To the WICB this was another major blow to its shredded profile, one that could cost it millions of dollars and only serves to confirm its reputation as the most dysfunctional board in world cricket. Tens of millions of dollars of debt it had run up was cleared by the World Cup last year, but its finances remain parlous and it is in no position to take hits on this scale.
In a fit of greed, the WICB tried to pull in millions from Stanford, in effect selling the same product twice. All it achieved was to upset both sides. And given that without Digicel and Stanford it is financially unsustainable, the board's gamble almost defies belief.
In return for its investment, Digicel has little to show for its investment other than a succession of battles with the WICB. Bizzarely, it and not the WICB takes the flak for much that happens, and even after yesterday's decision, much of the feedback accused Digicel of corporate greed in taking the WICB to court.
The sight of Tony Deyal, the man who was until July the WICB's corporate secretary, giving evidence against the board highlighted how shambolic and self-interested the whole set-up has become. In his role, Deyal must have been privy to the inner discussions surrounding both deals, yet here he was giving evidence against the organisation that employed him until three months ago.
Deyal is suing the WICB for unfair dismissal, but he had a much bigger impact by revealing the inner workings of the executive. It should ensure that Hunte and Donald Peters, the board's chief executive, stand down sooner rather than later. There can be no other outcome for leading West Indies cricket into such an expensive and completely avoidable farrago.
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