Andy Roberts, the former West Indies fast bowler, could not conceal his sense of utter hopelessness for the future of West Indies cricket when he spoke after the completion of the KFC Cup last week.”I watched and I couldn’t face it at times,” said Roberts in his interview with the . “Everything bothered me. Every single thing. We have to admit we have a crisis in West Indies cricket.”It is a crisis that has developed over two decades. Its myriad causes have long since been recognised yet they all surfaced once again in the region’s premier limited-overs tournament. Roberts bemoaned the fact that no players had emerged to press who he described as “the incumbents” in the West Indies team for their places. He noted the basic lack of batting technique, an observation starkly supported by a glance at the scores, like West Indies Under-19 being bowled out for 18 against Barbados.Such observations are a strong indictment of coaching at the lower levels of the game in the West Indies, a deficiency that requires urgent attention. There was much else besides that was discouraging, even more so since it perpetuated the deficiencies of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) in planning and organisation.There were more teams but less cricket, a reversal of the ideal balance. To accommodate the puzzling addition of the U-19s and an amalgamation tagged as Combined Campuses and Colleges, the qualifying round was divided into two groups, limiting each side to three matches, as opposed to five last season.The semi-finals and final were played at the Three Ws Oval in Bridgetown, while less than a mile away, the multi-million dollar Kensington Oval which staged the World Cup final six months earlier, turned a whiter shade of pale by the day.

When rain – which tends to fall in Barbados at the tailend of the season in October – drenched an outfield without the drainage necessary to cope with a deluge, one semi-final had to be abandoned, amidst heated controversy, with no provision for a reserve day.Had the Kensington Oval been the venue, the problem would not have arisen, for vast sums were spent on sanding and installing the most modern drainage facilities for the World Cup. It was learnt that the Three Ws Oval was chosen because it was fitted with floodlights – and Kensington was not.It was the first time major regional cricket was played under lights, 29 years after Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket (WSC) introduced it in Australia. As such, it was seen as helping the development of the game. Even so, other World Cup stadiums, in St Lucia and Antigua, also carry lights. And then there is the ongoing squabble between the UWI and the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), the accredited broadcasters, over the inadequate facilities provided.Predictably, the buck was passed one way and then the next, from the UWI, to the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), to the CMC. In the end, there is only one place that it should stop in relation to all of the foul-ups and that is at the WICB. It was, after all, their tournament.As Haydn Gill pointed out in , complaints such as those now heard from captains Chris Gayle, Daren Ganga and Corey Collymore, simply echo those of Courtney Walsh and Philo Wallace eight years earlier when a washed-out semi-final and the absence of a reserve day led to Barbados’ exit.The same thing occurred in 2001, prompting the Barbados manager at the time, Tony Howard, to pointedly comment: “The problem with this competition is that it seems to be organised by non-cricketers and there seems to be other issues which take precedence over the cricketing aspects.”Howard, a former West Indies Test player, is now the WICB’s cricket operations manager and, presumably, responsible for cricketing matters. If the KFC Cup and other regional tournaments are still being planned by ‘non-cricketers’, he is serving no useful purpose.If he does remain in office, he could do no better than to arrange with the Stanford 20/20 group to observe how to properly run a cricket tournament. It really is not that difficult – and money has very little to do with it.

Ricky Ponting has urged the ICC to reconsider the new rule that forces a ball change after the 34th over in ODIs. Ponting believes the early change gives the batsmen too much assistance and replacing the ball later in the innings would be more sensible.”It’s a very big advantage for the batting team to get a new, harder ball that early in the innings,” Ponting told . “They should try this rule somewhere else before trying at the international level because some day something like this is going to cost a team a game and that could well be the difference in a series.”It’s unfair on a team that does everything right. I think the commonsense [solution] would be to change the ball after the 41st over.” Earlier this series Ponting called the mandatory change “fine” but criticised the umpires’ decision to switch balls in the 28th over of India’s run chase at Hyderabad and again at the pre-determined point seven overs later.Brett Lee believes the new rule makes the already difficult task for bowlers in ODIs even tougher. “The newer balls we’ve been using have been pretty shiny and still have the Kookaburra writing on them,” Lee said. “It makes it harder for the bowlers because you’re trying to work with a ball that is as old as possible and you come on at the 34th over and you’re bowling with a new ball again.”Tim Nielsen, the Australia coach, said run-rates were escalating after the balls were switched. “We’ve been going on at four or five an over and it’s got up to seven or eight a couple of times,” Nielsen said. “The different ball is harder and comes on to the bat better.”

