St. John's (Antigua), Sep 25 (IANS/CMC): Fast bowling legend Curtly Ambrose says regional effort is needed if West Indies cricket is to recapture its glory days and return to the upper echelons of the world game.

The former West Indies fast bowler has stressed that the job of resuscitating the game in the region cannot be just the responsibility of one territory, reports CMC.

"For the West Indies cricket to get back anywhere near to where it once was, it has to be a regional effort," Ambrose said on Sportsline, a programme on ZDK Radio in his native Antigua over the weekend.

"No one territory can do it; everybody has got to get involved."

Ambrose's appearance on the programme was part of his 49th birthday celebrations.

"Back in the day when we were the best in the world, everybody was on board doing what they had to do, we had problems back then yes, but now all of us have to pitch in," said the former fast bowler who appeared in 98 Tests and took 405 wickets along with 225 One Day International scalps.

His stint as Combined Campuses and Colleges Bowling Consultant has been hailed by the team as hugely successful and he is expected to continue in the role in the upcoming regional cricket season.

The Antiguan, who retired in 2000 following a 12-year international career, has expressed regret that not enough was done during the heyday of the West Indies cricket to harness young talent.

"When we were the best team in the world producing top class cricketers, very little was done to harness the young aspiring cricketers," said Ambrose.

"We just believed that we will continue to produce great cricketers and when all the great cricketers left the scene we had a bunch of young rookies trying to keep up the standard and it just was not possible and we paid a serious price for that."