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A series win over England was a welcome boost to Caribbean cricket but does not necessarily mean West Indies have turned the corner long term, former bowling great Curtly Ambrose said on Sunday.
Speaking in the wake of West Indies 10-wicket win over England in the deciding Test in Grenada, Ambrose, who took 405 Test wickets at a miserly average of less than 21, was clearly delighted with the result.
However, he offered a sobering reality check for anyone thinking the team was on the verge of enjoying the kind of success enjoyed by the world-beating West Indies teams of the 70s, 80s and early 90s.
“It means a lot not only for the team but for us as Caribbean people,” Ambrose said in his role as a TV commentator.
“We were spoiled, for many years we were the best team in the world, beating everybody. We’ve had some lean years. There’s still a lot of work to be done.
“Winning one game convincingly doesn’t mean we’ve turned the corner but it’s a step in the right direction. We’ve seen in times past when they get under pressure they tend to crumble. That didn’t happen in this series.”
The win extended West Indies’ home dominance over England in the past 50 years — eight wins and two draws in 11 series, with England’s only series victory coming in 2003-04.
The latest victory cannot disguise that West Indies were outplayed for much of the first two Tests in the series, and in the end were thankful to escape with draws on drab pitches.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, the player of the series thanks largely to his batting in the second Test, where he made a marathon 160 before adding 56 not out, said his team had a good attitude and praised his young and old players alike.
Whether it was Nkrumah Bonner making a century in the first Test or Kyle Mayers taking 7-31 in the third, he said someone had always stepped up when the situation demanded.
“These are guys who are willing to learn,” he said.
“We have guys like (pace bowler) Kemar Roach and (all-rounder) Jason Holder leading the way. They are great examples to follow.
“We put in a lot of work (in preparation and) it just carried through every game, someone else raising their hand and doing their job, the effort was remarkable.”
Speaking in the wake of West Indies 10-wicket win over England in the deciding Test in Grenada, Ambrose, who took 405 Test wickets at a miserly average of less than 21, was clearly delighted with the result.
However, he offered a sobering reality check for anyone thinking the team was on the verge of enjoying the kind of success enjoyed by the world-beating West Indies teams of the 70s, 80s and early 90s.
“It means a lot not only for the team but for us as Caribbean people,” Ambrose said in his role as a TV commentator.
“We were spoiled, for many years we were the best team in the world, beating everybody. We’ve had some lean years. There’s still a lot of work to be done.
“Winning one game convincingly doesn’t mean we’ve turned the corner but it’s a step in the right direction. We’ve seen in times past when they get under pressure they tend to crumble. That didn’t happen in this series.”
The win extended West Indies’ home dominance over England in the past 50 years — eight wins and two draws in 11 series, with England’s only series victory coming in 2003-04.
The latest victory cannot disguise that West Indies were outplayed for much of the first two Tests in the series, and in the end were thankful to escape with draws on drab pitches.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, the player of the series thanks largely to his batting in the second Test, where he made a marathon 160 before adding 56 not out, said his team had a good attitude and praised his young and old players alike.
Whether it was Nkrumah Bonner making a century in the first Test or Kyle Mayers taking 7-31 in the third, he said someone had always stepped up when the situation demanded.
“These are guys who are willing to learn,” he said.
“We have guys like (pace bowler) Kemar Roach and (all-rounder) Jason Holder leading the way. They are great examples to follow.
“We put in a lot of work (in preparation and) it just carried through every game, someone else raising their hand and doing their job, the effort was remarkable.”
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