A high-level retreat involving a core training squad, the head coach and the top brass of Cricket West Indies (CWI) is among 34 recommendations put forward by an independent three-member group in a report, aimed at helping West Indies “hit the reset button” in time for the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.
The group, chaired by Justice Patrick Thompson Jr. and comprising former Test captain Brian Lara and well-respected international coach Mickey Arthur, said in a comprehensive report that the upcoming showpiece presented a “golden opportunity … at reviving the fortunes of the [West Indies] T20 cricket Team”, and called on CWI to identify a 30-35-member core unit to prepare for the event.
Critically, the report suggested the retreat be used to determine the “willingness and availability” of these players to participate in the World Cup, and also urged the attendance of the CWI president, chief executive, Director of Cricket, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary.
The report also called for a performance consultant, along with a representative from regional players union, WIPA, and two CWI directors, to be a part of the retreat.
“CWI should convene a three-day in-person meeting/retreat with the afore-mentioned core squad for the purpose of determining their willingness and availability to participate in the 2024 World Cup,” the report said. “That meeting should be akin to a strategic retreat where players and administration can speak frankly and address any and all grouses (real or imagined) in a constructive manner. “Mediator(s) should be secured for this meeting in order to assist and facilitate the discussions contemplated above.”
The report continued: “A performance consultant who can assist the players and management to define West Indies cricket culture, identity and values is essential to this process. “It is important that this meeting is convened in a round table format as opposed to management on a raised platform and players on a lower level.”
With the current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CWI and WIPA expiring in June, the report also called for the retreat to be used as a starting point for discussions over a new agreement.
The strategic retreat is among six short term recommendations, with the report also identifying 11 medium term recommendations and 17 long term proposals.
As part of the short-term recommendations, the report called for “a clear agreement on strength and conditioning standards, player availability and needs, and CWI expectations in the lead in to the 2024 World Cup.”
It also tasked CWI with the responsibility of having “targeted discussions” with the core training group about the possibility of playing “as much red ball cricket … as possible” ahead of the 2024 World Cup, including in upcoming Test series against Australia and Pakistan.
“We hold the strong view that red ball, and in particular Test cricket, against the Test Teams ranked above us provides vital opportunities for primarily white ball players to develop their overall cricketing skills,” the three-member group wrote.
Among the medium-term recommendations, the report pointed to the need for increased “centre wicket practice” during tours, player analysis of regional strength and conditioning facilities, and an audit by territorial boards of respective facilities with the objective of meeting player needs.
Additionally, the report tasked CWI with enhancing its monitoring and supervision of player conditioning and urged an overhaul of the current system being utilised.
“CWI should urgently determine the best mechanism for ensuring that contracted players are complying with their respective strength and conditioning programmes,” the report said. “CWI should urgently invest in wearable technology (Whoop or Oura for example) that reports back to a central database at CWI headquarters on activity levels for all contracted players. There must be monitoring and supervision of players in order to ensure that they are held accountable.
“The current Athlete Management System (AMS) that requires players to log their activities needs to be urgently overhauled or removed.”
Also, as part of the medium term strategies, the report said CWI needed to carry out “a wholesale review” of player contracts in conjunction with the players and WIPA, stage a regional workshop to address best practices on pitch preparations and subsequent monitoring, and also increase mental health support for players and support staff by contracting the services of experts in each territory in which series are being staged.
Long term, the report proposed CWI devise and implement a scouting programme akin to the one used in American professional football (NFL), review the qualities required for becoming a selector, conceptualise a mentorship programme for contracted players and also “urgently craft a protocol to implement biomechanics and flexibility as part of CWI’s coaching programmes.”
The three-man group was asked to review areas such as selection strategy, team and player preparation, player and staff workloads and player development, in the wake of West Indies’ shocking early exit from the T20 World Cup last November.
-CMC
