricket.indd Sec1:28
27/4/05 5:07:26 pm
