#BTSpeakingOut – Time to try a new approach to cricket

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.

by Courtney Selman, Former Barbados fast bowler

As a former Barbados fast bowler who played and watched cricket at a high standard in the past – a game that culturally resides in our Caribbean hearts – I am disappointingly appalled at the level and standard that our cricket has fallen to.

There is an adage that says: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.” This writer wishes to respectfully suggest that by changing the cricket administrators and management, over and over again, changing the coaches over and over again, and even by prolifically changing the composition of the teams, and getting the same results, we are, maybe proving that adage to be true?

I am sure you will agree with me when I say that the teams from other countries who originally competed have advanced
and the teams from other new cricketing countries have improved exponentially, but sadly, our team has spiralled downwards
or has digressed.

This tells us that we need to pause, re-think our cricketing plans, and get into a mode of re-planning. In other words, as a man of God, please permit me to use a biblical story from Nehemiah, when he was called to rebuild the fallen walls of Jerusalem. I wish to metaphorically say that our cricketing walls have fallen, and it’s time to rebuild them. Reader, do you agree?

The first action that is required when one is building is to draw up a plan and start by building the foundation. Hypothetically speaking/writing, our youth represents our foundation.

I am, therefore, appealing to our cricket administrators, CARICOM leaders, Caribbean Governments, (whose countries benefit financially when teams visit their shores) localised cricket associations, the University of the West Indies and indeed sponsors, to urgently sit down and consider coming up with a plan to employ some of the vast cricket players who have retired or have been forced out at an early age, to go to schools across the Caribbean and conduct coaching classes for both girls and boys.

Finances to pay the ex-players and to make the initiative a reality can be provided by the various cricket associations, Caribbean Governments, the ICC and the West Indies Cricket Board. This expense could be included in the yearly budgets.

I wish to also suggest that the University of the West Indies produce a teaching/coaching curriculum for the former player, so that each coach/former player from their respective Caribbean country will operate and execute the same plan of coaching action. One former player/coach can be responsible for more than one school.

In closing, I don’t expect this initiative to show visible results in a short period of time. However, futuristically, I declare that we would see the fruits of our labour, rebuilding our once impregnable strong walls of cricket.

I close with this quote, “Where there is nothing to lose by trying, there is a great deal to gain, if successful.

So by all means, why not try?”