Cricket Conversations

Garner for Manager? You must be joking

2009-11-03T10:42:00.000-08:00

The WICB has announced that Joel Garner will manage the side to Australia. This is madness and could be quite disastrous. What is the purpose of this appointment? To put pressure on Gayle and the players? That would be unwise! To undermine the players? That would be stupid.

Have we learnt anything from our past experiences? Does anyone remember that disastrous "A" team tour when Garner was Manager when discipline went through the window?

This is a provocative and ill conceived move by the Board.

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Murray stumped!

2009-11-03T10:31:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the "Movement for Change". It took them 4 years to find out what many knew about Deryck Murray and his administration. They benefited from the Lequay development program but took all of the credit. Hopefully, those skilled persons who were unceremoniously removed at the beginning of the Murray administration would be reinstated.

Ramkisson and Sammy will be valued members of the WICB.

However, Mr. Bassarath and his team should be careful of those with well known prejudices who will do their best to create mischief and derive maximum benefit for themselves.

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Our Curators Do Not Have A Clue About What They Are Doing!

2009-07-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

The disappointment of West Indies' defeat in the series opener was not confined to their performance. They didn't get the pitch they wanted. This, despite the curator Richard LeTang's assertion that spinners would have a hard time on the Windsor Park track in response to West Indies coach John Dyson's call for a "hard, pacy and bouncy wicket." Instead, the track was not unlike the ones used in the Tests, where Bangladesh's spinners thrived and ultimately won their team its first series overseas.

Sheer guess work. Our curators are really groundsmen who have no clue about what they are doing. This goes for Andy Robers and the lot of them.

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WICB Elections

2009-07-24T12:55:00.000-07:00

Heard that a Lloyd/Murray ticket will challenge Hunte/Cameron. The ticket is now seeking support which may not be forthcoming from a surprising quarter.

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Lloyd Speaks His Mind...

2009-07-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

According to Lloyd, the leading West Indies players had become too "greedy" for their own good and their performances failed to measure up to the "obscene" amount of money they are getting paid. "When you say the West Indies team is going to withdraw from a series it is not that they are short of money. We have players who are millionaires with an average of 15.00 and they are a first-team pick," he said.

I could not agree with him more. I am siding with WICB on this one! It is clear to me that money is more important than the pride in representing your territory. Left to WIPA, there would be no money for development, all will go into the pockets of the players whose performance does not match their greed.

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Cozier and the Selectors' Merry-go-Round

2009-06-21T05:43:00.000-07:00

Such is the way of the modern world of international cricket that the West Indies hop right back onto the merry-go-round on Friday for the first of four ODIs in Jamaica. The selectors have come up with a squad that reflects a mental state of confusion, presumably triggered by events in England.

A good piece by Tony Cozier.

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West Indies Squad for First 2 ODIs

2009-06-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

West Indies: Chris Gayle (capt), Denesh Ramdin (wk), Lionel Baker, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Sulieman Benn, David Bernard, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Runako Morton, Ravi Rampaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jerome Taylor.

Good to see Bernard and Morton in the squad. I cannot understand how Rampaul has become a specialist one day player and almost a sure pick. I am at a loss to understand the sacking of Simmonds and Sammy. The selectors are making the same mistake they did when picking Pollard on the basis of his four-day performance by picking Darren Bravo on the basis of his four-day performance - which actually declined towards the end of the Tournament. Anyway, I wish young Bravo well.

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Ponting on the Axing of Symonds

2009-06-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

"This is not wholly and solely about Andrew Symonds. This is about the Australian cricket team. We've got some young guys who are just finding out what international cricket is all about. This is about the bigger picture and bringing on the next generation of Australian players."

Perhaps Gayle and the like can learn something here.

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The Disrespect for Women's Cricket Continues Unabated

2009-05-25T17:27:00.001-07:00

The WICB announced the following Women Management Team for the 20/20 Tournament: Sherwin Campbell, Coach; Patricia Greenidge, Team Manager, Physiotherapist Jacqueline King-Mowatt, and fitness and conditioning co-ordinator Shannon Lashley.

Am I missing something or are all these Barbadians? Is there no other capable person in the entire region. The Board continues to ignore those persons who have given their all for Women's Cricket and appointed someone who is not known to the Women's Federation as Team Manager, compounding the insult of the appointment of a Secretariat Staff to the recently concluded Women's World Cup.

Nobody seems to care!

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West Indies Were Awful!

2009-05-25T07:46:00.000-07:00

As good as England were, though, West Indies were awful. Their shot selection was woeful, the running poor and the general application gave a further impression of a team that isn't bothered. The decision to rest Fidel Edwards was also strange on one of the quickest pitches of the season so far. If Gayle can turn on the style in Birmingham they could yet level the series, but don't bet on it.

