THE WEST Indies will be hosting the next World Cup of cricket and the West Indies, through managing director and chief executive officer Chris Dehring and the organising committee, has promised the world the best ever World Cup.
According to Dehring and his committee, they are working relentlessly to make the event an unforgettable experience for the thousands of visitors expected in the region, not only for the cricket but also for the music, food, and partying in one of the most beautiful corners of the world.
With less than one year to go before the opening ceremony, there are, however, two concerns - firstly, whether the venues in which the matches will be played will be ready in time. According to Don Lockerbie, the venue development director, although they may not be in perfect condition, the venues, new and renovated, will be ready on time.
The other concern, however, is the ability of the West Indies team to compete - and that is a problem. Winners of the Cup in 1975 and 1979 and finalists in 1983, the West Indies have not been to the final since. But for their surprising victory in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004, their record in one-day cricket in recent years has been poor. They are ranked at number eight - above only Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in the ICC ratings. Although their performance will have nothing to do with it being the best World Cup ever, it would be nice if they perform well.
No home team has ever won the World Cup, and it would be wonderful if the West Indies won it. In fact, that, for the people of the Caribbean, would really make it the best, the greatest World Cup of all time.
The question, however, is this: What is being done to prepare the team to do well - to make a run for the title? The fact is that despite the announcement a few months ago of a Win World Cup Committee, nothing is being done to prepare the team, and that, to cricket fans around the region, is disappointing.
As important as it is to the tourist industry and to the economies of the region, the World Cup is about cricket, it is about performance, it is about winning, and to local fans it will not be the best ever if, heaven forbid, the West Indies do not get out of the first round or if they only get beyond the first round.
Time is running out and in preparation for the World Cup the West Indies should now put together a squad of 16 or so players and limit the selection of the team up to the World Cup to the members of that squad.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
