The West Indies, bedevilled by poor cricket, indiscipline, injuries and a hundred and one other factors, aretrounced in an overseas seriesand return home to an official WICB inquest that leads to a shake-up in the leadership of the team.
In the past eight years, dating back to the 1996 World Cup, such procedures have led to the dismissal of four captains, and a probationary period and subsequent resignation of another, and the appointment of five different coaches, one interim (See accompanying list).
Brian Lara has been involved four times, taking over as captain from Courtney Walsh in 1998, placed on notice a year later, resigning the next and, finally, reinstated last March.
The most celebrated and controversial cricketer of his time, can anticipate the usual grilling at the WICB's euphemistically termed "debriefing" session following the disappointing series in Zimbabwe and South Africa that ended in defeat in the final match here Wednesday night.
So can manager Ricky Skerritt, coach Gus Logie and assistant Kenny Benjamin and trainer Ronald Rogers.
Chief selector Sir Viv Richards, who was present throughout the South African leg, is certain to be straight to the point with his observations.
There are a host of questions to be asked, and answered, following a tour that has repeated the same issues afflicting West Indies cricket for so long.
There were some advances but they were far outweighed by the negatives. Most centred on the batting.
Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan, both under the age of 25, established themselves as two to carry the batting over the next 10 years.
Ricardo Powell at last demonstrated that there is more to him than uncontrolled power. And he was the only one to compare with the athletic South Africans in the field.
Dwayne Smith's sensational hundred on Test debut in Cape Town revealed a batsman of rich potential but, as Powell was and still is, in need of intensive work on defence and shot selection.
As encouraging as any other development was the performance and temperament of fast bowler Ravi Rampaul, at 19 the youngest member of the team.
His quality and his commitment were captured in his last over on tour on Wednesday night at a crucial stage of the biggest match of his life before 30,000 baying home supporters.
It was the penultimate of the innings and started with South Africa within nine of their eventual victory. For all the pressure, Rampaul conceded a single run and dismissed the run glutton, Jacques Kallis.
His effort was then rendered meaningless by two shocking misfields by Ryan Hurley and Merv Dillon that handed Shaun Pollock three unearned runs in the final over and South Africa the match.
It was enough to make the crestfallen Rampaul weep. If only defeat could hurt as much for every member of the team.
Such positives were counter-balanced by a host of continuing weaknesses that must concern those who administer West Indies cricket and the countless millions who live, breathe and love it.
Gayle stands alone as a settled opener. Wavell Hinds and Daren Ganga failed to make a case for themselves as his obvious partner and the way is open for Devon Smith to reclaim the position in the forthcoming series against England.
Apart from a solitary match, the second ODI in Port Elizabeth, the bowling was so inconsistent, thoughtless and wayward that it conceded two Test totals over 600 and three over 500 in the six Tests, along with 123 no-balls and 45 wides.
The inconsistency was epitomised from one match to the next in the ODI series. They yielded 12 no-balls and 14 wides in the fourth match. Three days later, the count was down to two no-balls and three wides.
The last-over errors by Hurley and Dillon, who earlier dropped a straightforward catch off Jacques Rudolph, encapsulated another recurring defect.
Fielding, on the ground and in the air, and throwing were as vital a part of the allconquering West Indies team of the 1980s as aggressive batting and irresistible fast bowling.
Its deterioration has coincided with the overall decline. It is one of the subjects on which Logie, himself an exceptional fielder in his playing days, is bound to be quizzed.
Benjamin, in his first stint in his post, will have to explain why his fast bowling charges could hardly land the ball in the same spot for two consecutive deliveries and why they were so extravagant with their no-balls and wides.
Skerritt has kept his job through thick and thin for four years now in spite of the efforts of the former WICB hierarchy to ditch him.
His responsibilities are off the field where many of the habits that surface on it are developed. He must account for the general discipline and decorum of his players and their attitudes in relation to team-work.
Rogers has been responsible for fitness and the prevention of injuries for the past four years, a difficult, if not impossible, task when he has no control over the players in between series.
Once more, the West Indies were riddled with broken down players throughout an overseas tour, a subject that should concern the WICB as much as any.
When, as Lara revealed, Rogers was instructed to cut down on his training routines to ensure that certain players were kept "under cotton wool to try to stay fit or to get back to fitness for the Test matches", there was clearly a significant problem.
There are many more that would have caught the attention of WICB president Teddy Griffith and the others who conduct the sessions with the team leadership, not least the overall relationship between manager, captain, coaches and chief selector. It should make for lively exchanges. It would be helpful if they were meaningful as well.
HOME AND AWAY
1996: Courtney Walsh replaces Richie Richardson as captain, Clive Lloyd takes over from Andy Roberts as coach for the home series following the World Cup in India. West Indies win two-match home series against New Zealand 1-0.
1997: Walsh retained as captain following 3-2 series loss in Australia. West Indies win five-Test home series against India 1-0 with Lara as captain for injured Walsh in victorious match.
1998: Lara replaces Walsh as captain following 3-0 series whitewash in Pakistan. West Indies win home series against England 3-1.
1999: WICB cites weakness in Lara's leadership following 5-0 series whitewash in South Africa and puts him on probation for two Tests for home series against Australia. Lara scores 213 at Sabina and 153 not out at Kensington to lead the West Indies to 2-2 share of series. Sir Viv Richards takes over as interim coach following the death of Malcolm Marshall.
2000: Lara resigns as captain following defeat in both Tests and all five one-day internationals in New Zealand, citing "moderate success and devastating failure". The West Indies win home series against Zimbabwe (2-0) and Pakistan (1-0) under new captain, Jimmy Adams, and new coach, Roger Harper.
2001: Carl Hooper replaces Adams as captain following 5-0 series whitewash in Australia. West Indies lose home series to South Africa 2-1.
2002: Hooper retained as captain following series whitewashes, 3-0 in Sri Lanka and 2-0 to Pakistan in Sharjah. West Indies win home series 2-1 over India.
2003: Lara recalled as captain in place of Hooper and Gus Logie takes over from Roger Harper who resigns as coach after West Indies first round elimination in World Cup in South Africa. West Indies lose to Australia 3-1 and beat Sri Lanka 1-0 in home series.