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Offline vb

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Pull stones from the WICB
« on: August 20, 2015, 01:29:59 PM »
http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/910077.html


After overlooking two high-profile reports on reforming its administration, the board may finally be forced to take notice of a third

 
Former Jamaica prime minister PJ Patterson had recommended a reduction in the number of directors on the board   © Getty Images
It has become a habitual question that continues to defy an acceptable answer. The West Indies Cricket Board has twice commissioned reports to recommend changes to its governance. Each time it ignored their main points.

In the meantime, the game in the region has gone into such a state of decline that the team that dominated the world for 15 years now languishes near the bottom of the ICC rankings, and the WICB is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.

The former Jamaica prime minister PJ Patterson, who headed the committee that prepared the first document in 2007, complained that he and his two other committee members had wasted two years of their lives working on the assignment. Five years later, Queen's Counsel Charles Wilkin of St Kitts-Nevis, at one time a left-arm spinner for Cambridge University and the Leeward Islands, heatedly quit as head of the governance committee after the WICB directors "refused to make any change at all to the current structure". He charged that the incumbents "wanted to preserve at all costs all of their positions on the board".

As since its formation in 1927, the WICB still comprises two directors from each of its regional members, now six in all, who elect the president and vice-president.

Patterson and Wilkin both proposed profound changes, among them a reduction in the number of directors. In addition, Patterson put forward the introduction of additional representatives from the Caribbean Community governments, the private sector, tourism, and the University of the West Indies. Wilkin pressed for a nominations committee "to identify and recommend persons with appropriate skills and experience to serve as elected directors".

This is now being revisited by a committee appointed by the regional Caricom governments. It is headed by Sir Denis Byron, president of the Caribbean Court of Justice, and includes former West Indies vice-captain Deryck Murray.

With such political backing and high-profile leadership the committee carries such clout that the WICB would be ill-advised to treat its report the same way it has done those of Patterson and Wilkin. Judging by the profusion of comments in the media and from various interviews, the committee will have formed a consensus on Patterson's stated view that "the status quo is unacceptable", that change is needed.

With six WICB presidents over the past 15 years, continuity and stability have been impossible. Voting for te head of both West Indies and regional boards is now conducted with the antagonism of political elections
There have been thoughtful articles over the past week from Wilkin and from Dr Rudi Webster, the West Indies manager during World Series Cricket and subsequently psychologist to the team.

Wilkin believes the Supreme Court of India's decision on changes and improvements necessary for the Indian board to be "more transparent and more responsive to the public at large" should give "fresh impetus" to resolving similar issues in the Caribbean.

Webster points the finger at the WICB's leadership. "The single and probably the most significant factor in the success of any organisation is the behaviour of the people who are leading it," he states. "Like any poorly performing organisation, the WICB should now take a careful and honest look at itself and the quality of its leadership. It is very difficult for an organisation to rise above the level of its leadership."

The recent death at 89 of Peter Short, the longest-serving administrator in West Indies cricket, brought into focus the correlation between success in the boardroom and on the field. The contrasts in the management of the game in Barbados and the West Indies during his involvement with a host of able, dedicated colleagues over 32 years, between 1964 and 1996, and that of the dispensations that followed is stark.

The cricket was never stronger, on the field and off it, than it was during Short's unprecedented 19 years as elected Barbados Cricket Association president and subsequent four as head of the West Indies Cricket Board. Barbados won the regional Shell Shield title ten times over 19 seasons, West Indies went 15 years unbeaten in a Test series.

In the two decades since, there has been drastic deterioration in both areas. Management at all levels has degenerated into an ongoing story of incompetence, internal wrangling and court cases. The more they have grown, with fully professional personnel, the more the problems mount.

The WICB has had six presidents over the past 15 years: continuity and stability have been impossible. Voting for the head of both West Indies and regional boards is now conducted with the antagonism of political elections.

The alienation of leading players has led to three strikes, none more damaging than the withdrawal of the team from the scheduled tour of India last October. The claim for US$42 million compensation from the BCCI still hangs like a guillotine over the WICB's exposed neck.

Prime ministers have been called on to settle one issue or another. The latest is the Caricom committee that will soon hand in its report.


Peter Short (extreme left) served West Indies cricket ably for three successful decades   © Associated Press
Appointed delegates defied the mandate of their association in a recent presidential election. The organisation of the game in Guyana has been in turmoil for more than two years as its various constituents wrestle over its control.

The Leeward Islands, a powerhouse that turned out Andy Roberts, Viv Richards, Richie Richardson, Curtly Ambrose and the Benjamins in the seventies and eighties, has become a perennial also-ran in the regional tournaments without a representative on the West Indies team.

In keeping with the times, WICB principals are now paid. In the past, there was no thought of remuneration or personal advantage.

Short seemed an anachronism. He was a white Bajan with a trademark handlebar moustache, who had served in the British Army and risen to the rank of his enduring title, captain. As a useful club player, he captained Wanderers Club, then all-white, to the 1959 Barbados club championship, later to become its president.