West Indian fans may not see or hear a ball on the tour of Zimbabwe. Two days before the start of the five-match one-day series, uncertainty surrounds live television coverage and no radio commentary appears to be available.SportsMax, the Jamaica cable company that holds television rights for West Indies overseas tours, is trying to finalise last-minute arrangements to facilitate the broadcast, and managing director Oliver McIntosh said yesterday a decision would be made today. In his estimation, it stood at a “50-50″ chance that the matches would be shown on their channel which is beamed to 18 islands across the Caribbean.”The issue that we faced is extremely short notice. If we carry it, it will be more for content and less for commercial purposes. It is essentially a cost to carry it,” McIntosh told the Nation from his office in Kingston. “There are also issues picking up signals from Zimbabwe that we’ve experienced in the past and we’re trying to make sure that if we do carry it, there are no issues. The video satellite and link-up is not as easy from Zimbabwe as it is from say Australia or South Africa.”While the tour of Zimbabwe was always part of the ICC’s calendar, there were doubts over whether it would have proceeded on the grounds of safety, security and food integrity in the African nation. The West Indies Cricket Board finally provided confirmation of the tour on November 6 when it also said it would continue to monitor the situation in Zimbabwe.”It’s about 50-50. The problem is the lateness of the tour,” McIntosh said. “The announcement of it was very late. It is tough. We already have our content and spending set for the year. This is a cost venture.”Radio coverage also seems a no-no for the tour in which the other matches against Zimbabwe are on December 2, 5, 7 and 9.Caribbean Media Corporation CricketPlus producer Adriel Richard said itwas not in a position to provide coverage because it does not hold rights for either radio or television.While uncertainty hinges on the Zimbabwe tour, SportsMax will carry live television coverage of the West Indies’ tour of South Africa that includes three Tests and five ODIs from December 26 to February 3, while CMC will also have live ball-by-ball radio coverage from the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation.

Steve Waugh has rejected the call from Geoff Boycott to cut Tests to four days and says the format should not be tinkered with. Boycott suggested the alterations because “the pace of life has changed”, but Waugh said people enjoyed watching a contest evolve over five days.”It’s like a game of chess, it’s a great game of tactics, it’s a battle mentally as well, so to cut it short would be to change the game of Test cricket,” he said in the Australian. “And that’s the essence of cricket: Test cricket.”Waugh said players were judged on how they performed in the longer form. “So let’s not tinker with that, you can tinker with the other forms of the game, but Test cricket should stay the way it is,” he said. “If someone can win a Test match in three days then that provides entertainment, but some of the best games I played went right down to the wire in five days and there wasn’t a result.”Richie Benaud, who was with Waugh at the SCG to unveil a painting of the best New South Wales team, said there was no reason to change. “As soon as you push Test cricket to one side and concentrate only on limited-overs cricket, then people will get jack of it very quickly,” he said.Waugh said it was important in the current climate to encourage the “culture of Test cricket”. “There’s a real danger of Test cricket not having many spectators watching it,” he said. “Australians are lucky, they’ve got a very successful side and I think success brings in the spectators.”In some of the subcontinent countries they’re really focused on one-day cricket. Let’s get back to focusing on Test cricket, to tell people great stories about Test cricket, to get families to go and watch the game again because it has such a great history and tradition.”Waugh expected there would be large crowds during India’s four-Test series, which begins in Melbourne on Boxing Day. “It will be a good contest, they’ve got a very experienced side and they’ll take it to Australia a bit,” he said. “As Sreesanth has shown, they’re not going to back down, so they’re going to be aggressive, which is good. Australia responds to that type of cricket and plays really well. Australia want sides to challenge and India have the capability of doing that.”

