March 30, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 21, 1429

PORT-OF-SPAIN (Trinidad), March 29: West Indies legends Desmond Haynes and Deryck Murray have called for a major shake-up in the structure of cricket in the Caribbean in order to drag the team out of the doldrums.

The comments of former West Indies captain and opening batsman Haynes, and former vice-captain and wicket-keeper Murray, came in the wake of the West Indies losing the opening Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka by 121 runs on Wednesday.

Haynes, who played 116 Tests and 237 One-day Internationals between 1978 and 1994, pleaded with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to establish a long overdue academy.

“Too much money is being spent by the WICB by bringing in these coaches from outside, when we in the Caribbean can do a better job,” he said.

Haynes feels more resources should be concentrated on cricket at the youth level in the Caribbean and into moulding players into winners.

“I am saying that a cricket academy in the West Indies is very crucial to our success,” he said.

“The former great players might not want to travel with the team day in, day out, but they may want to still assist the players.

“Remember, these guys have families, and they would have travelled a lot during their playing days. Now they may not want to continue that, but more importantly, I think that they will be better served at the Academy than being around the Test team for just a few days before a match.”

The WICB has indicated that an academy is set for roll-out later this year as part of its Strategic Plan for the next four years, and they are finalising negotiations with possible financiers.

Murray, who played 62 Tests and 26 One-day Internationals, is now the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board and, as a result, a director of the WICB.

Murray feels that authorities in the Caribbean must stop fooling themselves into believing that a change in fortunes is just around the corner.

“If we win a Test match in 2008 and people say that we have started the rebuilding process then this is a disgrace to all the players who have worn the maroon cap before,” said Murray.

“We have a world record for a team in the rebuilding phase. We have been rebuilding for 15 years, and the process still continues.

“The only time we will rebuild West Indies cricket is when we stop fooling ourselves, and start doing the things that would take our cricket back up the ladder.

“We in the Caribbean are always looking for the easy way out and this is doing us no good. What is needed at this time is for fans in the Caribbean to pressurise all stakeholders to ensure that they do the right things to initiate the rebuilding process.”—AFP