I have generally been impressed with Dyson, but anyone would look good after Bennett Kings and his sidekick. I am also very convinced about the skills, particularly the fielding skills, of David Williams. However, something is not right. It is easy to blame the coaching staff but I have this feeling that the Captain is a major contributing factor in the apparent motivational decline of the team.
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How do you play good swing bowling?

2009-05-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

This was a question raised on another blog.

The answer is very simple actually. You practice, and practice....

Buy several dozen swing-kings from Australia. Or, tape one side of a soft ball, or shave one side of a tennis ball. Any of these would cause the ball to swing prodigiously. Use regularly in the nets or on a tarmac and I guarantee that our batters will significantly improve their ability to handle swing and our bowlers would be better equipped to control the swing.

But, should not our coaches know this already? Says a lot about our coaches!

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Fazeer Calls on Gayle to Resign, Now!

2009-05-13T01:24:00.000-07:00

We have a WICB president who isn't sure what's at stake in England, and a captain who views the responsibilities of leadership as a burden that he is more than ready to give up.

With leadership comes responsibility and expectations that extend well beyond the boundary ropes, and having made crystal clear that these are burdensome and uncomfortable, he should be prepared to function as a regular player from tomorrow morning.

What message is he sending to his team-mates when, as also appears in the Guardian interview, he not only gripes about wanting to give up the job, but harps on the fact that it was only at the insistence of unnamed officials (selectors? President? CEO?) that he accepted the position in the first place?

I could not agree more! I said it before, West Indies Cricket is slowly dying, leadership at all levels is non-existent. We are in some serious trouble.
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Gayle to Quit Captaincy?

2009-05-12T16:06:00.000-07:00

Read the story here!

At a time when we need to be positive we get this hogwash of negativity from our Captain. Not a good sign at all...

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LLoyd Hits Out...

2009-05-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

Lloyd hinted he was not entirely convinced at the reasons offered by the West Indies board for Bravo's continued participation for the Mumbai Indians while the Test series in England proceeds. Note: Is Lloyd not a member of the said Board?

He was also sceptical of Gayle's argument that the springtime pitch conditions in England contributed to his side's heavy defeat at Lord's. "They've been playing county cricket a month before that," he said. "It's a matter of getting here early, getting in your nets, working hard at your fielding and your batting. It's Test cricket - you have to be at your best. It's a Test of your character and your skills. That's why it's called a Test match. You've got to be on top of your game."

Source: cricinfo.com
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A Media With No Independent Thought

2009-05-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

Copy cat media! That is what we have in the region. No independent thinking; no sense of identity. They copy whatever is written elsewhere (the insults; the mistakes)and reproduce them.

I just read a piece on sportsmax.tv about the Manny Pacquiao decisive victory over Ricky Hatton. The article is laced with insults to the Philippino people.

- the impoverished nation celebrated Pacquiao's emphatic win;
- a gun-ridden metropolis of 12 million (referring to Manila);
- Pacquiao's dirt-poor home city of General Santos, while in Manila's depressed Tondo area another 2,000 people packed an airless gym to watch the fight;
- ..Philippines, often a victim of natural disasters, political upheaval and corruption and whose already struggling economy....

Was all of this garbage necessary on an occasion like this?

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Donald Peters "Pushed" Out

2009-05-03T04:39:00.000-07:00

In what should come as no surprise to cricket watchers, the WICB announced that it has accepted, with some amount of glee I may add, the resignation of Dr. Donald Peters as CEO. Peters' tenure was a comedy of errors, missteps and misstatements. The last straw was the ill advised public criticism of his own Board.

The quick acceptance of his resignation and his immediate departure speaks volumes.

I am anxious to see whether nepotism or objectivity wins out in appointing a replacement. In the mean time, I wish Stephen Camacho the very best.

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2009-04-23T02:01:00.000-07:00

"We've got a number of options for our pace attack," Dyson. "I've said to the guys on several occasions that all spots are up for grabs. We've got three games and those that perform in those three games can look with confidence at selection for the Test side."

Source: http://content.cricinfo.com/engvwi2009/content/current/story/401047.html

Let's see if he will keep his word.

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ICC Pitch Consultant Slams Dead Pitches

2009-04-09T05:29:00.000-07:00

Andy Atkinson, the ICC's pitch consultant, has warned that pitches around the world are becoming too batsman-friendly, largely because of the volume of cricket played.

