Chase lays bare Caribbean cricket crisis: ‘A struggle for finances’ and ‘poor infrastructure’

West Indies batsman Roston Chase has voiced profound concerns over the systemic “struggle for finances” and “infrastructure problems” plaguing cricket in the Caribbean, even as he refused to use them as a complete justification for the team’s current run of disastrous Test results.

Chase’s candid comments come following a dismal sequence of results for the regional side, including five defeats in their last six Test matches this year.

The latest loss saw them go down by an innings and 140 runs to India on the third day of the opening Test in Ahmedabad.

Speaking after the game, Chase was clear about the shortcomings at the domestic level which, he suggests, prevent players from being properly prepared for the demands of international cricket.

“I think the systems in the Caribbean are a bit poor in terms of training facilities and stuff,” Chase said. “Yes, there is obviously a struggle in the Caribbean for finances. Whatever help we can get, if they are planning to get the help, I hope that we do get it so that we could strengthen the infrastructure for cricket.”

Batting failures linked to regional pitches

Chase directly linked the team’s chronic batting failures—who have managed to surpass a score of 250 only once in their last 15 Test innings—to poor local conditions.

He highlighted that regional domestic pitches are “not really batsman-friendly,” which prevents players from developing the essential discipline of batting for long periods and scoring ‘big scores.’

“The outfields in the Caribbean are really slow. When you hit the ball in the gaps, you probably end up struggling to get two,” he added. “Those are just some of the problems that we are faced with in the Caribbean. That’s why you see guys averaging so low.”

Despite the poor results, which included being bowled out for 162 and 146 in the recent loss to India, Chase maintained that the “onus is still on the players” to perform.

“I still thought that it was a wicket that you could stand up and bat on as shown by the Indian batters,” he conceded. “But we need to trust in our defence a bit more.”

Player availability and T20 leagues

The debate around player availability, often stemming from the desire to play in financially lucrative T20 leagues, was also addressed by the all-rounder.

“A guy is going to try to earn his living,” Chase stated, acknowledging the reality of players prioritising where they can earn money due to the financial pressures within the region’s main cricket structure.

“I can’t really fault a guy for trying to go there and be available for whatever cricket it may be that he’s given the opportunity to play.” (Modified from ESPNcricinfo)