The West Indies selectors and WICB continue to err even when it is seeking to establish a new course to haul West Indies cricket out of the deepening abyss it has found itself since losing the Frank Worrell Trophy 2-1 to Mark Taylor’s Australian side in 1994/95.
Since that series the West Indies have played 194 matches winning 40, drawing 54 and losing a staggering 100 matches with the last being against Australia in Jamaica, June 2015. The win - lost record is even worst when matches against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh are excluded.
For instance the press releases to announce the change of captains for both the men and women’s team were fraught with language and lack of information to court all kinds of conflict-ridden interpretations. These interpretations have not done any good for the desired purposes of the changes and the spirit of good governance for a seemingly disjointed institution.
An examination of the press release to announce Holder’s appointment as captain is bereft of important performance information. Such information would have provided players and the wider public an objective criteria to assess the leadership change. This would not have guaranteed that potential insular comments and reference to the ill-fated aborted tour to India would not have been made but at least a factual premise would have been established. But it was not mentioned.
Ramdin captained the team in 13 matches winning 4 and losing 7. The team won 1 out of 5 series played under his stewardship and that win was against Bangladesh 2-0. However, the press release only draws reference to his batting with Lloyd quoting, “We just want him (Ramdin) to perform a little better right now, particularly with the bat, and give of his best and support the new captain.”
In the second press release the selectors took an uncommon decision to replace a winning and most successful West Indies captain. What was even more perplexing in the press release was recognition of Aguilleira’s leadership qualities. According to the release WICB President Cameron stated “We also would like to thank Merissa for her leadership of the Windies Women over the last six year, a period during which she help established the side as one of (the) most competitive in the world.”
The press release further quotes Lloyd as saying: “Merissa has been there for a long time and did a pretty good job, but we feel the time is right for a new leader…” At the same time he goes on to say that “it’s a change that we hope will bring new energy to the team and take it from strength to strength.”
Excluding 4 ICC tournaments, Aguilleira led the West Indies in 56 matches winning 28 and losing 25. She led the team in 16 series winning 9, losing 5 and drawing 2.
So if leadership was measured by team performance, then it is difficult to comprehend replacing a winning leader and hoping the replacement “will bring new energy.” Replacing a winning leader hasn’t been a practice as highlighted when Lloyd himself led the dominant West Indies 1974-84 and Viv Richards 1984-1991.
The selectors should have been straightforward and indicate their concerns about Aguilleira’s batting especially over her last ten innings. There is nothing wrong doing that as it relates directly to the game.
So it can be deciphered that inconsistent reasoning were presented for the removal of both captains. In the case of Ramdin, focus was on his batting as opposed to pointing directly to his poor win/lost record. In the case of Aguilleira the focus was on her successful leadership as opposed to pointing to her batting and her position in the team with rival competition. So at the end of the day, what should have been a simple task have left many especially Trinbagonians wondering if there was more in the mortar than the pestle.
If the WICB and the selectors want to establish a new paradigm they have to be candid with all stakeholders. Captains will come and go but there must be a consistent objective principle that guides the process. Additionally, and equally important both Taylor and Holder and the players that they have to lead must believe that the passing of the mantle of leadership is based solely on merit and nothing more or less.
The road ahead offers different surfaces for Holder and Taylor. Taylor inherits a team that has established a consistent winning culture over the last six years and additionally, it’s a team where different players play to their strength. The pressure for Taylor to adjust will not necessarily be great.
On the other hand, Holder for all his optimism and those shared by Lara, Richards and the selectors will be inheriting a team where a losing culture is almost normative. His players will have to share his optimism but to do this they must also have their own personal hunger for consistent success both as an individual and a team. The performances of the respective teams in their upcoming series will provide a basis to assess the selectors’ leadership decisions.