Walsh: ‘Windies on the up’

Courtney Walsh believes West Indies cricket is getting its act together.

Once a fearsome team that trampled on all rivals in the ‘70’s, ‘80’s and early ‘90’s, the Windies have slumped in recent years.

However, recent success at the Twenty20 World Cup has given the proud cricket country hope.

And former captain Walsh — in Bermuda touring with his Melbourne CC team — feels the progress made in the shorter formats is a sign that the team is on the move.

He told the Bermuda Sun: “West Indies are on the up, not quite where we’d like to be but we’re heading in the right direction and hopefully in another couple of tours we will keep climbing that ladder. 

“That’s all you want from the team but they are playing good consistent cricket and if we can win a couple more Test matches and get into the top half [of the table] and play against some of the top teams more often, that would be good for us.

“The short format of the game is progressing much better. We have that under control and that’s because of the number of players we have in the IPL.

“If we are to dominate Test cricket the way we used to, we’d probably need more players playing domestic cricket in England and Australia where there is a more professional set-up.

“But if these guys can carry their IPL form into the longer forms of the  game I’ll be very happy.”

Walsh still keeps in touch with some of the greats he played alongside. He said: “I tweet a little bit and follow the guys on Twitter. I bumped into Brian [Lara] at the airport on Wednesday coming here. He was off to watch golf at the Masters.

“[Curtly] Ambrose my good friend, I’m always in good touch with him. And last year I got a pleasant surprise when Sir Viv Richards called for my birthday – I didn’t even know he remembered!”