Major repercussions
Cameron warns of consequences for World Cup qualification failure
Published:Tuesday | June 27, 2023 | 1:12 AMDaniel Wheeler and Orane Buchanan/ Staff Reporters
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In danger of missing out on the 50-over Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time in its history, former Cricket West Indies President Dave Cameron said that the potential repercussions could be severe both financially and in their playing status...
In danger of missing out on the 50-over Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time in its history, former Cricket West Indies President Dave Cameron said that the potential repercussions could be severe both financially and in their playing status within the International Cricket Council (ICC).
His comments come as the West Indies suffered a shock Super Over defeat to the Netherlands in their final ICC World Cup Qualifying group game at the Takashinga Cricket Club in Zimbabwe. Despite posting 374 runs in their first innings, the Dutch levelled the scores in their reply to force a Super Over where they won by 22.
It is a defeat that entertains the real possibility that the West Indies will have to watch the World Cup from home for the first time in their history, a scenario that Cameron said would have lasting consequences.
“The truth is that the repercussions have very dire effects on our funding. Because once you stop being so-called competitive as a full member, then it affects your funding from the ICC which in turn has a knock-on effect on everything else that we do,” Cameron told The Gleaner. “So I am always looking at it from the commercial perspective. So when you make decisions like we made today, it has major effects.”
The West Indies recently appointed former all-rounder Daren Sammy as the limited-overs head coach last month. While opinion was split as to whether he was the best person to take the reins, Cameron has questioned the process by which he was appointed.
“It’s not about who is the coach, it is the process. So when you select a coach the way you have for any position, how do you select other positions going forward? What is the method you use when there is no qualification prerequisite? It makes management very difficult going forward and defending what you do (difficult),” Cameron said.
With the dire situation that West Indies now find themselves in, Cameron said that it could affect the appetite of major nations to compete in regular series.
“Why would England and Australia and India want to come and play you if you are not competitive? And remember we don’t make any money when we travel. So going overseas to play in a fixture against anyone is a cost. But if you are not competitive and commercially relevant, then these teams are not going to come to play,” Cameron said.
‘Virus’ in players minds
Meanwhile, veteran regional cricket analyst Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira slammed the West Indies for thinking they had enough runs to beat the Netherlands before they took the field.
“I believe, and this was admitted by the captain after the match, that the team felt that they had enough runs on the board and that no way will the Netherlands get that. Once you start to take the field feeling that your score cannot be passed, it tends to become a little bit of a virus in the minds of the players, especially the bowlers,” Perreira stated.
Perreira also questioned some of the decisions taken during the match.
“For example, the decision to start Jason Holder for the Super Over. Alzarri Joseph’s figures didn’t indicate that he had a great game but if you really had to break it down, Alzarri in his first five overs was very decent. I think most arm-chair selectors would have gone with Alzarri because he has genuine pace and a mistake was made by going to Holder which proved to be a real disaster,” he said.
Like Cameron, Perreira believes that it will now be an uphill battle to qualify for the World Cup as the bowling unit will find it hard to be mentally ready in short order.
“It will be very hard as I think we’ll have to play some of the top names again and it’s difficult to see, after losing this game against Netherlands, them pick themselves up and get the bowling right.
Nothing was wrong with the batting but the bowling didn’t have the discipline and I think the Netherlands gave us a fine example of not only hitting boundaries but the way how they ran between the wickets,” Perreira said.
With no points going into the Super Six round, the West Indies would need to win their remaining three matches and hope for favours elsewhere to avoid the unthinkable from happening. The West Indies have played in every 50 overs World Cup since its inception in 1975, winning the competition twice.