It was deceptive profiling. "Peter Short, I believe, was misunderstood," Sir Hilary Beckles wrote in his tome, The Development of West Indies Cricket in 1998. "He did not represent the old dispensation as many have said. Rather, he was part of the respected nationalist network of civic society that believed in cricket as a cultural activity for gentlemen, part of the infrastructure of high moral values and social contact."

Such words no longer apply to the governance of Barbados and West Indies cricket.
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Offline Sando prince

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2015, 10:36:33 PM »
One problem is regional politicians have too much influence on what happens with the WICB

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2015, 01:52:12 PM »
http://newsday.co.tt/sport/0,219411.html

Baldath resigns as WICB Director
Tuesday, November 3 2015

click on pic to zoom in

Fedup of the unprofessional approach of the West Indies Cricket Board, public spats with players and the cries of the suffering fans, WICB Director Baldath Mahabir has resigned.

In a media release yesterday, Mahabir outlined the reasons for his exit, hinting that the Board’s handling of the India tour pullout was one of the factors that swayed his decision.

The WICB and its president Dave Cameron have drew the ire of the public with the unofficial ban of former captain Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard from the one-day team and also recently with the suspension of coach Phil Simmons who alleged outside interference in the selection process that kept them from the ODI team to Sri Lanka.

“In recent times there has been an increase in ‘anti’ WICB sentiments across the Region.

From Prime Ministers, former players, journalists, educators and especially the fans – our reputation and our business methodologies have taken a pounding,” Mahabir said yesterday.

“As a former Director, I sat back — read, watched and listened.

In all my years as a passionate cricket fan, I do recall that the WICB and its predecessor, the WICBC (West Indies Cricket Board of Control), have taken a battering from the cricket loving public. In good times and in bad. I have long resolved that it is the great interest of the fan that informed this criticism of our cricket’s leadership.

I have also long resolved that managing the cricket fortunes of a team, on and off the field, that consists of representatives of 16 sovereign nations will always be difficult, full of unseen challenges and impossible to be satisfying to all. As a result one will never have the support of all of the people all of the time.” He added: “However, in the recent past, this incarnation of the WICB has had to endure even more verbal onslaughts than some of its predecessors.

The events that have attracted these negative outpourings have not always been the sole responsibility of the WICB, but the onus of cleaning up after the mess, falls squarely on its burdened and at times under resourced shoulders.

And this the organisation must understand.

“Having said that, one must recognise that the WICB has been less than satisfactory in other areas. The management of the business has been unprofessional, tardy or lax in many instances and this, coupled with the very public spats with our players – men and women – have activated an increase in the quantity and decibel counts of voices against the actions of the Board. “As a Director, one must listen to the voice of the people, as what we are doing, while directing a private company, impacts strongly on a public good. I have read, listened, conversed and been lectured to by many, in and out of the game, friends, complete strangers, fellow cricketers, politicians and business people. All have been driven by their waning passion for West Indies Cricket. They are not happy.

“As a result, I have decided to step back from the forest, for it seems that I need to look again at the trees. Maybe being within for the past six years, I have become lost in the forest — and what is needed is a view from another place, get another perspective.

Six million West Indians cannot be wrong.”
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Offline Sando prince

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2015, 06:06:11 PM »
Seems like his conscience finally got the better of him.

Offline weary1969

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2016, 01:58:10 PM »
Andre Baptiste is reporting that he will be showed the door. Sorry he lost his job but not crying why did he take a job with these jokers.
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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2016, 04:54:06 PM »

http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/story/1056811.html

West Indies coach Phil Simmons has been sacked due to "differences in culture and strategic approach" the WICB has confirmed.

Simmons, who move into the role after last year's World Cup following a spell with Ireland, was informed about the termination of his contract on Tuesday by WICB CEO Michael Muirhead shortly before the T20 squad was due to fly to the UAE and just six months after West Indies won the World T20.

Despite the sudden nature of the announcement, in a statement confirming the news shortly after it was revealed by ESPNcricinfo the WICB said the decision to drop Simmons was taken at the board of directors meeting last weekend. "Effectively immediately, the WICB today announced it has separated from the Head Coach Phil Simmons. In a meeting of the Board of Directors, on Saturday, September 10, this decision was taken."

As for the reason behind the sacking the WICB statement did not go into specifics. "In recent times, based on the public pronouncements of the coach and the approach internally, we have identified differences in culture and strategic approach. The WICB would therefore like to thank the coach for his contribution and wishes him the best in his future endeavours."

However, the lack of common ground between the parties had been clear for some time. Simmons' journey as West Indies coach was never smooth once he made his thoughts public soon after not being allowed to pick what he felt was the best squad for the ODI series in Sri Lanka last year. Consequently the WICB suspended him briefly before allowing him back to his role once both parties resolved to sort out matters amicably.

In September last year when the issue of selection reared its head again Simmons said: "The disappointing fact is that you can lose 3-2 in a vote-off but there is too much interference from outside in the selection of the ODI squad and it's disappointing for me to know that in any aspect of life … [people would use] their position to get people into a squad; or in this case, get people left out of a squad. It is wrong and I don't like it and that is my beef with the selection of the ODI team."

