After sun and sand, the West Indies Test cricket team may be the best known symbol of the English-speaking Caribbean. From 1980 to 1995, the side was unbeaten in 29 consecutive series it played. The Windies' success helped forge a sense of unity among the 16 countries and dependencies the team represents, paving the way for other joint efforts like Caricom, a regional organisation. Viv Richards, a captain of the glory days, called the side, hy-perbolically, "the only sporting team of African descent that has been able to win repeatedly against all international opposition," bringing "joy to our people." But these are joyless days. On December 10th-12th the Windies lost a Test match to Australia by an innings and 212 runs, one of the most lopsided defeats in history. Since June 2000 they have won just 14 Test matches and lost 81 against the top eight countries-a record so miserable that the team's very survival is now in question. There is speculation that Trinidad and Tobago will leave the West Indies team and form its own. On November 4th a review by Caricom called the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), which runs the team, "obsolete" and recommended its dissolution.
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