Windies target Top 5 by 2015

[ntini77]

BallOil and ntini,

You may mock what's been said, but this goes back to what i said before, where were we in the rankings with all our recent first choice players anyway?...

i don't think we've been in the top 5 since Richie Richardson's captaincy. We've been near the bottom of the rankings since the late 90s and this is with the likes of having great players like Ambrose, Walsh, Lara and Chanderpaul, those guys have excellent stats but what does that say about our team as a collective unit?...you joke about our team aiming to be mediocre, but the truth is that we've been mediocre as a team for well over a decade.

There's no doubt that the current state of West Indies cricket is a mess for various reasons, but the way i see it, starting from scratch can't do much worse than what has been done already.

Fair point, silvamaine.

We seem to be heading fast towards the standards of associate teams, though.

Hardly a surprise when we can't even field our best players.

[sportbloggeradi]

I think West Indies might even struggle to get in top 5 in T20 and ODI.

Test top 5 is a more tougher task with India, OZ, SRL, SA, ENG being leading teams. Can they perform better than Kiwis and Pak?

[Silvamaine]

BallOil and ntini,

You may mock what's been said, but this goes back to what i said before, where were we in the rankings with all our recent first choice players anyway?...

i don't think we've been in the top 5 since Richie Richardson's captaincy. We've been near the bottom of the rankings since the late 90s and this is with the likes of having great players like Ambrose, Walsh, Lara and Chanderpaul, those guys have excellent stats but what does that say about our team as a collective unit?...you joke about our team aiming to be mediocre, but the truth is that we've been mediocre as a team for well over a decade.

There's no doubt that the current state of West Indies cricket is a mess for various reasons, but the way i see it, starting from scratch can't do much worse than what has been done already.

To reach the top 5 by 2015 will mean that ...Eng, OZ, Pak, Ind, SA, SL are right now the top 6 and to be the Top 5 will mean that we will have to be infront of 2 of these 6 teams, suh de questions are:

1: Which of those teams will be displaced to mek way for WI to be in the top 5 without having the socalled PD's part of this drive to the top 5?

2: Looking at our current core players (seniors excluded and yuh know why), who are the ones that will tek us to where we want to be? Name them and justify why?

3: We are now ranked # 6 in tests and # 7 in ODI's and being in the top 5 fuh the next 4 years is a major achievement?

All this frigging chat about being in the top 5 is hogwash and will never materialize due to our incompetent, vindictive and malicious administrators.

BTW - more trouble next year when the next IPL auction takes place...I can guarantee you that West Indies cricket will lose a few more talented players and then they will be the target just like Gayle, Bravo, JT and Polly today.

You make alot of excellent points, i don't think anybody disagrees with the worse case scenario being a reality within the next few years. They could well be deluded comments from Sammy, but being the Captain, all that he is saying is that he, the Coach and the Board have set a certain amount of goals in the next few years. I'm very apprehensive as to whether they can be achcieved, considering all the circumstances and odds of the IPL clashing with our Summer Season. I certainly don't like what is going on and i pray that changes with the Board in particular will happen, but i guess i'm a old skool supporter, who will wish the team all the best regardless, instead of wishing them badly by jumping on the bandwagon of negativity.

Also, i'm waiting for anybody to address why we have been at the bottom of the rankings for so many years, despite having our "superstar players". The only replies i'm getting are the obvious predictions of mediocrity, when the first choice picks have been playing mediocre cricket for the most part of a decade anyway. Some of the established and talented individuals might've achieved great things, but the overall results as a team performance, have mostly been in defeat. So it's easy to kick this new generation while they're down, but what is the excuse of the golden generation since the late 90s?...

[BallOil]

I think West Indies might even struggle to get in top 5 in T20 and ODI.

Test top 5 is a more tougher task with India, OZ, SRL, SA, ENG being leading teams. Can they perform better than Kiwis and Pak?

so you think its mission impossible? Come on our cricket Administrators know what they are doing. We are rebuilding but what they failed to realize is that other countries are constantly rebuilding but with a mix with seniors which ease the transition for the newbies. Rather than the supposedly wise ones in the Caribbean starting with a clean slate. What a genius move!

[Westdem]

Also, i'm waiting for anybody to address why we have been at the bottom of the rankings for so many years, despite having our "superstar players". The only replies i'm getting are the obvious predictions of mediocrity, when the first choice picks have been playing mediocre cricket for the most part of a decade anyway. Some of the established and talented individuals might've achieved great things, but the overall results as a team performance, have mostly been in defeat. So it's easy to kick this new generation while they're down, but what is the excuse of the golden generation since the late 90s?...

Silva, I am gonna give this my best shot at addressing the above with some objectivity....

We have been at the bottom of the ranking for so many years due to the incompetence of all our administrators that ran WI cricket starting from those incharge during Lloyd successful days..

1: There was nothing that was done to make sure that our future success was secure. They all think that WI teams would be invincible with their natural talent...cause the rest ah de world tell dem so and they failed here.

2: Most of your successful players had lengthy career playing in the English County...some even played in OZ...what happen after WI players received less contract to play overseas, we see that our FC season was not long enough to promote the growth that is required for our players to enhance their talent. WICB really did nothing in this area from the get go.

3: In the last few U19 WC, the WI teams showed talent similar to those elite teams across the globe but thr transitional from the U19 to the Senior circuit for these players are STAGNANT and nothing was done here also. This is why we see most our new players when introduce to the international level is not MENTALLY ready.

4: Finally we get the HPC but with the HPC came the dismantling of our CORE talent at the expense of VISION 2015 which I don't buy into. All this will lead to is a bunch of UNMOTIVATED players who will always think that they can be the next Gayle,Shiv,Sars et al...I


If you were a professional cricketer currently, would you be 100% confident to play in this current atmosphere of WI cricket? Would you be able to be 100% MENTALLY FOCUS?