His reinstatement, the WICB said in a statement, was "conditioned upon" two criteria: "issuance to him of a letter of reprimand for his inappropriate public comments", and his "making a public apology to the WICB and persons whom he may have offended".

The recent Test series against India finished in a 2-0 defeat and under Simmons, West Indies played 14 Tests which brought only one victory although that was enough to secure a shared series against England last year. They showed glimpses of promise against India but ultimately fell to two heavy defeats - three of the nine losses while Summons has been coach were by an innings, two more by nine wickets and two by more than 150 runs.

It has been suggested that former West Indies captain and current Kent coach Jimmy Adams is the replacement the WICB wants, but sources close to Adams told ESPNcricinfo he is not interested.

For the Pakistan series, the WICB said the team would be under the supervision of former West Indies fast bowler Joel Garner, who is the team manager. He will work alongside the pair of assistant coaches Henderson Springer and Roddy Estwick.

In less than six months since West Indies won their second World T20 title, the WICB has parted ways three influential members of the team management with Simmons following the pair of Darren Sammy and Curtly Ambrose.

Immediately after the World T20, the WICB relieved Ambrose of his bowling-coach role which caught him by surprise. Then ahead of the two T20Is against India in Florida, the new selection panel led by Courtney Browne decided to remove Sammy as T20 captain and replace him with Carlos Brathwaite.

Nagraj Gollapudi is a senior assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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Offline Quags

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #6 on: September 13, 2016, 08:22:21 PM »
Good as done but not 100% official yet .

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2016, 04:38:56 AM »
Ok official now he is finished . West Indies cricket is also I think Eastwick back as coach .

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2016, 12:12:03 PM »
Cultural differences? LoL

Because he's trini ...

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2016, 04:04:36 PM »
http://newsday.co.tt/sport/0,233248.html

Muirhead says ‘division’ caused Simmons axing
JELANI BECKLES Thursday, September 15 2016

click on pic to zoom in

CHIEF EXECUTIVE Officer of the West Indies Cricket Board Michael Muirhead tried to clear the air as to why Phil Simmons was controversially relieved of his duties as coach of the West Indies team, admitting that there was division between the former coach and the WICB in the direction of West Indies cricket.

Simmons was fired as coach of the West Indies team after 18 months on Tuesday, with the WICB stating in a release that, “In a meeting of the Board of Directors, on Saturday, September 10, this decision was taken (to fire Simmons).

In recent times, based on the public pronouncements of the coach and the approach internally, we have identified differences in culture and strategic approach.

The WICB would therefore like to thank the coach for his contribution and wishes him the best in his future endeavours.” One of the policies of the West Indies Cricket Board that Simmons did not necessarily agree with was West Indies players were required to play in regional tournaments to be eligible to play for the senior team.

Concerning this matter Muirhead said, “That was a rule and he wanted us to address that and we were looking at it but it is not something that was immediate because we had our symposium and eligibility came up as to what makes you eligible to play. He may have his views on it but we need to be united as a management team whether it be team management or secretariat team, but management must come together and we have to put forward one position and when we have division in management then we have breakdown in everything.” There has been many changes in West Indies cricket over the last year. Clive Lloyd was removed as chairman of selectors, while Courtney Walsh (former West Indies selector) accepted a job as Bangladesh bowling coach recently. Sir Curtly Ambrose was replaced by Roddy Estwick as West Indies bowling coach and Darren Sammy was replaced by Carlos Brathwaite as West Indies T20 captain.

Asked whether the constant change of personnel recently will be an unsettling experience for the team and a concern for the West Indies cricket fans Muirhead said, “Not only the West Indies public (is concerned) I am very concerned. We are number eight and we are still at number eight in two formats of the game. We were at number nine that is why we did not qualify for the Champions Trophy so it is of great concern to all that we have not moved and I think as we find the right combination it will lift the team.” Muirhead explained that all variables need to be looked at such as the available talent, developing talent, quality of coaches and leadership of coaches to determine why we are not moving up the ladder in the rankings.

West Indies have been succeeding in T20 cricket but have been below par in Test and One Day International (ODI) cricket. “We are doing well in T20 but that it is not enough for us we need to make sure that we establish ourselves in the cricket world which is really defined by ODI and Tests.” The WICB CEO added that its hierachy was also at loggerheads with the former coach over his training methods. In an interview with Sportsmax yesterday, he said officials wanted a more uptempo training session than what the ex-Ireland coach was conducting.

He noted that with poor Test and ODI results, it only confirmed their belief that his training methods were not getting the best out of the team. Muirhead did not address though why Simmons’ results were blamed on his training methods and not the Windies policy of not picking its best team due to the policy by Director of Cricket Richard Pybus to deem persons not competing in the regional tournaments ineligible for the West Indies in that format.

Henderson Springer and Roddy Estwick will act as the interim coaches of the regional team while a replacement is chosen for Simmons.



