What I See with Peter Fiorenza: Twenty20 World Cup has me lamenting West Indies’ fall from halcyon days

We are currently in the middle of cricket’s Twenty20 World Cup. Last check, Australia was hanging in, but our form was not that flash. And the West Indies didn’t even make the cut. That’s right, the nation that once dominated the game is now, simply, a shadow of its former self. When I was a kid, the Windies undoubtedly held a commanding position in the cricket world. In both the Test and one day arena (no Twenty20 then), they were the kings, enticing huge crowds to watch any match they were involved in. The WACA ground in Perth was a place where they created magic. The Windies’ super-fast bowling and superb batting and catching skills were a treat to watch and it seemed they never disappointed. I remember the family travelling down the Brand Highway in our little blue Holden Gemini during a sweltering summer to watch them play Australia in the early 1980s. It was the days the WACA played host to the big matches. And on this occasion, it was packed to the brim, with some adventurous spectators even hanging over the fence, struggling to get a glimpse of their Caribbean heroes. Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Gordan Greenwich and Desmond Haynes. And who could forget the Master Blaster himself, Viv Richards? I know I’m Australian, but no one could deny that these men were stand-outs, were a treat to watch and made cricket exciting. Many sport followers the world over lament the pacing of such a halcyon period, a period that I believe never return. Why? There are several reasons for this, but quite frankly, it is amazing it was able to happen in the first place. You see, The West Indies is not actually a nation. In fact, according to Wikipedia, the West Indies is a sub-region of North America surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies, nine ethnic groups and 12 recognised religions. So, the feat of bringing players from such diverse backgrounds together in one team is nothing short of amazing. When you think about it, it would have taken one hell of a captain to hold things together. And this was the great Clive Lloyd. He captained 74 of the 110 Tests he played in and had a winning percentage of 49 per cent, making him one of the most successful leaders in Test Cricket history. But, in retrospect, what the Super Cat did off the field was more than equally impressive. Peter Fiorenza hosts Fiorenza on Sunday between 10am and noon on Radio MAMA