Several Test matches this year have been dominated by high-scoring draws, notably in Karachi and Barbados, which produced first-innings totals of 600 and 700. Atkinson believes the increase in one-day and Twenty20 cricket has affected the skill of producing surfaces that promote an even battle.

He may be correct about Karachi but not Barbados. That pitch has hardly seen any cricket since CWC 2007. The quality of the pitch in Barbados (and Antigua and perhaps even Trinidad) had more to do with ignorance or incompetence.

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Peters criticises his own Board

2009-04-03T03:00:00.000-07:00

A column in the online edition of the Trinidadian Guardian today reports that "(Donald) Peters made several suggestions but the main and most riveting comments were that he was not happy with the functioning of the board and that he believed that the WICB as it was structured now was ineffective and needed to be replaced by another structure that was more accountable, responsible and relevant in today’s conditions.

He conceded that the board would not disband or restructure itself and wondered how and who could implement the change. He thought that some members, though he did not name any of them, had their own agendas which were not necessarily or primarily for the benefit of West indies cricket. Too many mistakes are being made and nobody is ever held responsible or accountable for those".

Very strange and ill advised comments from an employee of the Board. Of course, Peters is passing the buck and not accepting responsibility for anything. One wonders what is his role as CEO and, given all of his recent media gaffes, whether he can keep his job.

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Andy Roberts to Run Bowling Clinics?

2009-03-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

According to a report on windiescricket.com - http://snipurl.com/evknq - Andy Roberts will be conducting a series of fast bowling clinics throughout the region.

The idea of restarting these clinics is good but the proposers need to look at what transpired in the past and do not make those same mistakes. It did not work with Andy in the past and would not work now! Andy may have been a great West Indian icon but he has done nothing in his coaching career (at the West Indies, Antigua or Leeward levels) to give anyone confidence that he is able to develop fast bowlers.

The WICB and local boards should use Andy as an advisor and find a coach who understands basic biomechanics and who can plan, execute and report.

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Lula: White Crisis

2009-03-28T16:54:00.000-07:00

More problems with West Indies Cricket. But what's new? Lula's impressive, factual, bold statement:

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said the world's poor people should not be forced to pay for the global financial crisis.

President Lula said white, blue-eyed people - not Indians, nor black, nor poor people - had created and spread the crisis throughout the world.

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Dinas' Conflict of Interest?

2009-03-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

But Ramnarine’s decision to quit his seat on the West Indies board was largely self-serving. During the New Zealand tour he set up, with the players’ blessing, the West Indies Players’ Management Company, of which he is the sole director. This makes him the players’ agent, and he thereby stands to gain from their involvement in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The crux of the dispute is Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor being allowed to miss the tour of England in May to play a full season of the IPL, an issue that may be resolved if the tournament is cancelled for security reasons.

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Dinas Resigns. First Class Players go on Strike.

2009-03-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

Citing a host of outstanding issues, Dinas yesterday announced his resignation as Director of the WICB. Of the several issues listed in his press release, none specifically referred to the IPL but my understanding was that was what broke the "camel's back". The IPL clashes with the upcoming tour of England.

It is my understanding that WIPA is against the tour going forward as it would like its members to be available for the full IPL season. (Three WI players are contracted to IPL). Is this, therefore, all about money, individual profit over regional cricket? Or is WIPA's concern that the WICB has not been negotiating in good faith a genuine concern?

The immediate fallout is that the First Class Players are now on strike; the Digicel reception in Guyana was boycotted by the Players; and we are playing the current ODI with masking take over the Digicel logo on the left arm.

So, when we just begin to feel that our cricket and cricketing relationships are about to turn the proverbial corner, this happens.

I am tired with the blame game, and would not even go there.

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Whither Women's Cricket?

2009-03-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

Four years ago West Indies women were on the crest of a wave. Their success in the World Cup in South Africa had earned them an automatic place in this year's trophy.

With a young nucleus, keen coach and number of matches on the increase, it will be interesting to see where West Indies will stand by 2013. With the full support of the WICB, they could do their nation proud - and this time their countrymen may pay more attention. Source: Cricinfo

Our girls won one (1) match of the Women's World Cup 2009. We would need more respect for women's cricket and enlightened management on the part of WICB if women's cricket is to develop, even to the level of four years ago. I am not hopeful that the region will take note of our performance at the World Cup; just as the issues of mismanagement leading up to the World Cup was ignored.

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West Indies Board to Blame for Antigua Farce

2009-02-25T09:25:00.000-08:00

Source: http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/current/story/392295.html

The West Indies Cricket Board was responsible for the shambles of the abandoned Test at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium, according to the ICC chief executives' committee. The announcement came after the second day of their meeting in Johannesburg.

