Taking the long trip over to Barbados to view the Ballr Tri-series, English cricket fan Peter Bowden says that he is here to see West Indies play great cricket.
The businessman, who also sings opera, says that the World of cricket has not been the same since the West Indies stopped winning.
He said: “I am hoping that the West Indies can go on and win this Tri-series against top sides like Australia and South Africa. I am supporting them to defeat South Africa and get into the finals. You see the world needs a winning West Indies cricket team. Your players have the spice, they spice up the game, or else it will be very ordinary. I like to see the flair they play with and let me tell you when they are on top of their game, it is an absolute pleasure to watch them.”
Bowden was at Kensington Oval this weekend cheering on the men in maroon.
“I am a big English supporter and English people see two really big battles in world cricket. When they play the Ashes against the Australians and when they play against the West Indies.
“The others are okay but they will never generate the interest that the West Indies and Australia can, when they tour the UK. England likes to go across to South Africa and beat them there but when the Proteas tour England, it is never as keen for the people as when West Indies and Australia play.”
He said one of the reasons the English people have taken to West Indies is because of the personal battles and friendship between marquee players over the years. “Fans still remember Ian Botham and Vivian Richards. They were the best of friends at Somerset but when they crossed onto the field they were at each other with all they had. This is what led to great battles and it’s what made cricket.”
Bowden said that the West Indies cricket team has to help Test cricket survive.
“The team has been doing quite well in the shorter forms of the game but the West Indies must improve in five-day cricket. They are the players who are attractive and the ones who can made the longer format attractive again. You seem to have lost a lot of players to American sports like basketball, running and football and this has affected the development of the cricket.
“The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) needs to go to the islands and find the men who can bowl fast and allow them to play cricket and let the world see.
“Test cricket does not only need men poking all day, they need men to make the game attractive again and who better than a winning West Indies team.”