The seven year free fall of West Indian cricket has grown compounded in the past two years with the now-obvious myopia of the player's association and the also crystalline incompetent administration of the WICB.

The average Windies fan today finds themselves hard-pressed to be behind a team that does not take its sport seriously and the actual topic of international cricket has virtually disappeared from everyday conversation.

This indifferent attitude contrasts sharply with the off-the-meter success of the inaugural Sandford 20-20 tournament in Antigua last year.  With sound promotional strategies, a beautifully crafted venue and the use of television, the tournament galvanized the archepelago bringing a tournament atmosphere FIFA would be proud of. The last-ball final that put Guyana on top over faves Trinidad was the icing on the cake and everyone I know has circled the dates to be present for this year's tournament.

That virtual unknowns stepped out of the shadows for every national team and no Test player factored significantly is an instructive point.  It was almost as if the fans returned to the basics of why they continue to love this game.

A groovy regional tournament is one thing, a World Championship is another.  With no camp yet set, with no player expressing an interest in becoming match fit (save for county boys Shiv and Powell), with resignations and retirements rendering the Board a bystander in its own affairs, and with no Brian Lara (sigh), no fan of reasonable mind is giving the Windies a sliver of a chance. 

But fan is short for fanatic right:)