Does cricket need a strong West Indies?

[trundler]

In hindi, Chee can mean ****/******/an exclamation of disgust. I feel all of that is perfectly fitting for the city.

Ch as chay (six in Hindi/Urdu) and not Ch as in chair presumably.

 

[Beamer]

This question has always amused me. No we don't have a divine right to be a top side. Cricket would be fine without a strong Windies. We do however, have a unique brand and way of playing which has produced some of the fastest bowlers and the biggest hitters so it would be a shame if we just disappeared. I think cricket is better off with ALL the nations being stronger. But then I am a global citizen .

I would also like to point out that our test side is quietly becoming really quite competitive. We have a very very decent bowling attack (3 bowlers averaging under 30). One or two new batsman and we will be in pretty good shape.

 

[Mike5181]

This question has always amused me. No we don't have a divine right to be a top side. Cricket would be fine without a strong Windies. We do however, have a unique brand and way of playing which has produced some of the fastest bowlers and the biggest hitters so it would be a shame if we just disappeared. I think cricket is better off with ALL the nations being stronger. But then I am a global citizen .

I would also like to point out that our test side is quietly becoming really quite competitive. We have a very very decent bowling attack (3 bowlers averaging under 30). One or two new batsman and we will be in pretty good shape.

Pace attack is the best I've seen it in my time watching, yeah. Really like how Shannon Gabriel's come along. Sorting out the Darren Bravo situation and maybe picking that fat spin bowling allrounder would help.

 

[Beamer]

Pace attack is the best I've seen it in my time watching, yeah. Really like how Shannon Gabriel's come along. Sorting out the Darren Bravo situation and maybe picking that fat spin bowling allrounder would help.

To really be competitive we need an opener, Darren Bravo back and a good spin bowling all-rounder. So an ideal team would be:

Braithwaite
Opener 2 (no-one immediately apparent. Hopefully Keacy Carty from the winning Under 19 team)
Bravo
Hope
Hetmeyer
Chase
Dowrich (wk)
Holder
Spin bowling all-rounder (Cornwall ideally but it doesn't look likely)
Roach
Gabriel

In reserve we'd have Alzzari Joseph and Keemo Paul as pacers, both of whom are superb prospects.

 

[Starfighter]

Hope needs to stop getting out for 21 as well.


And they must never include Kieron Powell, ever, in any position. even as sub fielder.

 

[Beamer]

Hope needs to stop getting out for 21 as well.


And they must never include Kieron Powell, ever, in any position. even as sub fielder.

100% agreed. Cricket certainly does not need a strong Kieran Powell....

 

[sledger]

Cricket does need a strong Darren Sammy though. In fact it needs as many Darren Sammys as possible. Wouldn't say no to a few Omari Banks as well.

 

[Beamer]

Cricket does need a strong Darren Sammy though. In fact it needs as many Darren Sammys as possible. Wouldn't say no to a few Omari Banks as well.

Jason Holder is basically a test class Darren Sammy anyway. Won't that do?

 

[sledger]

It won't.

 

[ImpatientLime]

they're always on the verge of breaking through though apparently with their latest crop of youngsters.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Before my era but always had a soft spot for Worrell/Sobers era. They played cricket how it should be played in my opinion. A team for the romantics. The ''quicks era'' (I only saw the tail end, Ambrose/Walshy era) would have gotten on my **** I believe.

 

[marc71178]

they're always on the verge of breaking through though apparently with their latest crop of youngsters.

To be fair, there's only one poster who kept claiming that in spite of evidence to the contrary. This lot does at least look like their best team in at least a decade.

 

[andruid]

I don't know about needs, but it certainly wouldn't hurt. Cricket would be helped by stronger everyone

 

[fredfertang]

I like the West Indies and always have - I think I must have an affinity with teams that flatter to deceive

 

[Beamer]

they're always on the verge of breaking through though apparently with their latest crop of youngsters.

Yawn. Fans of crap team in getting excited when they win the under 19 world cup shocker. Change the record.

 

[Prince EWS]

I like how everyone has responded seriously to what was clearly a meme thread, to the point where I also want to respond seriously now.

Cricket needs strong Test teams, and given we only have twelve of them, we can't really afford to let too many of them go to the dogs. Certainly cricket would benefit from a strong West Indies in a similar way to how it benefits from a strong South Africa, and could benefit from a strong Hong Kong or a strong Nepal, or any other member nation emerging to be a force in Test cricket. In this sense the answer is "yes".

I get why people argue against this though, as there seems to be some sort of subtle implication at times that cricket specifically needs or benefits from a strong West Indies, in a unique way. This is basically just bullshit IMO. If we lost the West indies as a force but they were replaced by two other new forces, cricket would be better off, not worse.

 

[Smudge]

I like how everyone has responded seriously to what was clearly a meme thread

Almost everyone....

 

[TheJediBrah]

Cricket does need a strong Darren Sammy though.

Not sure if he even lifts. Should get in touch with Dre Russ' dealer

 

[jimmy101]

Before my era but always had a soft spot for Worrell/Sobers era. They played cricket how it should be played in my opinion. A team for the romantics. The ''quicks era'' (I only saw the tail end, Ambrose/Walshy era) would have gotten on my **** I believe.

I tend to think the late 50's/early 60's was when cricket was near perfect (if there is such a thing as perfect). It was before the days of pyjama cricket, filled with class players who played the game in a respectful and admirable manner. Interest in the game was very high with spectators. It was also around that time they got rid of the amateur/professional divide.

The only thing holding it back was the situation in South Africa, but you can't really hold cricket administrators responsible for that.

 

[andruid]

Cricket web needs a strong *****