The Caribbean is a fabulous tour—and not just for players

The Caribbean is a fabulous tour—and not just for players. Supporters get to enjoy some sun, sea and sand, plus the odd glass of rum, making it a pleasant trip no matter what the outcome of the cricket is.

Part of the attraction is also the home support. West Indians are passionate and proud, and they do not take defeat lightly.

There have been some characters involved with the game in the region. Antigua is the home of Gravy, a man so famous for his antics that he has his own profile on ESPN Cricinfo.

What the current West Indies squad must do is play a brand of cricket on better pitches to attract fans.

It does them no harm to show a bit of passion on the field. To that extent, Marlon Samuels’ run-in with England’s Ben Stokes was good to see. It's not often you see someone (Samuels) salute a departing batsman (Stokes) from the crease.

Simmons faces a big task to try to turn things around. It is a long road back to the top, but the international game would be better off with a strong West Indies team.