Clive Lloyd Speaks Out on West Indies’ 27 All-Out Collapse: ‘We Must Strengthen the Mental Side of Our Game’

Clive Lloyd’s reaction to West Indies being bowled out for 27 against Australia in Jamaica.

Clive Lloyd Breaks Silence After West Indies’ Historic Collapse

Former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, who led the Caribbean team to World Cup victories in 1975 and 1979, has finally spoken out following the Windies’ shocking collapse for just 27 runs against Australia in Jamaica. The Roston Chase-led side suffered a 0-3 series defeat, but it was the humiliating final innings in the pink-ball Test that drew widespread criticism.

West Indies’ 27-all-out marked the second-lowest team total in Test history, narrowly avoiding the record low of 26 runs set by New Zealand in 1955 due to a crucial misfield.

In response to this debacle, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has invited legends Clive Lloyd, Brian Lara, and Sir Vivian Richards to an emergency meeting to analyze the reasons behind the collapse and strategize a way forward.

“We have to examine all aspects of West Indies cricket from grassroots to international level. Everything must be looked at closely and carefully. West Indies cricket is an institution. It has given so much to the people of this region, and we must do all we can to revive it,” Clive Lloyd said in a statement to ESPNcricinfo.

“I’m always available to help in any way. How we can marry the ideas we have with what is necessary and have healthy discussion on the way we move forward, that’s what I’m thinking. It has been nearly 100 years since we have been playing top-class Test cricket and we have to get it right,” he added.

‘Mental side of our game…’

Clive Lloyd didn’t hold back in criticizing the mental aspect of West Indies cricket, emphasizing that improvement in this area is crucial for the team to compete with top international sides.

In the recent series against Australia, only Brandon King and Anderson Phillip managed to average over 20, with King’s 75 in Grenada being the highest individual score from either team. Lloyd stressed the need for more dependable batsmen like Larry Gomes—players who value their wickets highly and are willing to “bat ugly” if necessary to occupy the crease and wear down bowlers.

“We need a couple of Larry Gomes, more batsmen like him. We need batsmen who put a heavy price on their wickets and, when they get in, look to stay in. There is nothing wrong with digging in and ‘batting ugly’. We have to find ways of fighting, occupying the crease, and staying in for long periods to wear down the bowlers. We have not been doing that,” Lloyd said.

He added that the team must return to basics, focusing on development at the grassroots level and examining the quality and quantity of cricket being played.

“Obviously, the mental side of our game needs to improve. We have to go back to the basics. We have to look at schools’ cricket, club cricket, and first-class cricket—are we playing enough? We also have to look at the pitches—how are we preparing them and how they are playing,” he concluded.

Sign up fast for E2BET77  now and claim your free bonus with your first registration!