St John's [Antigua], October 3 (ANI): Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Friday announced a series of 'immediate and long-term reforms' to boost the Windies Cricket following an emergency meeting of the Cricket Strategy and Officiating Committee held in August, attended by several legends of the sport.

The meeting was convened after a run of disappointing results, including the historic defeat to Australia at Sabina Park in the final test of the series in July, during which the West Indies slipped to 27 all out, the second-lowest score ever in Tests while chasing 204 runs in Sabina Park. WI lost the series at home by a humiliating clean sweep of 3-0.

The session brought together a wide cross-section of key stakeholders, including West Indies legends Brian Lara and Sir Clive Lloyd, captains Shai Hope and Roston Chase, Head Coach and team management, and former players such as Anthony Grey and Ramnaresh Sarwan, as per a press release from the Cricket West Indies.

The Committee highlighted ten critical challenges affecting the state of West Indies cricket, including:

-Declining quality of regional tournaments.-Technical, tactical, and mental skills deficiencies.-Underperforming franchise system.-Gaps in infrastructure and facilities.-Lack of specialist coaching support.-Limited ICC revenue share and financial constraints.-Fragmented player development pathways.-Inadequate fitness and conditioning standards.

Following a series of intense discussions during, and in the weeks following the meeting, the Committee compiled a list of short-term and medium to long-term action items and objectives focus on addressing these gaps, which were presented to and approved by CWI's Board of Directors during their Quarterly Meeting on September 25.

Immediate Actions (0-6 Months)

-Recruitment of Specialist Coaches: An internationally proven batting coach will be hired to work across the system, and a full-time sports psychologist/performance coach will join the senior men's team. The women's team role will also be upgraded to a full-time role.

-High-Performance Centre Project: A capital project proposal will be advanced for a state-of-the-art facility at Coolidge Cricket Ground, including modern nets, gym, and rehabilitation infrastructure.

-Accountability and Standards: Franchise teams will now submit Individual Development Plans and meet new minimum standards. Player fitness will be closely tracked, supported by a new regional fitness leaderboard.

Further Actions (Medium to Long Term)

-A National Cricket Development Framework unifying grassroots, school, academy, and high-performance pathways.

-Comprehensive franchise reform to ensure accountability for player development and consideration of alternative professional models.

-Establishment of standardised academies for ages 11-18 to feed into the High-Performance Program.

-Completion of the High-Performance Centre in Antigua as the regional hub for elite development.

-Greater focus on financial sustainability, including lobbying for equitable ICC revenue distribution and new partnerships with governments, private entities, and philanthropists.

-A structured mentorship framework connecting current and former West Indies players with emerging talent.

CWI's Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, said in a statement:'These reforms represent decisive action to strengthen our systems, raise standards, and provide the next generation of players with the tools, facilities, and mentorship they need to succeed. While challenges remain, our commitment to cricket development across the region is unwavering, and all efforts will be made to prioritize the execution of these initiatives.'

Notably, West Indies recently lost the T20I series to Nepal, an associate nation, by 2-1 in UAE. (ANI)