Sir Andy Roberts Calls for CWI President and Coach to Resign
West Indies cricket legend Sir Andy Roberts has called for the resignation of Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Dr Kishore Shallow, Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe, and head coach Daren Sammy, citing mismanagement and a concentration of power.
Speaking on Observer Radio’s Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, Roberts criticised Sammy’s dual role as coach and selector, calling it detrimental to the game. “The Director of Cricket should walk, the President should walk, the coach should walk,” he said.
His comments follow the West Indies’ historic collapse for just 27 runs in a Test match against Australia—the second-lowest total in Test history. In response, CWI has called an emergency meeting, inviting cricketing legends including Sir Viv Richards and Brian Lara to help chart a path forward.
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The President of CWI is running for representational politics in his native land St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It is likely that before this year is out or soon thereafter, he would no longer be able to hold on to the CWI Presidency. From all reports, he is likely to win his South Leeward Constituency. As for the coach, when a team does well, the coach shares in in teams glory. When the team does poorly, the teams management and coach must be held to account.
I hope the people of that South Leeward Constituency are paying attention to what he has done to WI cricket. We thought we were on the way up from the bottom but he has taken us even deeper into the abyss. They are getting a free preview of what to expect if they make the mistake of electing him. He is Shallow in name and intellect.
I agreed with sir Andy. In the first place, Sammy is not a qualified coach or even a successful player. Why did he got the job instead of the greater Chandapaul 🐅
I call for all the player to be receiving a 50% penalty of their match play fees. They are not worth the monies given to them with such a dismal performing. And they should made to apologize to the entire West Indies. We never sunck so low yet. Now we are the laughing stock of the cricketing world. How can we the fans keep our heads high when going abroad. The coming West Indies Cricket games at home should be free and they should not be paid.
Haven’t we put enough money in West Indies Cricket. Well aparently it is not about the money. Something is drastically wrong with our games and our guys. At least the ladies are still performing. Why not let the ladies play for our guys and let the guys go and play with the ladies teams. I am so pissed that I don’t know when I will go and pay to see these guys again.
Andy i agree with you 💯 % ..
Sammie needs to go!
I hope the powers that be have the testicular fortitude to do the right thing and do a complete shake up!
I don’t understand how you gonna have one person coaching all the teams!
Ridiculous..
Smh.
Although I believe with Sir Andy Roberts, that when something like this happens under your watch you should take responsibility. Especially since nothing is in place under their tenure to redevelop cricket regionally.
Secondly cricket these days has two completely different components. These is the very lucrative side of cricket or the business side , which perhaps the present president might be an asset. Then there is actually the development and management of the cricket. This development and management must include taking the cricket back to the grass route.
They are both as important for the sustainability of West Indies Cricket however the problem is that we have chosen the business or administrative side above the cricket side- the actual playing of cricket.
At this point we need the president of West Indies cricket to be someone that will develop or redevelop the actual cricket. The Business minded person can probably be the vice president , answering to the president.
There are a few names I would short list- Clive Loyd ( don’t know if he has the energy at his age) ???. I think Viv Richards has the knowledge, the ability and still in good physical and mental capacity.
My favorite will be Brian Lara , he has age on his side, he is well educated, articulate and can gain the respect of all stakeholders.
Now let me go back to Sammy as coach and selector. In cricket there should be lots of scouting. So Sammy should not be the only selector but a part of the selection committee. That is why he can be blamed. He was given too much power or negotiated or accepted too much power. Secondly he accepted the coaching all formats and pretended to have the solution for everything. His death trap!!
Now this is where I don’t blame Sammy . Let’s face the facts. Cricket in the Caribbean has been on the downward trend for decades. Our young boys are no more playing cricket as their first choice sport.
As you drive around you will not see a boy or group of boys anymore playing cricket on their own. Not in the field, not in their yards or on the beaches. not in the school yard during breaks. So cricket is dead at the grass roots throughout the Caribbean.
In Antigua we have several football academies for children. Mothers driving long distances to take their boys and girls to these organized clubs. In Antigua the Spanish community Little League baseball has taken off. The children of the Spanish community and their parents are far more involved with baseball than we are with cricket. We have swimming federation as well, far more organized and doing far better at regional and international competitions than our cricket.
Today cricket is one of the most lucrative sports. Today the minor teams are narrowing the gaps between them and the top team. Today the gap is widening between West Indies and the other international team.
Hay don’t get me wrong- we will produce a good cricketer here and there. A naturally talented Shamar Joseph, a good batsman every now and again. That is from out natural talent. However at this point we cannot and on our present course it is impossible to provide a team of competent, technologically sound batsmen. That is not Sammy fault- funny he doesn’t even know that.
So right now you need the best of the coaches at the local and grassroots roots level.
