Ambrose wants ‘realistic’ fourth in rankings
West Indies pace legend, and now their bowling coach, Curtly Ambrose, feels that while the Windies will never have a team like they did in his day, the current crop are good enough to compete at the top level.
The Windies are eighth on the ICC Test rankings, and compared to the side Ambrose played in three decades ago, they are well below par. But with exciting new players coming in, Ambrose is not too downhearted.
Ambrose told AAP: "When you look at the team from the mid-70s to the mid-90s, that 20-year period, we've got to be honest, how can you really find that kind of players again?.
"To really dominate world cricket for 15-20 years. That is unheard of, it's almost impossible.
"I'm a bit of a realist. I would not want to judge today with the guys from that era. It's two different kinds of players.
"I believe we still have enough talent that once the guys are willing to listen, are willing to learn, and the right structure put in place – from the grassroots level, right through, first class cricket right up to international cricket.
"Once we've got the right systems in place I believe we can be a force again in world cricket.
"My immediate intention right now is to try and get the guys moving up the ICC rankings. If we get to at least number four in world cricket, then we can start thinking about number one."
Ambrose also lamented the 'one-sided' nature of the game now, with bowlers too limited by the rules compared to batsmen: "Spectators love that kind of competition and we used to have that back in our day.
"I've had some serious battles with some great players during my time. That's one of the reasons that our stadiums were always filled, people knew they were going to see top quality cricket, highly competitive. Today the cricket is so one-sided.
"There's too many rules and regulations in cricket. It's killing the cricket. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the powers that be, whomever, they need to revisit these rules and regulations. They need to bring back excitement into cricket."
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