AN INTERESTING question to ask of West Indian cricket fans is, how come our players are so popular worldwide, yet West Indies teams are closer to the bottom of the table in all formats?
Limited-overs franchises throughout cricket nations from England to Australia, inclusive of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, plus New Zealand, the US and Canada, can’t wait to get their hands on the cricket skills and especially the excitement that identifies the Caribbean cricketer. His approach and dynamism lights up the playing fields of the world. From the days of Sir Learie Constantine in the 1930s to the present, that reputation has existed.
Maybe the answer lies in their individualism when representing a franchise team. Or could it be the lack of team spirit at home, bred by the insularity of a cluster of separate island nations, rather than their identification with one country, one flag?
Whatever the answer, the fact is the cricketer from the territorial islands of ex-British colonies, is in demand for his services by cricket franchises throughout the world. Furthermore, they are offered extremely high fees by these franchises to ensure their choice.
This is where the problem lies; a cricketer who earns $X annually is confronted with an offer ten, 20 and more times (depending on ability, hence, market value) to play in a competition for six weeks or pro-rated for a three-week tournament and so on. It is an offer that cannot be refused.
Jimmy Adams, Cricket West Indies (CWI)’s director of cricket, is caught between a rock and a hard place. When speaking with journalists on Zoom recently, Adams was asked if players are using WI as a platform to get into T20 leagues around the world, then choose to play for WI when they see fit.
He admits that some players will opt not to sign contracts in order to have the freedom to choose wherever they want to play.
Adams does not think that it is a problem. He says those who refuse CWI central contracts have the freedom to play with any team that they want to; that’s ok with him, and WI cricket will move on without them. Nonetheless, he thinks that the region’s players are committed to WI cricket.
[caption id="attachment_955066" align="alignnone" width="748"] This file photo dated September 23, 1998 shows media mogul Kerry Packer gesturing at a luncheon in Sydney, Australia. (AFP PHOTO) -[/caption]
I believe that Adams is being a bit naive at best.
What will eventually happen – which has started already – is the weakening of international representation. The main problem lies in the economic circumstances of the Caribbean as compared to the bigger countries.
India, for instance, can pay their players a lucrative enough sum for them not to participate in any other country’s franchise tournaments.
No Indian cricketers currently representing India or playing first-class cricket in India are allowed to take part in outside franchise leagues.
Australia, England and New Zealand ensure that their players would not choose to play for a franchise before their country, becaus
