HARARE (ZIMBABWE): West Indies failed to qualify for the Cricket World Cup for the first time in its storied history after losing to Scotland in the Super Six stage on Saturday.
The Caribbean side needed to beat Scotland to stay in contention but lost by seven runs at Harare Sports Club in their third defeat of the tournament after it also lost to Zimbabwe and the Netherlands.
The disastrous performances have raised alarm in the Caribbean, and continue the team's decline in the shorter format of the game after failing to get out of the group stage at last year’s T20 World Cup in Australia a tournament it's won twice following defeats to Scotland and then Ireland.
West Indies cricket's "gradual decline" reminds Ian Bishop of those big business entities of yesteryears which didn't evolve with time and perhaps will never regain their lost glory.
Bishop, a fearsome fast bowler from the late '80s till mid-'90s, is hurt like any other Caribbean cricketer after watching Shai Hope's team being thrashed by Scotland as the former champions failed to qualify for the ODI World Cup for the first time in 48 years.
Bishop believes that it will be wrong to point fingers at the current crop of West Indies players for this deterioration started way back.
"Yes, it has been a gradual decline. I've always said this pre-dates this group of players. We haven't played consistently good ODI cricket against the top nations for perhaps a decade now. The T20 team, after having been two-time champions, have slid," Bishop told 'ESPN Cricinfo'.
The 55-year-old, who has 161 Test and 118 ODI wickets, believes that lack of vision has been one of the biggest reasons that has led to this day.
"So like big corporations who were at one time at the peak of their powers, and then through, I suppose, a lack of vision or whatever you want to call it, they disappeared off the business scene, (and that is what has happened) for West Indies cricket, two-time world champions, who popularised the field for ODI cricket," he said.
"We need all hands on board to get the representation back to where it needs to be," he added.
Bishop was clear that even if West Indies can claw their way back towards the upper echelons of the game, they wouldn't enjoy the pole position like they did four or even three decades back.
"We will never dominate like we did in the '80s and the first half of the '90s. I think other teams around the world are too good. We have serious economic challenges in the Caribbean, which the authorities around the world have to look at."
He said, "But I still think when I look at, for example, where Zimbabwe was, and the troubles they have gone through, and how well they have played in this tournament, I think we have enough there to do even better next time around, if there is synergy," he added.
Bishop also urged fans to be practical as he feels that the socio-economic environment from the time West Indies were a cricketing powerhouse has completely changed.
"I think it is a different time. What motivated Sir Vivian Richards and Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes and Clive Lloyd, globalisation has sort of dissipated that. So the motivations are now different, and I accept that," said Bishop.
He said, "I wouldn't say that the pull that was evident for the players of the '60s and '70s should be the same in the 2000s. So we have to identify what the myriad desires are and they will be different for each player."
Bishop also wants that there shouldn't be any knee-jerk reaction and head coach Darren Sammy and skipper Hope should be persisted.
"We have changed captains and coaches. We now have to give support and time to the incumbents and make sure we give them the support staff. Zimbabwe, in this tournament for example, have done it with minimal playing resources, so why can't West Indies if they concentrate on their pool?" he concluded.
Two teams qualify for the Cricket World Cup from the tournament. Sri Lanka is the favourite with host Zimbabwe, Scotland and the Netherlands the remaining contenders.
(With inputs from PTI and Associated Press)