Big NEWS: Home drums must always beat first

Following West Indies’ moment of shame in India last October, their subsequent failure on tours of South Africa and at this year’s ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, they gave regional fans reason to smile during the recently concluded three-match Test series against England.

It is a sign of the times that there has been much celebration over a drawn series. But such a response is understandable when it is considered that defeat has become commonplace for the regional side both at home and abroad. Caribbean lovers of cricket have suffered over the past 20 years and are more than willing to catch at straws, especially if accompanied by positive signs.

  However, we must be careful not to read too much into the West Indies’ performance against England. The proverbial and premature pronouncement of “turning the corner” should not be too readily embraced until consistent, prolonged performances give real cause for great expectations.

  Several knowledgeable commentators have pointed to the infusion of youth in the team such as Jason Holder and Jermaine Blackwood as critical to the future fortunes of the West Indies. Both performed well against England and drew appreciation from the likes of Sir Vivian Richards, Michael Atherton and Geoffrey Boycott. There are other cricketers in the Caribbean who also provide hope of better days ahead and who must be given extended opportunities for exposure at the highest level where their cricket can only improve.
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