Until we make that move, the West Indies not have the caliber of players to stand up to the top international teams.
Shallow went on to blame the Caribbean Governments. Our government have used our tax dollars and built international stadiums, maintain and upkeep them for decades, upon decades. When international matches are played in them they receive absolutely nothing. Cricket West Indies pays absolutely nothing. If our cricket is organized properly, the government could turn over the stadiums throughout the Caribbean and cricket as lucrative it should be , can take this burden off tax payers. We cannot continue to support a 27 runs. Time to do something or just call it a day.
WELL SAID SIR ANDY COULDN’T AGREE MORE
While Sir Andy’s frustration is totally understandable, and that collapse was horrific, is it truly all on the current CWI President, Director of Cricket, and coach alone? West Indies cricket has been in decline for decades due to deep-rooted issues from grassroots to regional cricket. Resignations might be a start, but we need a comprehensive overhaul, not just scapegoats. However, a strong message certainly needs to be sent.
@ frankly speaking..
I hear you, but I still feel that Sammy needs to go!
He took on too many responsibilities, he was bound to fail!
Greed perhaps?
I feel sorry for my husband a die hard west indies fan.
Enough already!!
Lara, vivi,
Someone help us from drowning please!
West Indies have one of the best fast bowling attack is the world right now, so the decline that many speak of, might be a bit exaggerated right now.. At least the foundation of the bowling has been set for the next 5-10 years or so.
From what I saw in this series, I was actually encouraged, because Australia also couldn’t handle our bowling, and we were only defeated by the same brilliance of the Australian bowling attack, especially Starc.
So sack the couch yes, but I’m hopeful for the bowling attack we have. And from history, it was our bowling that kept us dominant in our glory days, not our batting, in spite of Viv, and Lara who are all-time greats.
Let’s face it, if it wasn’t for our bowling, we wouldn’t be anyway near as dominant as we were in the 80’s, and that goes for any world team. So unlike many, I’m hopeful.
Sure up the batting a little, and West Indies will be fine.
@ Sandra Clarke
Sammy needs to go? Gal he shouldn’t even be there in the first place, the ones who put him in that position should also depart the scene
Today, it appears accountability or responsibility are foreign concepts in this part of the world. Of course, this is aided and abetted by pseudo intellectuals who believe mediocrity can be rationalized away.. The only way the prevailing culture of mediocrity can be arrested is to embrace a new culture of accountability, where there are rewards for success and punishment for poor performance or underachievement. Money should no longer be the determinant factor.
Sandra Clark , I do not disagree that Sammy and those in charge should resign. He should have stayed as the T20 coach. Probably as you said it was greed or I may say power hungry, which is still greed.
The president also said that we are calling for Sammy resignation because of where he is from. Let the president know that we the people of the Caribbean want his resignation even more than Sammy’s . Mr. President we are told that you are or were on your way to win your political seat in the next St. Vincent election. If this is the type of leadership style you have , the people of St.Vincent should think twice about electing you. West Indies cricket is an institution as equal to and more important historically than any in the region.
You were entrusted with our people only truly united institution and you made a mockery of it. Making 27 runs in the year two thousand and twenty five is a disgrace. Today most of the teams like Holland , Scotland – the minors on any given day can stand up to the top teams. West Indies cricket is now in reverse.
I heard someone mention that all is not lost because of the bowlers. Yes we do have a good bowling squad now but with back up. Bowlers are easier to develop than batsmen. A guy can take up a ball, if he is talented and possesses the right physical attributes. to include hight and because a formidable fast bowler. Such was the case of Curtly Ambrose. A fast bowler can learn his craft while playing at the highest level. All you need is raw pace and willing to work hard and listen.
On the other had batsman cannot be developed overnight period. Batting is a skill that must be developed over years of practices. Years of negotiating or playing under different conditions and circumstances. Talent alone cannot make anyone a great batsman. It comes from years of practicing and determination. Not saying you don’t need this to develop and continue to produce sustainable bowlers as well because we do. Since as you look down the line there are no real back up fast bowlers around. No one else knocking on the door. In fact there were talks of playing Roach ahead of Alzari at the beginning of this series from some quarters. Thanks Alzari you have developed into an excellent bowler and hope you continue as you did during this series. Your line was where it should be all along. Since that bad day when you walked off the field and returned in anger your pace has increased by miles. That is one good that came out of a bad situation- just saying.
So my point is that these batsmen that we have just cannot bat properly. The reasons are they have not being playing enough cricket at the different stages of their lives, at the highest possible levels.
Throughout the Caribbean there is no proper development program. This is where both local, regional and the executive and management of West Indies cricket has failed and continues to fail.
When the leaders do not have a vision, the people perish.
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