The West Indies, once the most powerful and awesome cricket team in the world, and Australia, once the indisputable champions of the world, are each currently engaged in an important Test match, one in Bridgetown Town, one in Johannesburg, one which West Indians hope will be the beginning of the road back, and one which, after recent experiences, Australians hope will not signal the end of a glorious run.

After ruling the roost for some 19 years, the last 15 unchallenged and undefeated, the West Indies have so far spent 14 years in the wilderness, far from the floodlights, and after their magnificent victory in the first Test match in Kingston, after their great escape in St John's, it appears, even if they have not yet turned the corner, to be on the way.

After dominating the proceedings since they knocked the West Indies off their pedestal in 1995, and although, based on the rankings, they are still the number one team in the world, Australia have lost to India and South Africa recently and there are many who believe that for them it is the end of the road.

The question, however, is this: Even if it is the end of the road, even if Australia lose to South Africa again and slip down the ladder, and even if the West Indies go on to win or even draw the current series against England, will it take the men from 'Down Under' as long, 14 years up to now, as it has taken the West Indies to recover?

The answer, to many, is no, and unlike the attitude of Australia, while it may have something to do with the West Indies sending boys, too many of them at that and for a long time, to do a man's job, it has nothing to do with Australian talent or the lack of talent in the West Indies.

As I have been saying for a long, long, time, as many others in the West Indies have been saying, and writing, for a long, long time, it has to do with the way the game is administered in the West Indies in comparison to how it is in Australia.

Order of the day

Erwin Burton and Aubyn Hill

Unlike in the West Indies where self-interest, followed by ignorance, incompetence, and the lack of unaccountability, is the order of the day, in Australia, in the interest of the game, it appears, it is one for all and all for one.

Recently, someone wrote to the Tony Greig Show on CricInfo. He asked the South African, who captained England, if he believes that Australia will follow the West Indies into a long decline, and the big all-rounder, who now resides in Australia, replied in the negative.

"There are some parallels with what happened in the West Indies, but believe me, Australia does have a wonderful domestic structure," said Greig.

"I have no doubt that Australia will unearth some fine cricketers to take the place of some of those who have moved on, but to replace Shane Warne is damn nigh impossible. Unlike the West Indies and some other countries the Aussie cricket partnership is healthy and not power-oriented, the states work together, Cricket Australia is very professional, and the players' associations are active, but not overly militant."

Commitment to the game

Daren Powell and Jerome Taylor - File photos

Although he said nothing about the players' commitment to the game, about the rules which they must obey while playing for their states and for their country, and about discipline as it relates to the behaviour of players, it is interesting to note Greig's reference to the fact that the partnership in Australia is healthy and not power-oriented, that the states work together, that Cricket Australia is very professional, and that the players' associations are active, but not overly militant.

That is almost the total opposite to what the situation is in the West Indies, and that is why it has taken the West Indies so long to turn things around.

Cricket in the West Indies, however, thank God for that, is alive and well, and apart from the promise which the last few weeks have provided, because of that, the West Indies team, despite all the problems, may one day be back to being the best in the world.

Cricket, certainly here in Jamaica, is not dying. Those who believe it is, those who believe that what happens in Kingston is what happens in Jamaica, those who believe that cricket in this country is a boring pastime as it appears to be in Kingston where two or three, four or five, or probably a handful of spectators turn up to watch a club match on a Saturday and on a Sunday regardless of the teams involved or the players in action, should have been at the final of the NCB knockout competition between Todd Town and Tryall Youth Club in Neif Mountain, southeast St Elizabeth, two Sundays ago.

On that memorable day, over three thousand fans, men, women, and children of all ages and of all hues flocked the tree-lined ground.

Pandemonium

Dressed to kill, from long skirts, to minis, to jeans, and to shorts, they sat on chairs, stones, and tree roots around the boundary, with some of them standing all day in the hot sun. They drank everything, they ate everything, and they smoked everything available. They hoisted banners in support of their team, they cheered almost every delivery, every shot, every brilliant bit of fielding, when a six was hit.

It was pandemonium as they ran around the boundary and sometimes on to the field, and when the match was over, with Todd Town the victors, the people, almost every one of them it seemed, victors and losers alike, raced on to field to the sound of fire-crackers.

Among those enjoying the occasion were home-grown stalwarts like Aubyn Hill, chairman of Nation Growth Micro Finance; Erwin Burton, director, Grace Kennedy; Carlos Gordon; Charmaine Wright, and Nicole Brackett of sponsors NCB; Jim Clarke of Alpart; Manley Horne of Junction, and national selector, Ruddy Williams.

It was a glorious day, and no wonder the parish of St Elizabeth produces cricketers the quality of Nikita Miller and Shaun Findlay, Brenton Parchment, Daren Powell, and Jerome Taylor.

It was also a day I will never, ever forget, so too I believe Paul Broomfield, the 50-odd-year-old medium pacer who preened himself with six wickets for 47 runs off seven overs, and for that I must say well done and thank you to the man behind it all - to Vinnie Miller, one of the Miller clan from Neif Mountain.