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Offline Sando prince

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2016, 12:28:29 PM »

it was predictable

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #11 on: January 10, 2017, 02:58:36 PM »
http://www.espncricinfo.com/westindies/content/story/1076727.html


Darren Bravo has been omitted by the defending champions Trinidad & Tobago from their squad for the Nagico Super50 tournament starting on January 24. He was served notice by the WICB to meet with them following a breach of contract last November and the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board has said they would rule on Bravo only after he sat down with the WICB.

"In furtherance to the team for the Super 50 do note that Darren Bravo's availability is dependent on the outcome of his pending meeting with the WICB," TTCB chief executive Suraj Ragoonath said.
Bravo's exclusion from the T&T squad has come after he made "disparaging" comments about board president Dave Cameron on Twitter last year. His match contract was cancelled and he was pulled out of the West Indies ODI team which had been in Zimbabwe at the time for a tri-series with the hosts and Sri Lanka.
In November, Cameron told Sports Max TV, a Caribbean television network, that Bravo was offered a grade C contract (the lowest of five grades) because of his declining averages over the last two years. He also questioned how a player would be motivated if he continued getting a grade A contract despite a slip in performances.
Bravo responded by tweeting: "You hav been failing 4 d last 4yrs. Y don't u resign and FYI I've neva been given an A contract. Big idiot @davec51."

In December, the WICB invited Bravo for a meeting to determine the way ahead. However, sources close to Bravo at the time indicated he did not oblige and instead served a legal notice to the WICB for dropping him from the Zimbabwe tour. Neither the WICB nor Bravo have revealed anything on subsequent developments.

T&T had won the title in 2015-16 with considerable help from Bravo, who was the top-scorer of the tournament with 274 runs in three matches, including a 97 in the final. His contributions offset the fact that big players like Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Samuel Badree, Sunil Narine and Lendl Simmons were unavailable last season and remain so in 2016-17 as well.
Squad: Denesh Ramdin, Kyle Hope, Evin Lewis, Kjorn Ottley, Jason Mohammed, Nicholas Alexis, Roshon Primus, Ravi Rampaul, Shannon Gabriel, Khary Pierre, Jon-Russ Jaggesar, Imran Khan, Sheldon Cottrell, Rayad Emrit.
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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2017, 12:01:02 PM »
all WICB BS here.
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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #13 on: April 14, 2017, 12:04:29 PM »


Former West Indies captain Viv Richards has blamed the "arrogance of administrators" involved in West Indies cricket for the failure to ensure the best players in the region remain available for international duty. Several big ticket players including Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Carlos Brathwaite, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy and Darren Bravo are currently in India to participate in the IPL even as a three-match ODI series against Pakistan gets underway on Friday in Guyana.

In the last few years a number of high profile Caribbean players declined central contracts from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), leaving them under no compulsion to appear for national duty. One of the diktats of the WICB that has irked the players is being asked to play the Regional Super50 in order to qualify for selection for ODI squad. Considering the aforesaid players all feature in domestic T20 leagues like the Big Bash, which clash with the Super50, they have refused to sign the binding WICB contract.
Richards insisted that the situation has come to pass only because members of the WICB have done a "lousy job" in creating an environment where players feel treasured by the national set-up. "When you have an arrogant administrative unit, guys are going to pick and choose," Richards told ESPNcricinfo in Mumbai on Wednesday. "We must remember that many of the players come from humble backgrounds. I have no qualms in saying this, some of these administrators think they are as important as the players on the field. They are not. It is all about the attraction of the environment that the players on the field would have created for them to be in an administrative position.

"I think it is a bigger issue than about the guys playing in our domestic competition. Most of the guys played there when they first started out, that's what they wanted to do. But when you get an administration who thinks that they are the most important entity where West Indies cricket is concerned, they better wake up. The players have done their bit in terms of their representation. We lost a series in the UAE recently [in 2016 against Pakistan], now we have lost the T20 series in West Indies to Pakistan. All this after winning the last World T20. That sends a message in my opinion that all is not well with all the players who are representing West Indies at this stage."

Having failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy in June, West Indies are currently lying ninth in the ODI rankings and face the prospect of missing out on direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup. The cut-off date for the World Cup, which will be held in England, is September 30 this year. Other than the hosts England, the top seven in the ODI rankings will get a direct berth in the World Cup. West Indies, Pakistan and Bangladesh are vying to take the seventh position to avoid being forced to play the qualifiers.
In Test cricket too, West Indies continue to founder and are in eighth spot in the rankings, only above Bangladesh who are in fact snapping at their heels, and Zimbabwe. Attendances continue to be poor back home but Richards remains hopeful of a turnaround, urging the administrators to pay heed to counsel from former greats.

