West Indies wanted a win in opposition to the Scots to maintain their slim qualification hopes alive however had been bowled out for 181. Riding on Matthew Cross and Brandon McMullen knocks, Scotland chased down the goal with 6.3 overs to spare.
The champions of 1975 and 1979 editions, that is the primary time within the 48 years of event historical past that West Indies will not function among the many prime 10 groups in restricted overs cricket. It was additionally Scotland’s first-ever win over the Caribbean facet within the ODIs.
As It Happened
On Saturday, the West Indies as soon as once more produced a dismal present with the bat — 181 all-out in 43.5 overs — and Scotland confirmed no qualms in knocking off the goal to win with seven wickets in hand and pile up additional ignominy on the two-time world champions.
Matthew Cross (74 not out off 107 balls) anchored the chase completely and it all the time appeared one workforce would win and that actually wasn’t the West Indies.
With two extra matches left, even when West Indies win, they’ll attain as much as 4 factors whereas Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe have already got six factors of their three video games.
Scotland with this win are on 4 factors and would reckon that an upset might help them sneak into the tournament-proper.
It seems to be the ultimate nail within the coffin for a cricket workforce that has been on a terminal decline for the previous twenty years.
While they gained two T20 World Cup titles in 2012 and 2016, the efficiency in two conventional codecs — Tests and ODIs have spiralled southwards.
Ironically, West Indies had been compelled to play the qualifier earlier than the 2019 World Cup additionally however ultimately managed to complete in prime two together with Afghanistan to save lots of themselves from embarrassment.
But a workforce that had Nicholas Pooran, a Rs 16 crore IPL recruit, Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Alzarri Joseph, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hossein, all who had been a part of this version’s IPL, in its ranks, that is actually the bottom ebb.
Perhaps the efficiency is symptomatic of occasions which may be very completely different from the Nineteen Seventies when a number of the wold class cricketers from Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, Antigua, Trinidad & Tobago got here collectively and had been the flag-bearers of ‘Black Caribbean Community’ which had been below oppression for the longest time.
The sensible documentary ‘Fire in Babylon’ confirmed what West Indies cricket meant, it wasn’t simply aptitude, enjoyable and frolic but in addition a duty in the direction of group.
It confirmed how the workforce got here collectively after England captain Tony Greig commented earlier than the 1976 sequence that he would make them ‘grovel’, a derogatory time period used for ‘Black Community’ referring to slavery.
Michael Holding spit hearth on the Oval and Viv Richards scored a close to triple hundred.
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Their model of cricket helped them turn out to be world beaters in restricted overs cricket, first 60 overs after which 50 overs as most of their prime gamers performed in county or league cricket in England.
But name it an indication of occasions, the hearth has extinguished and in final decade has seen the emergence of highly-skilled T20 mercenaries or Gun for Hire as one can seek advice from them, who have not precisely been bothered concerning the nationwide cricket workforce’s profit.
Perhaps the idea of a number of nations, enjoying below one flag is flawed in right this moment’s day and age.
What has additionally adversely contributed is the riches that accompanies T20 cricket caravan wherever it units its base. The leagues have made it just about unattainable to have a top quality West Indies workforce that’s pleased with sporting the long-lasting maroon jersey.
Call it an irony that in the course of the event in Zimbabwe, the person who donned coach’s hat was none aside from final international trophy successful skipper Darren Sammy,whose coronary heart nonetheless bleeds for the West Indies.
In the commentary field was Carlos Brathwaite, who hit these 4 unbelievable sixes on that fateful night time in Kolkata, seven seasons again to win the 2016 T20 World Cup for the Caribbean facet.
The Richards, the Lloyds, the Holdings, the Roberts, the Garners, their legacy lay in tatters, scattered throughout the luxurious inexperienced turf of Harare Sports Club floor on July 1.
The Kieron Pollards, Dwayne Bravos, Andre Russells, Sunil Narines have again and again refused to play for the West Indies as worldwide cricket could not have secured a future that they aspired for his or her households. So West Indies cricket lived in a comatose state.
On Saturday, Scotland simply eliminated the ‘affected person’ from ventilator.
West Indies cricket is lifeless. Long Live West Indies cricket.
(With inputs from PTI)
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com