Unprepared and uncaring

Brian Lara - what now? © Getty Images

Tony Cozier, the veteran broadcaster, has launched a stinging broadside at West Indies in the aftermath of their back-to-back defeats in the first two Tests. Cozier blamed a lack of planning, commitment, enthusiasm, and leadership.

In South Africa and Zimbabwe, the side was beset by a series of injuries which left the squad severely weakened. Cozier, writing in The Independent, claimed that several players "turned up for the preparatory training camp as much as two stones overweight. It was not long before such a lack of fitness had its effects. Three players broke down even before the team arrived in South Africa and had to return home. At no time in the six Tests could West Indies field their strongest team, with key players eliminated by injury."

The pre-match preparations in southern Africa also left much to be desired - he refers to "lacklustre, intermittent practice sessions" and adds that in the Tests 124 no-balls and 28 wides were bowled and more than a dozen catches spilled.

And so to the current series. "The West Indies squad assembled in Jamaica five days prior to the first Test," Cozier wrote. "In that time, they had only one practice session. Much of the time was spent in psychological sessions, ironically some watching motivational videos of the American basketball legend Michael Jordan stressing the importance of practice, which is precisely what they were not doing."

The first Test ended with four players joining in the well-reported party in the stands. The day after the debacle of being bowled out for 47, West Indies held a net session - but it was voluntary and several players decided they didn't need the practice anyway.

When the sides moved on to Trinidad, England made full use of the excellent indoor facilities at Port-of-Spain while, as Cozier noted, "West Indies were not seen once in the indoor nets and were seldom in the gym".

In sport, you reap what you sow. It doesn't bode well for Barbados and Antigua where the mass of traveling support will mean that Bridgetown and St John's will be homes from home for England.