"I am one of those individuals that never says never," Richards said. "I believe if we start having a little bit more respect for the individuals who would have helped the administrators into that administrative position. You have a Michael Holding, who refuses to be part of cricket in the region because of the behaviour of members at the administrative level. It hurts because we are the ones that are the trailblazers, not the ones who have come on the scene at present wanting to be administrators. We are the ones who made it attractive enough for them to administer and they have done a lousy job."
Besides keeping a close eye on West Indies cricket, Richards has stayed involved with the game in a mentorship capacity for the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL, Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash and most recently with the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League for the last two years. One of the most destructive players of all time, Richards keeps his advice simple to eager young batsmen who have sought him out during these stints.

"Some of these individuals in the coaching department are trying to enhance their product in terms of what they believe coaching is all about," he laughed. "If you look at the instinctive nature of players in T20 and the things that they do try, it is tough to coach that. So it is all about getting the guys to be mentally prepared and in a frame of mind that they understand what their duty is. This is such a great format for you to have a swing of the bat. I would have loved that more than anything else.

"Our job is to give them the confidence if necessary. It is to be brave. You will have your bad days, but in the end it is about believing in the product that you have. As they say, he who dares, wins. That sort of mentality, you can take that in, you will have success."
Gaurav Kalra is a senior editor at ESPNcricinfo. @gauravkalra75
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #14 on: April 14, 2017, 12:06:19 PM »


Cricket in the Caribbean has been "hijacked by a small clique" of people. That is the assertion of Dr Keith Rowley, the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, who is part of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that has been highly critical of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). The CARICOM has blamed the WICB for West Indies' slump in the ICC's Test and ODI rankings for more than a decade.

The CARICOM's opposition to the WICB coincided with the rise of Dave Cameron, who was unanimously re-elected for a third successive term as board president. Last year Cameron rejected the CARICOM cricket review panel's recommendation to dissolve the WICB. According to Cameron the CARICOM panel had ignored the "sweeping" changes brought in by the WICB since 2002 in its governance structure and had also failed to consult territorial boards and WICB directors before listing its findings.

The defiant attitude of Cameron and the WICB, according to Rowley, had only distracted from the real question of who owns Caribbean cricket. The CARICOM, he said, believes cricket is a public product that belongs to the people and not to the WICB.

"Caribbean cricket has been hijacked by a small clique of people who are hell bent on destroying Caribbean cricket," Rowley told the Trinidad-based TV station CNC3 TV on Wednesday. "And this is my position that unless the question is answered as to who owns that asset we spinning top in mud."

The WICB, Rowley said, had told him the board was not accountable to the CARICOM any more, considering it was now a business entity and had become West Indies Inc.

In the media release it sent out following Cameron's re-election, the WICB had spoken of its efforts to rebrand itself.
"In moving forward, the President and the team will have the new strategic plan which will facilitate improved performances at the regional and international level and explore a more robust governance system," the WICB said. "The strategy revolves around the rebranding of Cricket West Indies; the development of our commercial arm - Windies Inc; and the creation of a development foundation to finance cricket development in the region".

Rowley has questioned the basis for the change.

"I was told to my face, me and my colleague the Prime Minister of Grenada, that you all have no say in this. This is West Indies Cricket Inc. West Indies Cricket Incorporated. And it is their shareholders that they have to please. I don't know who the shareholders are, but what I do know [is] unless there are drastic changes to the current arrangements West Indies cricket will never get back to where it is expected to be."

For Rowley, in addition to the decline in West Indies cricket, the most "painful" thing was the fans moving away from the game. He gave the example of driving past Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain and being bewildered by the silence inside when a match was on.

"You know how painful it is for me. In this country lining up outside the [Queen's Park] Oval from 6'0 clock in the morning to get in. That's how cricket used to be. Barbados is playing Trinidad & Tobago and the Oval is full because you got to beat them Bajans, ha! And now, you are passing outside the Oval and you ask, "what's happening in there?" You know how painful that is."
Nagraj Gollapudi is a senior assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #15 on: June 25, 2017, 10:22:40 PM »


Bravo, lawyer says CWI failed to follow process

 
http://www.guardian.co.tt/sports/2017-06-24/bravo-lawyer-says-cwi-failed-follow-process

 
Published:
Saturday, June 24, 2017

Breaking his silence for the first time since the controversy erupted eight months ago, the 28-year-old said CWI’s only communication with him was to indicate that his contract had been terminated and to inform him of flight details home.

He said no CWI official had sought to engage him on the matter and he found this particularly disappointing since in the past his future to West Indies cricket.

“Even though you saw a tweet on my Twitter account, no one actually asked me if I did that,” Bravo told Massy United Insurance’s Line & Length Network in an exclusive interview set to be aired this weekend.

“I went to sleep the day after the tweet, woke up at 6:30 am trying to get myself ready to head to Zimbabwe for the Tri-Series an all of a sudden I saw two emails – one from Roland Holder (CWI cricket operations manager) and one from Richard Pybus (former CWI director of cricket) stating that my contract has been terminated and I was being sent home.

“The other email was from Roland Holder with my flight details but no one actually asked me anything.”

darren-bravo

He continued: “I was also given an ultimatum, after being sent home, to take down the tweet by 4 pm and apologise on twitter but at the end of the day no one can prove if Darren Bravo actually went on his Twitter account and tweeted that.

