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Legend Ambrose blasts 'embarrassing, pathetic' West Indies

Legend Ambrose blasts 'embarrassing, pathetic' West Indies

Legend Ambrose blasts 'embarrassing, pathetic' West Indies

Legendary former paceman Curtly Ambrose has labelled West Indies' annihilation at the hands of England in the first Test "embarrassing" and "pathetic".

The tourists were hammered by an innings and 209 runs in the day-night contest at Edgbaston, losing 19 wickets on the third and final day in being bowled out for 168 and 137 after England had racked up 514-8 declared.

Shorn of many of their top stars due to disputes with the team's board, West Indies were huge underdogs against a home side fresh off the back of a 3-1 series win over South Africa.

But Ambrose, who took 405 wickets at 20.99 at the tail end of the Windies' dominant era in Test cricket, was dismayed to see the lack of fight put up by his successors.

"In the end it was totally embarrassing," he wrote in a column for the Daily Mail.

"I never saw any aggression from the West Indies players throughout the three days. There was no belief that they could compete, let alone beat England. They seemed to be waiting for England to make mistakes and at this level that is not going to work. Trust me, it was painful to watch.

"What happened at Edgbaston is nothing new. This has been going on for a number of years so I cannot say I was really surprised.

"Nobody would have criticised them if they had come out and just played aggressively, showed passion and pride and had a real go at upsetting England.

"Instead, all I saw was a timid team with bat and ball throughout the three days. They just did not look as though they believed they could compete. It meant they simply threw in the towel. You have to back yourself and believe in your ability.

"What concerns me is that I do not think these players know what West Indies cricket means to West Indians and followers of the global game. People feel sad for us and that's just not right.

"We have to give the young men a chance to grow. For now, I'm just hoping West Indies can compete at Headingley and Lord's, because what we have seen so far has been pathetic.

"West Indies must go back to the drawing board and return much stronger in Leeds on Friday. Losing one Test doesn't mean they are out of the series. Come back with aggression, confidence and commitment.

"Our history and the pride we once had in our cricket demands it."