Even as I was following the West Indies- Australia series and hearing about the drubbing that the West Indies were receiving, I could not but remember that for most of the eighties, the great West Indies were great because of their exploits in the Test match arena not in either the ODI whites or coloured clothing. The last time the West Indies won any significant one day tournament before the Champions Trophy in 2004, was in 1979.They won the World Cup for the second time.By then they were on course to becoming the finished product of the nineties.Yet, that was the last one day achievement of the team led by Lloyd or Richards or even Richardson, the last leader of that vintage.
The West Indies in Tests were just recovering from a test series loss to India, albeit with a Packer depleted side. That team led by Kallicharan was effectively a developmental one and included Malcolm Marshall who was to be the West Indies spearhead in much of the eighties.The West Indies through much of the eighties did commendably in ODIs but were hardly the force that they were in Tests.We remember the rescue act of Richards and his partnership with Garner or the semifinal loss in the WCC at the SCG when Mudassar Nazar ran through them in 1985. There was a little matter of the 1983 World Cup as well.They were competitive in 1996 World Cup as well.However all through this period they were very good in tests.Only Pakistan managed to scare them once in a while.
The current West Indies though no match for the Test side of yore are perhaps better in Tests than ODIs.They play t20 best and Tests second best.They should build their cricket around it.Money to individuals will come from t20s and the west Indies can play tests in Philadelphia to target the expat Carribeans and the Indian origin cricket followers and play so much test cricket in North and South america that cricket becomes a major sport in the largest English speaking country in the World.Not knowing the joys of Cricket is not quite in tune with the language spoken in North America.
Post Script: The West Indies were defeated 5-0 in ODIs and bounced back remarkably in the only T20 match against Australia.They won it confidently and with the confidence of being world's best, which they are.
Post Script: The West Indies were defeated 5-0 in ODIs and bounced back remarkably in the only T20 match against Australia.They won it confidently and with the confidence of being world's best, which they are.
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