WALLACE SPEAKS ON WI PERFORMANCE & SHALLOWS PRESIDENCY

by David Harris

Former Barbados and West Indies opening batsman Philo Wallace is disappointed over the regional team performance in Test cricket in 2025. Last year, under the captaincy of Roston Chase, the West Indies played eight Tests, lost seven and one was drawn. 

 They were whitewashed 3-0 by Australia in the Caribbean, lost 2-0 to India in Asia, after drawing the first Test of their three-match series in New Zealand last month, the West Indies lost the two remaining matches. 

The West Indies suffered a humiliating defeat in the third Test against Australia at Sabina Park, Jamaica, when they were dismissed for a mere 27 runs in the second innings. The paltry score was their lowest total in a Test match, and only marginally eclipsed the lowest Test total of 26 runs by New Zealand in 1955. 

Due to their woeful performance in Test cricket last year, the West Indies are at the bottom of the points table of the 12 teams competing in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Championship. 

“The West Indies performances in Test cricket for the year 2025 were not good from a team perspective; after playing eight Tests under the leadership of Roston Chase, they lost seven and drew one. They were disappointing; I expected a better result”, Wallace told ADVO Magazine. 

  “Some individual batters scored centuries and must be commended for their performances; Justin Greaves match saving double century (202 not out) in the second inning of the first Test against New Zealand at Hagley was a remarkable achievement for a batsman who is still in the nascent stage of his career. Greaves’ partnership of 196 runs with Shai Hope in the match was a major highlightfor the West Indies in 2025. Hope’s century (140) in match was his second Test hundred in 2025, and opener John Campbell 115 in the second Test against India, along with Kavem Hodge’s century in the third Test against New Zealand would have taken away some of the shame the West Indies endured in 2025”, he added.  

Wallace described the West Indies’ performance in white-ball cricket as a mixed bag but believes they have chances of advancing from the group stage of the ICC T20 World Cup which starts in India next month; “and going on to win the tournament are as good as any other team”.  

The decision of the president of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Dr Kishore Shallow not to resign from the position after his appointment to the post of Minister of Tourism and Maritime Affairs has led to him being criticize by several former West Indian cricketers. 

Last week, former West Indies vice-captain Deryck Murray said it was not feasible for Shallow to continue as the president of CWI. 

“To have the president of CWI functioning as a minister of government especially one who has two portfolios, he cannot do the job”, Murray, a former Trinidad and Tobago representative to the United Nations said. 

  While Wallace has not called for Shallow to resign from the presidency of CWI, he believes that it is going to be difficult for him to function in the two positions simultaneously.  

“Dr Shallow was elected as the Member of Parliament to serve the people in the constituency of North Leeward and was subsequently appointed to the important post as Minister of Tourism and Maritime Affairs in the government of Dr. Godwin Friday. I believe that it will require a herculean effort by Dr. Shallow to satisfy all of the demands of each office. In my opinion, the higher office of minister will require more of Dr. Shallow’s time. The government of which Dr Shallow is a minister has been in opposition for 25 years, and I suspect- that it is not going to be business as usual. Therefore, a lot of eyes will be watching how Shallow perform in the dual roles”, Wallace said.