If it was me, I would be playing less focused and motivated with the same fear as I outlined above.

[AFRO]

You want answers? ok den!!

To reach the top 5 by 2015 will mean that ...Eng, OZ, Pak, Ind, SA, SL are right now the top 6 and to be the Top 5 will mean that we will have to be infront of 2 of these 6 teams, suh de questions are:

1: Which of those teams will be displaced to mek way for WI to be in the top 5 without having the socalled PD's part of this drive to the top 5?

Well we already drew with Pakistan WITHOUT GAYLE, Barath, Ramdin and Fidel, plus Kirk Edwards didn't play in the Tests either, if we beat Bang WE GO ABOVE THEM IN THE RANKINGS TO 6TH PLACE, i also believe we can displace Sri-Lanka, they have a very weak bowling unit and just lost at home to Australia, no Malinga and Murali has hurt them badly, plus their batting order is getting old,

2: Looking at our current core players (seniors excluded and yuh know why), who are the ones that will tek us to where we want to be? Name them and justify why?

Darren Bravo has had a great start to his Test career, in two innings he's getting a 50 or above right now, and sooner or later he's bound to get his first ton, Barath is a decent player who has a ton to his name already, Kirk Edwards got a great ton against India, Bishoo as everyone knows has been a sensation, Samuels has come back and played a few decent knocks and his bowling will be vital for us now, Rampaul has been a sensation for us lately and now Brathwaite is rising up the ranks fast, I COULD GO ON AND ON to rhatid!! ,

3: We are now ranked # 6 in tests and # 7 in ODI's and being in the top 5 fuh the next 4 years is a major achievement?

No we're ranked 7th right now, so we've got two places to climb, if we win the next two Test series we might just get to 5th but i'm not sure, the fact is getting to 5th isn't the problem, IT'S BEEN GOOD ENOUGH TO COMPETE WITH THE OTHER FOUR which is the aim, and that's what i believe the WICB are talking about,

All this frigging chat about being in the top 5 is hogwash and will never materialize due to our incompetent, vindictive and malicious administrators.

we will get there by the time we finish the Test series against NZ at home next year, i'm very confident about that,

BTW - more trouble next year when the next IPL auction takes place...I can guarantee you that West Indies cricket will lose a few more talented players and then they will be the target just like Gayle, Bravo, JT and Polly today.

I agree, but it might benefit us in the long term because the more our players play with and against International players the better they will get.

[AFRO]

Also, i'm waiting for anybody to address why we have been at the bottom of the rankings for so many years, despite having our "superstar players". The only replies i'm getting are the obvious predictions of mediocrity, when the first choice picks have been playing mediocre cricket for the most part of a decade anyway. Some of the established and talented individuals might've achieved great things, but the overall results as a team performance, have mostly been in defeat. So it's easy to kick this new generation while they're down, but what is the excuse of the golden generation since the late 90s?...

EXACTLY!!..i've been saying that for ages but dem nah listen, the same skunts they are crying for i.e Gayle, Sarwan etc were at the world cup the other day and totally embarrassed us when they played Pakistan, them "fans" just can't handle change it seems, they'd rather watch the same old "seniors" lose game after game instead of embracing a new dawn with new players, it's ridiculous to me.

[rbk256]

bally whats up? Been too busy for the pass 6 months man, but should be a bit free now.
So Sammy is trying for the #5 spot , I wonder how far is that from the bottom. W.I cricket is a big joke now. Any way buddy see you later have to run, be good, see you here again tomarrow.

[sportbloggeradi]

I think West Indies might even struggle to get in top 5 in T20 and ODI.

Test top 5 is a more tougher task with India, OZ, SRL, SA, ENG being leading teams. Can they perform better than Kiwis and Pak?

so you think its mission impossible? Come on our cricket Administrators know what they are doing. We are rebuilding but what they failed to realize is that other countries are constantly rebuilding but with a mix with seniors which ease the transition for the newbies. Rather than the supposedly wise ones in the Caribbean starting with a clean slate. What a genius move!

It's not impossible, but its very tough for West Indies. As you said the other teams are improving as well so the competition will still be there for top 5 spots. West Indies had only one player who could knocks double or triple and he is dropped. Chanders is on verge of retirement so discount him after 5 years as well. Who wills core doubles amongst the new West Indian batsmen. Who will score 150+

[Westdem]

Darren Bravo has had a great start to his Test career, in two innings he's getting a 50 or above right now, and sooner or later he's bound to get his first ton, Barath is a decent player who has a ton to his name already, Kirk Edwards got a great ton against India, Bishoo as everyone knows has been a sensation, Samuels has come back and played a few decent knocks and his bowling will be vital for us now, Rampaul has been a sensation for us lately and now Brathwaite is rising up the ranks fast, I COULD GO ON AND ON to rhatid!!

Afro...nice counter to my points but there is a difference between you and me in that I believe that the current atmosphere in WI cricket is not what it should be to achieve their intended target for 2015...

Of the above lot there, Barath is too FRAGILE and tends to TALK a good game. Lil B is currently in a rut and I don't think he is getting the correct help mentally and may hamper him in the long run. I agree on Marlon...he is playing with house money and has nothing to lose and he is very talented cricketer suh I believe his second coming will be special...Kirk Edwards currently does not impress me as to see future domination from him on the international scene. Ravi improved a lot recently but you and I know that him Russell and Roach will be playing musical chair for Sammy... ..I think KB will be special and I predict that he will soon displace Barath.

WI have a bunch of TALENTED young cricketers and have always had but our administrative and insular EGO tend to get in the way of what the end result should be and that is to BUILD and MAINTAIN a strong and competitive WI team always.