For entirely justifiable reasons, the C in Cricket West Indies (CWI) has more often than not been viewed, rightfully, as representative not of its governed sport, but rather of far more negative connotations. Confusion, Comedy and Commess are just some of the uncomplimentary connotations that have been applied by frustrated and aggravated West Indies cricket fans and followers to CWI’s C in recent times. As a direct result of the regional governing body’s far to frequent shortcomings, inadequacies and public embarrassments.
Two recently announced initiatives, however, have now presented the beleaguered Dr Kishore Shallow-led CWI with two wonderful opportunities to earn a C for Commendable connotation for its CWI title acronym. Even more impressively, both opportunities, namely the recently announced Republic Bank sponsored Five For Fun Junior Cricket Programme as well as the establishment of an Antigua & Barbuda backed Coolidge Cricket Ground located High Performance Campus for regional cricket coaches, are both almost entirely of CWI’s making.
Highly commendable, kudos-worthy stuff indeed!
According to CWI’s recent media release, its partnership with Republic Bank for the 2026 staging of the Primary Schools ‘Five for Fun’ Cricket Programme has thankfully been renewed. The partnership reaffirms both parties’ shared commitment to youth development and grassroots cricket across the Caribbean.
Now entering its sixth year, the fast-paced and inclusive programme has firmly established itself as a cornerstone of youth cricket. It provides structured access to the region’s most unifying pastime for children aged 7–11. Designed for both boys and girls, Five for Fun introduces participants to the fundamentals of the game through a modern, exciting format that emphasises participation, enjoyment, and the acquisition of critical life skills.
The 2026 season will run from April to September, hosted in Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. This year, the programme continues its regional expansion with the addition of Barbados to the roster. More than 320 primary schools across 187 communities are expected to participate, engaging over 10,000 children in structured coaching sessions and competitive play.
As every fan or follower should rightfully agree, any such initiative which serves to revive the dwindling interest and involvement of Caribbean school-aged children in cricket should, by default, be automatically regarded as very good. Not to mention highly commendable.
For CWI, the acquired continuation of the Five For Fun, now also presents a wonderful additional opportunity to redress one of its most disappointing past failings. That being its apparent inability to directly involve the now still active great former players in its developmental programmes to any meaningful degree. A plea for which was again made most recently by no less than Sir Clive Lloyd, during his Saturday, April 25, 2026 Barbados National Heroes Day Lecture on Sir Garfield Sobers.
Following his very well-presented and received lecture, Sir Clive responded to several audience member questions posted from the floor. In doing so, he suggested that the skills, knowledge and experience of still present and sufficiently active members of his all-conquering West Indies Test teams of the late seventies and eighties should be immediately harnessed by CWI. As a means of providing much-needed valued assistance to the restoration of West Indies cricket to its former, since lost prominence as a recognised, acknowledged, respected, and even frequently feared global powerhouse.
It’s a call that has been made continuously over the past three decades. One which CWI has again arguably failed most miserably to act upon in any satisfactorily meaningful manner. That can, however, now be immediately corrected by CWI’s engagement in such legends as participants in the Five For Fun Programme. A most wonderful example that the Joel Garner-headed Barbados Legends has already set by means of its recently announced school-aged children cricket development programmes.
CWI’s recent announcement of its plans to establish an Antigua & Barbuda government-backed, Coolidge Cricket Ground- located High Performance Campus for regional coaches, also provides an even more exciting opportunity for direct involvement by some of the Sir Clive Lloyd era Legends. Four of whom, Antigua’s own 4Knights: Sir Andy Roberts. Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Ritchie Richardson and Sir Curtly Ambrose are, of course, locally based.
The 4Knights plans to establish their own cricket academy, which was first publicly announced as far back as 2014, but has seemingly remained unfulfilled. As such, the opportunity now, therefore, exists for CWI to play the role of a rescuing knight in shining armour, no pun intended, by acquiring the direct participation of the four aforementioned legends at the Coolidge Cricket Ground High Performance Campus.
As reported in the Book of Matthew 4:19 and as well in Mark 1:17, Jesus Christ promised to make his disciples fishers of men rather than just fishermen. Undeniably, Messers Roberts, Richards , Richardson and Ambrose individually and collectively constitute four of the very best proponents of all that’s ever been worldly great about West Indies cricket. The scintillating strokeplay and lethal fast bowling characterized brand of West Indies cricket that has been perpetuated since 1928 by the likes of George Headley, Manny Martindale, the three Ws: Frank Worrell, Everton Weekes, Clyde Walcott, GarySobers, Rohan Kanhai, Wesley Hall, Roy Gilchrist, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Colin Croft, Gordon Greenidge, Malcolm Marshall, Brain Lara, Ian Bishop and countless unnamed others.
As such the existing opportunity would be for the 4Knights as well as some of the other aforementioned legends to pass on their skills, knowledge and experience to the Campus’ attending coaches. So that such coaches can, in turn, educate their aspiring young cricketer charges, especially those within the formative five to fifteen years age range, to play cricket the West Indies way!
Anyone with reason to question the ultimate effects of Jesus’ reported teachings on Christianity’s spread globally need only visit a church any time during Easter or Christmas! The 4Knights’ and other legends’ teaching coaches how West Indies cricket can and should be played for subsequent relay to the region’s young aspiring cricketers would most definitely not produce numbers anywhere close to millions of Christians who now walk the face of this planet we call earth. They could very well, however, ultimately produce future interested, oriented and sufficiently talented Test cricketers. Perhaps even in sufficient numbers to provide a buffer against the seemingly unending instant riches allure of T20 franchise cricket.
Antigua’s 4Knights and other living West Indies cricket legends as coaching mentors for CWI’s planned High Performance Campus. A wonderful opportunity if realised, would indeed be most worthy of a C for Commendable CWI. Don’t hold your breath for it to happen any time soon, though!
For entirely justifiable reasons, the C in Cricket West Indies (CWI) has more often than not been viewed, rightfully, as representative not of its governed sport, but rather of far more negative connotations. Confusion, Comedy and Commess are just some of the uncomplimentary connotations that have been applied by frustrated and aggravated West Indies cricket fans and followers to CWI’s C in recent times. As a direct result of the regional governing body’s far to frequent shortcomings, inadequacies and public embarrassments.