“There was no due process, there wasn’t anything. No one asked me anything. Up to this day, no one called me and asked me so it has been very disappointing.

“Yes I want to play cricket for West Indies again but at the end of the day when I step back onto the field, I want to be able to be happy, I want to be able to enjoy my cricket once more and that is probably something I have been lacking for the last year playing for West Indies.”

The impasse arose last November after Bravo rejected a downgraded central contract from CWI and president Dave Cameron subsequently said in a television interview that the player had not merited an enhanced retainer because of his “declining averages” and “poor performances.”

Cameron mistakenly inferred that Bravo had previous held a Grade A contract prompting a Twitter rant from the Trinidadian in which he labelled the Jamaican administrator “a big idiot.”

Barbadian lawyer Donna Symmonds, a member of Bravo’s legal team, said her client’s rights had been breached and said subsequent attempts to negotiate with CWI had ended in frustration.

Bravo is West Indies’ premier Test batsman, with 3400 runs from 49 Tests at an average of 40, including eight centuries and 16 half-centuries. (CMC)
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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #16 on: June 28, 2017, 11:09:40 PM »
Outside interference ...

In both our cricket and football

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #17 on: July 03, 2017, 01:07:08 AM »
Bravo told to delete "Big idiot" post

http://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/darren-bravo-told-to-delete-big-idiot-tweet-on-west-indies-chief-dave-cameron/story-Tzt22ZjA9xfhECDQwQm4OL.html

Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief executive Dave Cameron has asked left-handed batsman Darren Bravo to take down the tweet in which he labelled the administrator a ‘big idiot’, in a controversy that broke out over the contracts of West Indies cricketers.

Bravo, who has been considered as one of the best contemporary batsman in the Caribbean, did not accept the ‘C-Grade’ contract offered to him by the CWI (erstwhile West Indies Cricket Board). Cameron, on his part, had implied that Bravo’s performances at the time of offering the contract did not warrant a better pay grade. In addition, he had termed Bravo’s performances as ‘poor’.

Bravo, is the leading run-scorer for the Caribbean side in Test cricket since his debut in 2010, has not played in any format for the West Indies as well as his regional side Trinidad & Tobago since November 2016.

READ | Steve Harmison, former England bowler, reveals how he battled clinical depression

Cameron had insisted that Bravo will have to delete the tweet. He told Caribbean television network Line and Length, “Let me make it very clear: what Darren Bravo has to do first and foremost is take down the tweet. Every day that tweet stays up, it is an infraction.”

Cameron added, “Secondly, he needs to accept that he’s done something wrong and then we can move forward from there. But we’ve decided as an organisation — it came up at the board meeting — (that) we’ll put it to the disciplinary committee, let them have a look at it and determine if there is further action to be taken and how that will go. We’ll move it from there.”

Interestingly, on the same TV show, Bravo claimed this week that due processes were not followed.

“At the end of the day, no one can prove that Darren Bravo actually went on his Twitter account and tweeted that. There was no due process. No one asked me any, anything. Up to this day no one has called me and asked me anything. So it has been very disappointing,” Bravo said.

READ | Indian cricket community hails victory in ICC Women’s World Cup

Bravo, whose batting style is modelled on West Indies great Brian Lara, says he has a big role to play in revival of the sport in the Caribbean.

“I have a very important part to play in the quest to revitalise West Indies cricket in the longer format of the game. I have given up so much for West Indies cricket and the way I have been treated is like, my efforts and my energy and my whatever went all down the drain. And I don’t like the way I have been treated,” Bravo said.

However, the 28-year-old cricketer said he has signed a contract with the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and even if the door opens for him to go back to the West Indies, he will not be able to. Bravo is not likely to tour England with the West Indies in August 2017.

“There’s a question mark over that (England tour) because I’ve already signed my contract with CPL. I will be fulfilling my contract with CPL. And CPL is basically during the same time as the England tour so by all means, Darren Bravo will be playing in the CPL,” said Bravo, who plays for Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR).
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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #18 on: July 10, 2017, 12:55:20 AM »
If I was the players I would tell that house negro cameron to kiss my ass just like that house Indian BassRat

Can't stand these men, they have no conscience and no morals .... a bunch of yes men

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #19 on: July 13, 2017, 10:43:56 AM »
Bravo, Cameron mende fences?

http://newsday.co.tt/sport/0,246294.html


Bravo, Cameron mend fences
JOEL BAILEY Thursday, July 13 2017

click on pic to zoom in

THERE SEEMS to be a mending of the fences between ace Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies batsman Darren Bravo and president of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Dave Cameron, over a controversial post on Bravo’s Twitter page against the CWI head.

In November, Bravo was sent home ahead of a One Day International tri-series, involving hosts Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, following a tweet on his account which referred to Cameron as a “big idiot”.

And Bravo’s post was a response to Cameron who, on an edition of the Sportsmax Zone, said that the 28-year-old had been offered a Grade C contract due to his inconsistent returns with the bat.

