The way social media was lit up on Friday, May 12, into the next day Saturday and even a full two days later onto Mother’s Day Sunday, you would have believed that Barbados Independence/Republic celebrations, Christmas or some other reason for annual pyrotechnics had come six to seven months early this year! Rather than the comforting feelings commonly associated with Christmas, however, the Facebook fireworks were of an entirely different nature. Expressed anger, frustrations and outright belligerence were the recurring themes as hundreds of Caribbean cricket fans publicly vented their reactions to the Cricket West Indies (CWI) announcements of the squad for the ICC World Cup Qualifier, as well as the red and white ball Head Coach appointments. All of which were made on the morning of Friday May 12, 2023.
Other than a few mildly expressed concerns over his lack of experience at Test level, there were not that many objections to Andre Foley’s announced appointment as West Indies red ball cricket Head Coach. The same cannot, however, be said about the reactions to the news of Darren Sammy’s simultaneously announced appointment as West Indies white-ball cricket Head Coach.
Vitriolically expressed anger was the common recurring theme in most of the comments made by fans in reaction to the news of Sammy, the former West Indies Test, ODI and T20I captain and double ICC T20 World Cup winning skipper’s appointment. Significant numbers of fans questioned both Sammy’s lack of coaching certification, as well as his obvious inexperience as an international cricket head coach. In terms of the latter, Sammy’s experience to date has been limited to single-season tenures as a franchise Head Coach in the Pakistan and Caribbean T20 Premier Leagues.
There were also eyebrows raised and “Old Boys Club” conspiracy theories advanced concerning Sammy’s June 23, 2021, appointment as a CWI Director and his elevation to the role of West Indies white-ball Head Coach approximately two years later. Some fans went even further as to question the Windward Islands relationship of the St Lucian-born Sammy to the recently elected Cricket West Indies President, St Vincent’s Dr Kishore Shallow.
A most unfortunate reality of social media, however, is that it provides the very same outlets of expression for the ignorant and irrational as it does for the wise and knowledgeable. A further sad increasingly apparent reality is that many of those who regularly publicly express their thoughts, through the half a dozen West Indies cricket fans groups that currently exist on Facebook, tend invariably to belong to the former rather than the latter.
In a most welcome and refreshing publicly issued explanation of Sammy’s West Indies white ball cricket Head Coach appointment, CWI President Dr Shallow more or less indicated that the decision was made based on the former captain’s acknowledged motivational skills. Noting that over the years many impressively qualified coaches had been tried without much discernable or enduring success, this time around a different approach was being attempted in giving Sammy as a known motivator the opportunity to fulfil the role.
The new 2023 CWI Executive Board’s Darren Sammy white-ball Head Coach choice is perhaps the first tangible example of the out-of-the-box paradigm- shifting thinking Dr Shallow had suggested would be required for West Indies cricket to successfully move in the direction of sustained improvement. In his pre-election CWI Presidential Campaign Manifesto, Dr Shallow had expressed his belief that novel approaches would have to be adopted towards the much-desired improvement of the performances of West Indies teams in international cricket.
Both Head Coach appointments, Coley’s red-ball as well as Sammy’s white-ball, have received the publicly expressed support of veteran former, but now still very outspokenly active 83-year-old, Cricket Radio Commentator Joseph “Reds” Perriera. Commenting on Sammy’s appointment Reds said: “The fact that he has not gotten qualifications, which was well answered by Cricket West Indies President Dr Kishore Shallow, when you look back at the history and the amount of coaches that we had, who had outstanding qualifications and had good track records, they were not necessarily successful, so having qualifications does not automatically suggest success!”
The veteran cricket commentator also added: “Building a side, requires communicating with players. I think Sammy has a motivational style and he has a strong personality. He might be able to get into the hearts and minds of players, and that will help improve their desire to play for West Indies. And in the long-run, that would improve their consistency.”
Sammy brings two World Cups on his CV. According to “Reds”, Sammy has led as a captain and that must be taken into consideration that he was a successful captain and hopefully he becomes a successful coach.
Reds’ expressed agreement with the Sammy and Coley coaching appointments has not, however, extended to his concerns over the squads chosen by the West Indies Selectors for the team’s participation in the ICC Zimbabwe-hosted 2023 World Cup Final Qualifier, as well as its preceding United Arab Emirates warm-up tour. A greater majority of West Indies cricket fans and followers, Reds included, have questioned some of the Selectors’ choices, particularly concerning the West Indies squad for the all-important Zimbabwe Qualifier, which will determine the remaining four participating countries for the ICC 2023 ODI World Cup to be hosted by India this coming November.
Following close behind those of the captain Rovman Powell, vice-captain Shai Hope, and Shamarh Brooks the alphabetically listed names of Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty and Roston Chase were the three causing the greatest degree of anger, anxiety and frustration among West Indies cricket fans. Justifiably so based on their inadequate respective performances of late, as well as the number of as yet unproductive opportunities they have each been provided with to prove their worth.
Brooks himself was also among those whose squad inclusion raised quite a few eyebrows. Although his overall production as a West Indies ODI batsman has not been overly impressive, his performances of late have been admirably consistent.
In his now 23 ODI matches played for the West Indies, Brooks has scored 712 runs at an average of 32.36. He has only one century and four fifties among his 23 innings batted. His last ten ODI innings in West Indies colours have produced scores of 93, 43, 1, 12, 44, 0, 60, 6, 101 and 70.
Only two of Brooks’ listed 40+ scores have, however, been against ICC top-ten ranked opponents, The remaining four, including his century, were scored against ICC minnows: Ireland and the Netherlands.
Brooks’ level of consistency, albeit against the bowling attacks of lessor ranked ICC opponents, is, however, nowhere to be found within Yannic Cariah’s ODI statistics as a West Indies front-line wicket-taking leg-spinner. The sample size may admittedly be relatively small, Cariah has to date only represented the West Indies in four ODI matches, but his returns or lack thereof have already been insufficient enough to clearly demonstrate his obvious inadequacy for the prescribed role.
Four wickets taken for 248 runs at an average of 43.00 and an unimpressive economy rate of 7.40. Those have been Cariah’s ODI returns to date as the West Indies’ preferred leg-spinner. His batting hasn’t been much of a redeeming factor either! Just 59 runs scored from three innings batted for a 29.50 average.
If Cariah’s unsatisfactory returns give cause for concern, those of Keacy Carty should as well, even more so. 145 runs scored from seven crease appearances for a paltry 24.36 average graced by a recorded highest score of 43!
4, 16, 11, 5, 33, 33 and 43* have been Carty’s recorded scores to date in his seven innings batted for the West Indies. Perhaps the upward trend of his last three scores, rather than the paltry returns from his first four, is what has allowed the West Indies Selectors to maintain their faith in the so far underperforming 26-year-old Carty.
At 26 years of age, Carty’s relative youth may have been a favourably influencing factor in his selection, no such excuse can, however, be found for Roston Chase’s squad inclusion. Now aged 31, Chase has to date played 33 ODI matches for the West Indies. As a batsman, he’s scored 553 runs from 26 innings for a 24.04 average. Even more importantly, Chase’s last ten ODI innings have produced scores of 19, 13, 1, 0, 20, 41, 2, 19, 38 and 4.
As a bowler, Chase’s returns have been equally inadequate just 19 wickets captured for 812 runs. Average 42.73; economy rate 4.80. Small wonder that most fans have been left questioning his inclusion in the West Indies squad for as important a tournament as the World Cup Final Qualifier.
Justifiable cause indeed for expressed anger and frustration by fervent West Indies cricket fans the majority over!