The executive committee reconfirmed that the responsibility for ensuring the delivery of a venue fit for the purpose of international cricket rested with the host member board. Until now, the WICB has been reluctant to accept that it and not the local board was at fault for not ensuring the venue was up to standard.

The committee recommended that from now on all boards would be required to notify the ICC in February of each year the identity of all venues they intended to use for international matches in the following 12 months. This would need to be accompanied by a declaration that the grounds were up to standards already agreed by the ICC.

With regards to the outfield in Antigua, this is currently the subject of an ICC investigation and the WICB has been asked to submit its own report. The ICC has the power to impose a sanction ranging from a warning or a fine up to a suspension of international status for the venue.

NOTE: This flies in the face of statements by Dr. Peters seeking to cast blame on LICA and the ABCA. In an interview I heard him saying words to the effect that the WICB leases the ground from the local Board whose responsibility it is to deliver it in good condition. He is either being evasive or he does not know and understand how these thing work. Or perhaps he is looking for a scapegoat. What do you have Cricket Operations Officers for? What do you have a Ground Committee for? Why do you spend money on recees?

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Several Stand to Lose Money Invested with Stanford

2009-02-18T18:56:00.000-08:00

Several West Indians players, including Shiv, as well and Garner and Gibbs stand to lose their investment with Stanford.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-1149423/West-Indian-winners-miss-Stanford-millions-following-fraud-probe.html

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Stanford Stumped!

2009-02-18T05:20:00.000-08:00

Read it here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/business/18stanford.html

An interesting note is that the whereabouts of Stanford is uncertain. I can hear the legends now - "yeah, yeah..."

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Donald Peters at it again

2009-02-18T02:43:00.000-08:00

Dr. Donald Peters as quoted by the Antigua Sun (online edition, February 18):

“The question about what happened has been asked of me over 100 times,” he said. “But I am choosing to look forward. There is a lot of blame to go around.

“At this point, it has happened, we will ensure it does not happen again, but it was great that everybody threw their weight behind getting the Antigua Recreation Grounds ready, and maybe down the line, in the next six months or so, we can probably look at what happened and make sure it does not happen again.

“We will investigate all of the processes and find out where the lapses were, and when we have found this out, we will put systems in place to deal with them. We will get an independent person to do this. Not a WICB person.”

I would have thought that the situation was serious enough to warrant an immediate investigation. Dr. Peters obviously does not agree. No doubt he will be attending all the matches as a first priority. Then perhaps, along with the Stanford situation, everything will be forgotten. He will probably travel to England during the next tour and then there is Cricket again in the West Indies and....

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A Bunch of Ignoramuses

2009-02-14T05:34:00.000-08:00

The WICB continues to amaze and amuse. The recent debacle in Antigua boggles the mind that we could have such incompetents managing our cricket. This is an international game and the blame must be laid fairly and squarely on the Board and Secretariat, not LICA. There was a time when the Board was blamed for not hiring "cricketers". These are the same individual running things now. What is their excuse?

The Antigua Sun reported that "during an interview with ZDK’s Patricia Benjamin on Tuesday, ("Kuma" ) Rodney (Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association) admitted that the growth of the grass at the facility is not what he had expected but that the other aspects of the preparation at the facility were in “near” perfect conditions.

“The grounds, sometime after Romantic Rhythms, was taken up and redone and, right now, you can almost call it perfect. The growth of the grass, to be honest, is not what we had really expected but the ground is still in a nice playable condition,” he said.

He must have had his head in the proverbial sand or somewhere else!

This is just one in a string of embarrassments. We remember the President's officegate affair, the CEO nonsensical babbling and, what the media has been silent on, the continued insult to women's cricket in terms of the appointments of the management team to the World Cup...

The show goes on. Believe me, this will not be the last such episode.

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WPA VP Hinds Slams WICB CEO

2009-02-04T03:16:00.000-08:00

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=161434157

Statements attributed to the chief executive officer of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Dr Donald Peters, have prompted public condemnation by the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), in particular vice-president Wavell Hinds.

Commenting on the lack of remuneration for first-class cricketers in the Caribbean, Peters was quoted as saying:

"The cricketers should not have to live with that situation but sometimes they are their own worst enemy. The West Indies Players Association (WIPA) has worked against them in terms of expanding the realm of professional cricket."

The statement was part of an article that was examining the state of West Indies cricket.

"Erroneous and shocking" was the way Hinds, through the WIPA release, reacted to the comments.

Hinds added: "We at WIPA will not highlight what we see as the many acts and omissions on the part of the WICB, since the assumption of duty of the CEO, which appear to have been costly and may have undermined confidence among several stakeholders, including the players themselves, sponsors and the public at large."

