The International Cricket Council's (ICC) Cricket World Cup 2007 (CWC 2007) is now well and truly upon us. Two questions resonate in the collective Caribbean mind. Firstly, can the region "deliver" on its bold promise to stage "the best World Cup ever?" Secondly, can the West Indies confound its critics by becoming the first host territory to win the World Cup?
In truth, the region probably has a better chance of realizing the first goal than the second. Both, however, in their separate ways, have the potential to lift the region, well and truly, onto the world stage. It is the first goal, however, the goal of demonstrating to the world that we are indeed capable of hosting a global event that is probably most on our minds at this time.
When the ICC took the decision to offer the Caribbean the opportunity to host the ninth Cricket World Cup it knew only too well that it was providing the region with both a challenge and an opportunity. The Caribbean is no England or Australia and it would have been clear from the inception that hosting the event would require no less than a huge infrastructural transformation.
By picking the Caribbean as hosts for the World Cup the ICC also backed the capacity of the Caribbean to 'get its act together' in a relatively short period. Major sports events are customarily staged in developed countries and even then these are planned over periods of several years. We in the Caribbean, our lack of experience in the staging of these events notwithstanding, were afforded no such luxury.
The challenge of justifying the faith placed in the region by the ICC is one of two mountains that the Caribbean must climb. The twin peak is the challenge of proving to ourselves that we can, after all, emulate the accomplishments of the more developed countries.
Nor was the ICC's decision to assign the Caribbean the task of hosting CWC 2007 simply a matter of being charitable. The fact of the matter is that the Caribbean has produced some of the finest players in the history of the game since its entry into international cricket in 1928. This would hardly have been lost on the ICC and certainly played a role in the region securing the rights to host the coveted event.
While the Caribbean region has and continues to produce many world class players our cricket infrastructure continues to be below that of the developed cricketing nations. Hosting the World Cup, the ICC probably reasoned, would effectively lead to the creation of better playing facilities for the region. Any other benefits would simply be the icing on the cake.
The region's first task is to deliver to the ICC and the world, a tournament in true Caribbean style. It must reflect the richness of the exotic flavour and riotous colour of the Caribbean culture. CWC 2007 must serve as a stage on which the region can be promoted across the world. That, surely, lies at the very heart of a successful tournament. It must be an event that will resonate far "beyond the boundary" and long after the last ball of the tournament is bowled.
It is, unquestionably, a daunting challenge. While most of the playing facilities ought to have been completed some time ago deadlines have had to be pushed back. We are, it seems, in for another of those "nail-biting" finishes for which the Caribbean has become famous.
Some practice venues are yet to be completed and there are concerns about the quality of some of the playing facilities and stadia. Our own facility at Providence has its difficulties including the low bounce of the outfield.
It also transpired that some LOCs are choosing to bypass some of the commitments in terms of stadium facilities including tri-vision screens, properly "appointed" hospitality suites and hot/cold water for the medical teams. It need hardly be said that we now have little time to rectify these problems including headaches like transportation, traffic management, accreditation, ticketing and protocol.
At Providence, the recent Twenty/20 game billed as a sort of "dry run" was a far from perfect dress rehearsal. Concerns surfaced over issues relating to security and some volunteers who seemed more interested in watching the game than attending to their assigned responsibilities. Nor did the traffic rehersal go particularly well. The lengthy "tailback" of cars that snaked from Providence to Houston is not the sort of thing that we want on match days. And at the Stadium itself signs pointing directions to the media centre and other buildings were not in evidence.
The local LOC still has some work to do in the period ahead. Road works, landscaping and beautification in the stadium area are also ongoing and there is healthy speculation as to whether these will be completed on time, official assurances notwithstanding.
It is, of course, altogether reasonable to assume, the respective regional LOCs are facing their own difficulties. We must hope that they will all 'get their act together' at the same time. Particularly, they must strive to meet the terms agreed to in the Bid Book and the Design Plans submitted by the CWC.
It cannot be denied that West Indies cricket has declined over the years. The team that rode astride world cricket for 15 years is but a shadow of its former self. Fans have grown accustomed to the team losing, invariably from winning positions.
Of the 11 contemporary One-day International teams the West Indies, notwithstanding the fact that they reached the final of the DLF Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy tournaments last year before losing both finals to Australia reside third from the bottom ahead of only Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Kenya. It has been a decade of depressing losses, divisive disputes between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association over match/tour contracts and allegations of mismanagement by the WICB. The regional game has also been affected by the resignations of two WICB presidents - the Rev. Wes Hall and fellow Barbadian Teddy Griffith.
Critics of the team's performances in recent years insist that discipline is its Achillies Heel. The point has been made that their woeful performances notwithstanding, they go about with a swagger and a hubristic complacency that belies their lowly standing in both versions of the game.
To suggest that the West Indies are serious World Cup contenders, therefore, would be more than a trifle farcical. However, to ignore the fact that they reached the finals of two ODI competitions last year. Playing at home can also inspire the team. Of course, our own players are likely to be no more familiar with some of the pitches than the visiting players. Still, the team will be playing for pride and it would be altogether foolhardy to rule them out.
What will it take for the West Indies to win the World Cup?
Solid batting has been the key to our previous victories. Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards can attest to that. Both hold the distinction of hitting hundreds in winning finals. Then there is incisive bowling, perhaps a repeat of Joel Graner's "five for" feat in the 1979 finals.
Luck and sheer doggedness are also essential attributes. Remember the last wicket 64-run partnership between Deryck Murray and Andy Roberts that took us past Pakistan in a preliminary game in 1975 that helped set the stage for Clive Lloyd's pulsating 102 in the final against Australia? Those are moments well-worth recalling.
The game has changed a lot since then but the West Indies must still have to rely on the basics of solid, but aggressive batting and incisive, economical bowling. Fielding too must match the standards of Lloyd and company of more than a quarter of a century ago.
Then there is the question of mental toughness. Too often we wilt under pressure, a propensity that raises searching questions about our will to win. We 'gift' our wickets, spill catches and miss "half chances" apparently oblivious to the fact that the One-Day game frequently 'turns' on just those circumstances.
The World Cup, traditionally, has been a batsman's tournament and with a line-up that includes Chanderpaul, Gayle, Sarwan, Samuels, Lara, and Bravo we clearly have the 'ammunition' to post high scores. Whether our bowlers can restrict the opposing team, however, is altogether different.
