West Indies need to do something about ground equipment: Gavaskar

That Test cricket is struggling is accepted by just about everybody. The young followers of today are more into the action packed version of T20 which provides not only a result after three hours but also loads of action and thrills in that time than in the longer format of Test cricket where after playing for five days there can be a draw and no result.

Thankfully the Indian players are aware of the fact that they will be only recognised after they perform at the Test level and not for what they achieve in the limited overs competition.

The same cannot be said of the West Indian players who would rather play T20 cricket and earn a good living than stress themselves in the five day Test match.

It is understandable to an extent since there is not much employment opportunities in the Caribbean islands and so it makes sense to make as much as one can while the going is good. The scheduling also does not help and it is here that the administrators have to do something.

The Indian tour was organised pretty late so not much could be done to avoid the clash with the Caribbean Premier League but if the programme is drawn with inputs from the players then a clash can be avoided and all the players can be available to play for the West Indies in Test cricket.

The other area that the West Indies need to do something about is the ground equipment. It is hard to understand why there was no super sopper at the Queens Park Oval and why there were only covers for the square and not the whole ground.

This has meant that despite the bright burning sun there has been no play for two days. The rains have come in the afternoon but if there were covers all over the ground and the super sopper available then the game could have been played for some time before lunch at least.

Sure there were not many spectators around but it was not fair on the TV rights holders who have lost money simply because the administrators couldn’t care whether there was play or not. Not a cent goes out of the administrators pockets as the game gets abandoned but other stakeholders suffer.

This is something that needs to be looked at by the ICC and grounds that don’t have super soppers and full ground covers should simply not be given international games. Luckily there weren’t enough spectators to make a noise about being denied the value for their money.

When the rains came down after lunch on day three the ground condition has worsened and it does look like there will be no further play in the game. Test cricket will die if this indifference continues.

Source: PMG

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