The CWI immediately quashed Bravo’s contract and virtually sidelined him from First Class cricket under their auspices, while Bravo initiated legal action against the CWI, claiming damages over lost of earnings allegedly in the region of US$120,000.

During yesterday’s edition of the Sportsmax Zone, however, Bravo’s attorney Leslie Haynes confirmed that the tweet was removed and a subsequent apology was issued by Bravo, while Cameron is expected to issue a media release today in which he will atone for his ill-advised comment.

Haynes, a Queen’s Counsel, declined to reveal Bravo’s statement to Cameron, stating, “I spoke to the CEO of Cricket West Indies (Johnny Grave) who is responsible for issuing this statement. He said that this statement will be issued first thing (this) morning and I promised him not to read from the statement, to breach protocol.

“But what I can (say) is that Darren has apologised to the president for his inappropriate response, he’s apologised to all Windies cricket fans and, in retrospect, he says the statement was inappropriate.” The Queen’s Counsel added, “we have made Darren’s return to cricket a priority, and (CWI) has agreed to that. While there are other issues to be dealt with, we hope to deal with them in an amicable manner.” Asked about the factor/factors behind Bravo’s latest move, Haynes replied, “At the end of the day, common sense on all sides prevailed.” Admitting that the CWI produced a statement yesterday over the matter, Haynes related, “Essentially (Cameron) says he made an incorrect statement for which he apologises, and Darren apologises as well. Two wrongs don’t make a right.” Haynes noted that discussions took place with a number of persons over the eight-month-long saga, including president of the Caribbean Court of Justice Sir Dennis Byron; former CWI (then West Indies Cricket Board) president Ken Gordon; Deryck Murray, ex-TT Cricket Board (TTCB) president and WI wicketkeeper; and current TTCB head Azim Bassarath.

“At the end of the day, the tweet has expended its time and we were quite willing to accept (Cameron’s) statement and the president, having agreed to same, we agreed as well to take down the tweet and shake hands,” the Queen’s Counsel said. In a recent interview on Sportsmax’s Line and Length programme, Bravo argued that the CWI were yet to prove that the tweet was posted by the batsman himself. Asked to confirm if the tweet was Bravo’s doing, Haynes responded, “I don’t know.” But he does not foresee any addition punishment from CWI towards Bravo.

“How often are you going to punish someone? He was punished by being sent home, he was punished for not being eligible for selection for 242 days.

“From a legal point of view, I can say that you cannot punish someone more than once.” The lawyer ended, “there is mutual respect between the parties.

Both understand each other (and) the roles that each of them play.”
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Sammy snubs Cameron?
« Reply #20 on: September 18, 2017, 05:54:58 PM »
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/20721335/sammy-denies-giving-cwi-president-cameron-snub

Osman Samiuddin

Did Darren Sammy snub Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Dave Cameron at the post-match presentation ceremony at Gaddafi Stadium on Friday?

Sammy was a member of the World XI that played three T20s in Lahore this week, and on Friday his side lost the final game, and with it the series. Cameron was in Lahore to discuss a potential tour to Pakistan by West Indies in November.

After the game, the World-XI players lined up to receive medals from Cameron, who was part of the awards ceremony. Hashim Amla was first in line, followed by Tamim Iqbal, Paul Collingwood, David Miller and then Sammy. As Tamim received his medal, Sammy turned away before jogging off. That sequence of events could clearly be seen on broadcast footage.

Was it a snub? Not according to Sammy, who famously took a very public pop at his board in the immediate aftermath of winning the World T20 in 2016, which ultimately led to his removal from the T20 captaincy just four months later. That was part of a bitter contractual dispute between players and the board that only now seems to be coming to an end.

In July, the CWI offered "temporary amnesty" to players who earlier did not fit the selection criteria to make themselves available for ODIs. Consequently Chris Gayle is part of the West Indies limited-overs squad for the England series, which begins with the lone Twenty20 in Durham on Saturday. But Sammy, whose last match for the West Indies was the World Twenty20 final last April, has been ignored by the selectors.

Soon after the last game in Lahore, Sammy said to ESPNcricinfo that he hadn't walked away from Cameron but had instead rushed off back to the dressing room for a toilet break. It is, he added, what he also did during the PSL final, where he had led Peshawar Zalmi to the title at the same venue.

Two voices from inside the World-XI dressing room, however, say that a snub is precisely what it was. Sammy, they say, does not want to have anything to do with Cameron. Interestingly, Samuel Badree, Sammy's one-time West Indies team-mate, and a member of the World XI did accept his medal from Cameron, even though he has also in the past expressed strong reservations about Cameron.

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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #21 on: December 17, 2017, 10:57:00 PM »


Bravo gives up on WI comeback

http://www.guardian.co.tt/sports/2017-12-17/bravo-gives-wi-comeback
 

 
Published:
Sunday, December 17, 2017

T&T allrounder Dwayne Bravo is doubtful about wearing West Indies colours again. The 34-year old has not represented the regional team in T20s since September 2016 and has not played a Test match since December of 2010.
Dwayne Bravo says it is unlikely he will play for West Indies again, and sees his future solely in the various short-format leagues around the world.