Look at the third day’s play in isolation and you have an interesting contest:Australia 351 for 7, a good score but not necessarily a match-winning one. It wouldstill be Australia’s day but India would end it upbeat, hoping to mop up the tail inthe first hour tomorrow. They would have taken heart from their effort and looked tosustain the fight on the next day.Test matches mean nothing without context. A tepid crowd watched a game being setup, fully aware of the possibilities ahead. There was no guesswork going on. Almostdouble the number turned up for the opening day, one where Australia managed 337 for9. Only 14 more runs were scored today for two less wickets but the day but therewas hardly any buzz; just 35,000-odd people waiting for the declaration.It may sound preposterous to praise the Indian bowlers on such a day but they showedthe stomach for a fight, a quality that had served them well on the opening day.Zaheer Khan ran in with purpose, RP Singh came with a bit more fire, Harbhajan Singhslowed it down a bit and Anil Kumble refused to waver. On the hottest day of theirtrip, after their batsmen had let them down, they showed the sort of defiance thebatsmen could have done with.Zaheer’s run to the wicket has rarely been quicker. It was clear that he wasdesperate to make a point, so eager that he overstepped once too often. The in-cutterto castle Andrew Symonds was a cracker – he had almost finished his celebrationbefore he realised it was a no-ball – and the intensity of his appealing told youabout a strike bowler wanting to create inroads. He generated some lethalreverse-swing and changed his angle often enough to keep the batsmen guessing. Hehad displayed a similar zeal in the second innings at Nottingham, a match that heturned with a couple of fiery spells.What hurt India, for the second time in three days, was Australia’s urge to get amove on. It’s not only the strength they summoned to smash fours and sixes but alsothe stealth to grab quick runs. They have been stronger and faster than theIndians. Nowhere were their batsmen’s approach more evident than when Symonds wasbowled. Turning back to see his stumps shattered, he seemed to be heading towardsthe pavilion before realising it was a no-ball. One would have expected him to lookup at the heavens, instead he was furiously calling his partner for a run. Scorefirst, thank later.India’s sloppy fielding wasn’t going to help – they were always going to struggle insuch big arenas – but they would be heartened by Harbhajan Singh’s improvement. Hedidn’t extract much spin from the surface but slowed his pace and worked his angles.He is still far from being a threatening force but will take a few positives toSydney, where the surface might suit him more.He also reminded everyone about this being only his second Test in Australia. “Ittakes time to adjust to the conditions in Australia,” Harbhajan said of his poorfirst-innings effort. “These pitches have some extra bounce, something we’re notused to in India. I think we bowled well today. As a bowling unit, we’ve beenbowling well.”Harbhajan’s responses to a few critical questions summed up the bowlers’ day. “We’rehere to win the series and are not going to try and draw the game.” When provoked -“Don’t you think the series might be gone before India acclimatise to theconditions?” – he turned combative: “We won’t lose the series. Bythe time we return to India, let me show you we’re here to win.”It is a stubbornness that will serve India’s batsmen well. The Test may be gone butthere’s plenty to be gained over the next couple of days.

ScorecardSanath Jayasuriya’s preparation for the CB Series took a severe blow when he was forced to retire hurt after being hit on the jaw during the Sri Lankans’ defeat by Tasmania. Jayasuriya, who was struck when trying to pull a Tim MacDonald bouncer in the eighth over, left the field for six stitches and later went for an x-ray, which cleared him of a fracture.Brendan Drew also hurt the visitors with 5 for 36 from ten overs and they could only reach 9 for 183 in 47.4 overs. Drew, the right arm swing bowler, was impressive, removing Upul Tharanga (24), Kumar Sangakkara (0) and Chamara Silva (5) in his first spell before coming back for the crucial wickets of Chamara Kapugedera and Farveez Maharoof.The pair had put on 46 when Kapugedera fell swiping straight for 34 and Maharoof went in a similar fashion in the next over for 29. Tasmania continued to exert pressure through the left-arm spin of Xavier Doherty, who collected 2 for 36 off ten.The highlight for the tourists was the form of the captain Mahela Jayawardene and he stayed for 59 balls in making a brisk 51. However, his bowlers were quickly in trouble as Tasmania eased to their target in the 37th over.Tim Paine opened with a half-century and Michael Dighton (45) and Dane Anderson (47 not out) also picked up control of the chase. Nuwan Kulasekara was the most penetrative, removing both openers, but the tourists have some concerns ahead of their first CB Series game against India in Brisbane on Tuesday.

Australia will use a target that only one team has bettered to inspire them as they attempt to create a world record of 17 consecutive wins. Despite being outplayed by India for the second day in a row, the home side have not ruled out a surge for victory even though they will resume wanting a further 348.Only West Indies, who stormed to 7 for 418 against Australia in 2003, have captured more than the 413 Australia need, but coach Tim Nielsen does not believe it is out of reach. “In the back of their minds they think this will be a pretty special thing to do,” he said. “That tends to fire them up a little bit and get them enthusiastic.”Many great moments have occurred under Ponting during the unbeaten streak, which stretches back to 2005, but one thing missing is a huge fourth-innings pursuit. It would be a remarkable way to collect the new mark – an India win is the most likely result – and Australia’s task was made even harder when both openers were lost as they reached 65 by stumps.Nielsen was not concerned by the early losses and his outlook was boosted when Ponting (24) and Hussey (5) made it through unharmed. “One way or another, if we play well enough, we’ll give ourselves the chance to chase down a really big total and get the record we’re looking for,” he said. “It’s an achievable result for us and we feel as though we’ve got the quality of batsmen and pretty good conditions on our side.”Despite his optimism, Nielsen knows the final two days will not be easy and the team is desperate for a couple of big hundreds from the top order to secure a stable base. “Ricky and Michael will be vital in that regard to set it up for us,” he said. “The good thing is the wicket’s still in pretty good shape, the outfield’s fast and we’ve seen that when batsmen get in they find it easier to score.”Nielsen said the side was still suffering from being dismissed for a below-par 212 in the first innings and the problems were not caused by a lack of group impact from the pace brigade. He also insisted the players remained upbeat. “We knocked a few runs off the total tonight,” he said, “and there’s still a positive mood around the rooms.”

