It’s really a shame to miss out on Champions Trophy: Ambrose

In an Interview with The Royal Gazette Curtly Ambrose revealed that the West Indies’ failure to qualify for this summer’s ICC Champions Trophy in England and Wales has been a bitter pill to swallow.

Ambrose admitted having difficulty coming to terms with the fact that West Indies were not among the top eight one day international teams in the ICC rankings which resulted in them failing to qualify for the tournament since it began in 1998.

 “It’s really a shame,” Ambrose told The Royal Gazette. “It is sad. I never thought the time would come when we, as a West Indies team, would miss a Champions Trophy.

“It’s not a nice feeling at all, but that’s the way it is. We are not playing as well as we can so it’s up to us as a nation, and the cricketers themselves, to bring back this tradition we have to get West Indies cricket near the top again.”

Ambrose believes that the team doesn’t lack potential but there is a lack of consistency in their performance.

The West Indies’ won the 2004 edition of the ICC Champions Trophy when they beat home side England by two-wickets with seven balls to spare at The Oval.

“Potential and talent has never been the question,” he said. “It’s just we’ve not kept the results that we want. From time to time there have been some good performances, but we’re not consistent enough.

“To move up the rankings you have to be consistent with both games and with both teams and until we start to do that we will remain the way we are at the moment. We just need to be more consistent.”

Double world record holder Brian Lara captained West Indies to Champions Trophy glory in 2004, the squad travelling to Bermuda to prepare for the tournament.

Ambrose has travelled to Trinidad for the official opening of the Brian Lara Cricket Academy and stadium in Tarouba.

“Brian Lara is a West Indies cricket legend and to have a stadium named after him is a huge honour,” Ambrose said.

“When he asked me to be a part of this I said ‘yes’.

I’ve played with Lara for many years and he is such a wonderful player, and I think it’s only fitting that I be a part of this grand occasion.”