After tearing his hamstring in Australia’s Big Bash League in December 2016, the Trinidadian allrounder endured a lengthy absence from all cricket. Bravo has not played for West Indies since the T20 series against Pakistan in the preceding September, and believes his chances of a recall into the team are slim.

“I am looking at these tournaments as a chance to continue playing cricket,” Bravo said. “As long as I can play cricket, I am happy. As far as internationals are concerned, I have been dropped from the West Indies team.

“I was dropped while I was fit. I don’t think now, at 34, it would make any sense coming back. I just need to see what is left for me, for my fans to see Dwayne Bravo playing cricket. That is my priority.”

Bravo has not played Test cricket for West Indies in seven years, and had not featured in an ODI since 2014. He says his absence from the game at the start of this year hurt, but he was happy to return to the T20 circuit.

Currently in Sharjah for the T10 League, Bravo is part of the Maratha Arabians as a late recruit, following Kumar Sangakkara’s withdrawal from the tournament. Earlier this year, injury forced Bravo to miss the 2017 IPL, but he has gone on to play in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

“I didn’t play for nine months [seven months],” Bravo said. “That is a lot. I missed the game and I have to be careful now. Playing BPL, we made it to the semi-finals. Unfortunately we didn’t make it all the way through, but I am happy to be playing again.”

Bravo has played more T20 matches (364) than anyone other than his former West Indies team-mate Kieron Pollard (399). Perhaps predictably, Bravo has also adapted quickly to the even shorter 10-over format.

Bravo, who was one of the victims in Shahid Afridi’s hat-trick on the opening night of the competition, found his range with the ball on day two in Sharjah. He took 2 for 12 off his two overs, as Maratha Arabians secured their first win in the competition against Team Sri Lankan Cricke
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Re: Pull stones from the WICB
« Reply #22 on: March 02, 2018, 06:25:51 PM »


Caricom eyes ICC to pressure CWI

TT Guardian

 



Rosemarie Sant
Published:
Friday, March 2, 2018

Heads of the government of the Caribban Community want legislative best practice arrangements put in place for West Indies cricket which “is fast becoming a depleted stock,” and to this end a team which will be headed by St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonzalves who now heads CARICOM’s cricket sub-committee and Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley will be meeting with officials of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in April in London.

Speaking on his return home on Wednesday night from a CARICOM meeting in Haiti, Dr Rowley said regional heads long concerned about the declining state of WI cricket had sought the legal advice of two senior counsel and their advice is - “that West Indies cricket is a public good.”
Rowley said leaders had - “adopted” the advice and “ will know inreract with West Indies cricket as a public good.” He explained that public good is personal pride that emanates from the success of West Indies cricket, it is “something that is enjoyed by all without anyone putting anything into it, and even those who put into it can enjoy it because it is available to everyone,” he said.
Rowley said currently, “West Indies cricket is run by a company based in the Cayman Islands and the products of the legacy of West Indies cricket is fast becoming a depleted stock.”
Regional leaders he said will now approach the ICC which runs international cricket and indicate to them the adoption of the position - “of the public good,” - and “the desperate urgency that is required for West Indies cricket to be saved by this legislative approach,”

He made it clear that Caribbean leaders have “no interest or desire” to manage West Indies cricket or the West Indies cricket team, but they do want to “intervene” to protect the public good by ensuring that there is “legislative best practice standard arrangements, by which this public good could be managed” and that the “value of the legacy can be protected and that there can be a future for West Indies cricket.”
The T&T Prime Minister said regional leaders are hoping that ICC officials will meet with them so that they can make their case on the “urgency that is required for West Indies cricket to be saved.”
Talks to stem the decline of West Indies cricket he said had become even more urgent given the dismal showing by WI cricketers in the qualifiers for the upcoming series “and losing to Afghanistan.”
Rowley said CARICOM leaders “are of the view that we cannot stand idly by and be told to mind our own business,” given the stake which they have in the game, “which is part of our heritage.”

He lamented that the failure of West Indies cricket today represented the “failure of the management of our own affairs because we do not have the proper regulatory and legislative framework to do that.” He said Cricket West Indies had apprached regional heads to appoint someone to sit on the Board “of what passes now for West Indies cricket,” but CARICOM leaders had declined the request.
Rowley said despite their concerns regional governments have no authority to dissolve the cricket board “we did not appoint them, this evolved over time,” and “if we go like a bull in a china shop in righteous indignation we could find ourselves running afoul of the ICC,” which could be detrimental to West Indies cricket, “that’s why we are going to talk to the ICC to make the necessary adjustments.”
Rowley said he was certain that “those who wish us well. All the cricketing world want West Indies cricket returned to where it used to be.”

Caribbean governments do not make direct financial contributions to West Indies cricket, but Rowley said regional governments do fund and support cricket as a popular sport through the school system, “most of what goes into the game at the youth level is state funded, many of the venues are state owned and therefore the state has a big stake in cricket.”
 
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