Gary Kirsten, India’s coach-in-waiting, feels the vast and varied sums of money the players have picked up following the Indian Premier League auction may present a new challenge for him.”The IPL is new territory for all of us. So maybe, the kind of money that’s come in presents a new sort of challenge for me,” Kirsten, whose India contract starts on March 1, told . But we will focus on that if the need comes.”All the current Indian internationals have been signed up by the eight IPL franchises, with some players attracting much more money than others – while 28-Test-old opener Wasim Jaffer was bought by Bangalore for US$ 150,000, five-Test-old fast bowler Ishant Sharma was snapped up by Kolkata for US$ 950,000.Kirsten said IPL is a great opportunity for international cricketers, and saw “no reason why it shouldn’t succeed”. However, the former South Africa opener added that he has no interest “for now” on being part of the Twenty20 tournament starting April 18 as he is focused on the new assignment with the Indian team.”The IPL is unique because it brings in a new kind of supporter to cricket. It also adds a new dimension to the game. I think it’s great,” said Kirsten. “But I am clear that it’s not for me. Certainly, not now. My focus right now is on getting my plans in place for the Indian team.”Kirsten is currently in Mumbai, meeting BCCI officials about getting new support staff in place for the Indian team following the resignations of physio John Gloster and trainer Gregory King. “There are a couple of names in the mix, but we will have to discuss various options before coming to a decision,” said Kirsten.However, he said that he was very keen on getting his business associate and mental skills coach Paddy Upton on board on a permanent basis. “He brings a tremendous amount of experience into the field, and am sure that will add a lot of value,” said Kirsten. Upton has also worked with the South Africa team as a fitness trainer.Although Kirsten was with the Indian team as a consultant during the recent Test series in Australia, he will begin work on a full-time basis starting with the South Africa tour to India next month.

South Africa’s coach Mickey Arthur played down concerns that the team will be under-prepared for the Test series against India, which they go into without any practice games.A scheduled warm-up game against India A was cancelled but Arthur said South Africa’s tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh in the last six months have given them enough experience of subcontinental conditions. “There have been a lot of noises about not playing a warm-up match, but we’ve been in the subcontinent a huge amount lately and the guys are sound in terms of the different techniques required,” he told .”Warm-up games tend to be good for the first day and a half, and then the intensity wanes,” he said. “We believe we can replicate a warm-up game quite easily with some intensive centre practices.”Coming home (after the successful Bangladesh tour which ended on March 14) has allowed the team to be refreshed and re-energised, and we thought it was the best way to re-focus on getting back into the swing of things. We know it will be hard work, but it’s a mental shift more than anything else.”After a week which saw Charl Langeveldt pull out of the India tour saying he did not want to be included on the basis of his colour, South Africa’s captain Graeme Smith admitted the team had been affected by the selection controversy. “The evidence of this week shows that the off-field stuff does have an effect on the team,” Smith said. “There are a few things we need to work through, they can’t be left undealt with. We need to find a way to deal with these issues so we can concentrate on the cricket.”The first Test of the three-match series starts in Chennai on Wednesday.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul might have picked up a host of honours at the West Indies Players’ Association awards but in doing so he infuriated both his own team and his opponents in their ongoing Carib Beer Series match. Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 78 at stumps on the first day of Guyana’s home game against Windward Islands when he departed for the awards ceremony in Trinidad.However, neither Guyana’s manager Carl Moore nor their coach Albert Smith was able to explain Chanderpaul’s absence and he was deemed “retired out”. Smith said it was disappointing the batsman had not discussed the situation with the team’s management.”He is our most dependable batsman and has done so much for West Indiescricket as a top-class batsman,” Smith told . “But if he knew he was just using this game for some practice and would then leave the guys he should have at least informed me as the coach and maybe allowed one of the youngsters to play.”The situation so incensed the Windward Islands that when they started their innings after lunch they refused to let Guyana use a substitute fielder. The Windward Islands manager Lockhart Sebastien was furious at the seemingly blasé attitude to a first-class game.”This is not a curry goat match,” Sebastien said. “This is a first-class encounter and things like this are allowed to happen and we wonder why West Indies cricket is in the state that it is in.”Chanderpaul told Devon [Smith] yesterday [Saturday] that he was here just to take a knock but we assumed he was joking. If he knew he had to leave then he should not have played and given one of the other youngsters a chance.”