West Indies fast bowling legend Sir Curtly Ambrose has bemoaned the lack of an opportunity to be a part of the current Cricket West Indies (CWI) set-up in any type of capacity.
The 56-year-old Ambrose, one of the most revered bowlers in world cricket, previously served as the bowling consultant for the senior team. He was, however, replaced by Roderick Estwick in 2016 and has not been involved with the program since. According to the legendary pace bowler, however, it isn’t for a lack of trying. Ambrose has since added to his coaching credentials, becoming one of 25 officials from the Caribbean and North America to attain Level Three coaching certification from a program organised by Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2018.
“Since I was sacked from the senior team back in 2016, I have done a few bits and pieces in-between, in terms of some coaching stints with a few fast bowlers, but not on a consistent basis,” Ambrose said in a recent interview on Antigua’s Good Morning Jojo radio show.
Coaching is, however, not the only job the former player has applied for. He recently also threw his hat in the ring for a position on the selection panel.
“I figured whether it is coaching, being a selector, or whatever I could do to help West Indies Cricket go forward, I am always ready and willing to do so. There was nothing to do to in terms of the coaching part of it, so I decided to put in for being a selector because I thought that I could help, because I am a very fair-minded person and I just want to see West Indies cricket get better,” Ambrose said.
“They interviewed me, Jimmy Adams and the vice president (Dr. Kishore Shallow), for about an hour, and I didn’t quite make it.” (SportsMax)
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What a travesty! How could the Board overlook one of the great fast bowlers the world has ever seen for a novice like the current bowling coach who looks more like a sumo wrestling coach than a cricket coach? Politics have helped to destroy West Indies cricket and continues to do so and that is why West Indies Cricket will always languish at the bottom of world cricket and will never rise from the grave to prominence against. Somewhere down the line, insularity crept in West Indies cricket and destroyed it to a point that if you are a no nonsense type of person that stood up to the Board, then there is no place for you except if you are a “yes man” and tow the line. We all know Curly Ambrose and Viv Richards are no nonsense individuals and that is why the Board will always overlook them regardless of their greatness and what they had done to put West Indies cricket at the top in the glory days!