GOD has fallen, Idols in tatters

St.John's (Antigua), Apr 3 (UNI) The God has fallen and idols lay in tatters, is how the media has reacted to the third successive defeat suffered by West Indies in the super eight league of the Cricket World Cup.

For most cricket fans in the West Indies, Lara was their God and most of the players their idols but now all their hero worship is over.

''Seven million and I deserve more than that. The West Indies looked so very poor!,'' wrote former fast bowler Colin Croft in a newspaper article.

''The West Indies cricket team, based on what I saw (Vs Sri Lanka), is in a very bad state overall. There is no good part to their cricket at all.

''It was no April Fool's Day joke. The simple reality was that Sri Lanka gave the West Indies a comprehensive beating, one more complete than they have had for a long time. It was terrible and like all West Indian supporters and former players, this hurts terribly,'' he lamented.

He was especially disappointed by the manner the home team went down against the Lankans more than the result.

''I was even more embarrassed, not by the result, a loss by 113 runs, but more by the way this defeat had been effected. It was a bad beating. This was a very heart-breaking performance. Times are now decidedly desperate for the West Indies cricket team.

''Surely this cannot continue. Something must be done immediately,'' veteran cricket writer of the region, Tony Becca, rubbed more salt into the wounds, saying the West Indies dream of winning cricket's World Cup for the third time and of becoming the first home team to lift the coveted title is fast becoming a nightmare.

Barbados Nation was more ruthless in its criticism, as it used screaming headline to use a boxing analogy Cricket World Cup 2007 is 'down for the count'.

''The World Cup has been floored ever since it was tainted by the murder of Bob Woolmer and rocked by the early exit of the teams with the biggest followings, India and Pakistan. Too much has already been taken away from the World Cup,'' wrote Mike King.

Locals, alienated by the prices and culture of this global event with its Alcatraz-like policies, have stayed away from even those games featuring the home side.

Prior to the tournament, organisers were boasting of sell-out grounds and marketed the event as the best World Cup ever. To say they got it wrong is an under-statement of gigantic proportions.

Fans have also been frustrated by a team whose limitations are now being cruelly exposed by the top teams.

''The team have not only played poorly but have suffered from weak leadership and selection. Our heavy defeat to Sri Lanka almost certainly ended our unrealistic semi-final aspirations. The truth is, the West Indies are amateurs and lightweights, who just don't have what it takes to beat the good teams on a consistent basis,'' King added.

Trinidad Express was equally trenchant in its condemnation of the team. Everybody's running for cover as the rain gets heavier on the home side's much-anticipated World Cup parade.

''Brian Lara's men, had only served to deepen the growing Caribbean depression over the fate of the regional cricketers, a mood that was already as worrying as any weather pattern in the hurricane season,'' it said.

It is one thing to be lamenting the indiscipline that defined the effort in heavy losses to Australia and New Zealand in Antigua, even before another lacklustre performance in the field (Vs Lanka) in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

However, it is entirely another issue--and an even more worrying one in the context of the stability of the regional game--to see the very public and increasingly acrimonious outbursts of a number of so-called ''golden icons,'' men who clearly lack an appreciation of how much their angry public outbursts are damaging the overall West Indian effort for the World Cup, both on and off the field.

However, one person refused to join the bandwagon. ''It is no time to criticise the team,'' said legendary Sir Vivian Issac Richards, adding ''there is still plenty of time, the introspection should be done after the World Cup is over. Till that time let us wait and watch,'' he said.

UNI