For ten long years we ruled the cricket world, now the rule seems coming to an end/Some of the old generals have retired and gone, and the runs don’t come by as they did before/We’ve lost the battle but yet we will win the war/Rally, rally round the West Indies, now and forever… Rally, rally round the West Indies never say never — David Rudder, Rally Round The West Indies.

The arena of sports is as powerful as it is unifying, and songs like Rally Round The West Indies — David Rudder’s de facto theme song for the West Indies cricket team — perfectly embody this energy. In the amalgam of cultures that is the West Indies, there are many highly supported sporting events that bring people together. But nothing quite evokes that exhilarating feel of a cricket match: the elegant strides as we make our final walk to Sabina Park, the pulsating beat of the drums, the ‘Brazilian wave’, food in abundance and the nonstop pour of alcohol.

While the purists deliberate from the George Headley and North Stands and the mania increases on The Mound, our collective hopes are lifted, dashed and more often than not in recent times, utterly shattered.

The glory days of the mighty West Indies are indeed over and the present game enthusiasts will never quite comprehend the dismay of those who were once privy to the majestic strokes, bowling wizardry and excellent fielding. And who must now bear witness to pathetic strokes, cheap wickets and zero majesty. Hope springs eternal, well at least among the West Indies Cricket Board who are in the throes of launching ‘We Are The West Indies’ — a campaign aimed at revitalising the public’s perception of cricket, and by extension, the team.

Music video point man Ras Kassa is charged with the responsibility of steadying the wicket. “We want more than anything,” shared Imran Khan, corporate communications officer, “to tap into the natural element of fun in the West Indies, to bring that back into cricket with Ras Kassa.” That “fun” speaks directly to the music video for the campaign’s theme song. The super-hot track, which features Antiguan soca sensation Tian Winter and upand-coming dancehall diva Makeida ‘Keida’ Beckford is set for release in two weeks. “Bringing the islands together as one, generating widespread support for the team by reviving that emotion and allowing everyone to see a part of their culture in the video” is the director’s vision. “We want, more than anything, to tap into the natural element of fun in the West Indies, to bring that back into cricket with Ras Kassa’s help.” A tall order indeed, but one that a first-class batting order can achieve.

S O takes you behind the scenes…