WIPA through their vice-president said they regretted that such an "incorrect and bizarre characterisation of players and their association should emanate from a very senior official of the WICB with whom WIPA interfaces on a regular basis to deal with, inter alia, players' contracts, other playing conditions and related cricketing matters."

The release ended: "Mr Hinds, therefore, finds the statement of the WICB's CEO particularly disturbing and in total conflict with the terms of conduct agreed to by both parties and hopes that it will not affect immediate or future relations between the WICB and WIPA."

I WISH IF THE MEDIA COULD TREAT THE PLIGHT OF OUR WOMEN'S CRICKETERS WITH THE SAME ENTHUSIASM AS THEY DO MEN'S CRICKET

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The Insult to Women's Cricket Continues

2009-02-02T07:20:00.000-08:00

It was with some disgust that I learnt of the surreptitious appointment of a junior employee of the WICB as the Manager of the West Indies Women Cricket Team which leaves these shores in a few weeks for the Women's Cricket World Cup. This has nothing to do with the appointee herself whom I consider a friend and whom I had recruited. It is with the process and the continued insult to Women's Cricket, Women Cricketers and those who struggled over the years for the development of Women's Cricket. One would have thought that an event of this nature would require the appointment of someone with experience and expertise in Women's cricket matters.

The unceremonial dumping of the former President of the Women's Cricket Federation as Manager without explanation adds insult to injury; it is my understanding that the Board was unaware of the decision taken by the Secretariat management. This on top of the fact that the WICB ignored the Federation's recommendation for Coach and Physio. The entire management team now consists of persons with little or no background in women's cricket!

There was a song on the radio this morning which speaks to this situation: "no one want to plant the corn, everybody want to raid the barn". This is exactly what is happening and women's cricket can only suffer!

The WICB's Women Committee, if it still exists, should resign en bloc.

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WICB Passing the Buck?

2009-01-20T03:16:00.001-08:00

I do not agree with Tony Cozier too often, but he has a piece that is quite interesting. Read it here: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=161427625.

"EVEN by the known standards of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), the statements by its chief executive in Port of Spain last week touched a new height of illogic and arrogance.

Donald Peters basically placed the blame for the recent loss of sponsors on the players and portrayed the continuation of the one-day tournament and the expansion of the first-class series, in spite of it, as some sort of triumph for the board.

Here is how he put it in an interview with the Trinidad Guardian: "I have already told the West Indies cricketers that they must start winning in order to help us in attracting sponsors. When this happens everybody wants to come on board and this would put us in a better position given the current financial crisis around the world."

He continued: "I am happy to announce that this money being used to run the regional first-class series is not from a loan but from our resources that we have put away, in order to keep our cricket going. This will tell you that the board is a well-financed and well-run unit and is not being mismanaged."

Somehow, the responsibility of his board and of its affiliates to properly prepare those cricketers to "start winning" escaped him.

He ignored its failure to get the long-promised Academy, and its several off-shoots, up and operational after several missed deadlines.

December 15 last was the latest given by him; now his president, Julian Hunte, puts it at the end of this year. While West Indies cricket continues to wait, the rest of the world marches on.

There was no mention, either, of the scheduling of first-class matches on third-class grounds; last season's embarrassing cancellation of an 'A' team match against an international touring team; the lack of coordinated coaching programmes; and any one of the several administrative hindrances that have led to the weakest domestic competition in memory and the subsequent inability to produce winning teams.

To Peters, the fact that the WICB has had to use a sizeable chunk of its dwindling finances to fund what were the KFC Cup and the Carib Beer series is proof that "the board is a well-financed and well-run unit and is not being mismanaged".

It is no such thing. Instead, it reveals the understandable aversion of sponsors to any involvement with an organisation so prone to chaos and controversy.

The level of disdain reached by those who have backed West Indies cricket with their millions was typified by the strong words of Denis O'Brien, the chairman of Digicel, last November. O'Brien's .... told the media: "I am greatly perturbed by the behaviour of the president and the chief executive officer. I think that both of them really need to really withdraw."

Of course, neither has. That is the way of the Caribbean.

Instead, Peters has remained to conveniently pass the buck."

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Patterson Committee lashes out at the WICB

2008-12-06T07:03:00.000-08:00

Source: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20081206/sports/sports2.html

In a four-page letter - which was copied to the media - signed by Patterson, Sir Alister McIntyre and Dr Ian McDonald and addressed to West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president, Dr Julian Hunte, the committee members expressed their disappointment with the WICB hierarchy.

In its letter, the committee said though they were a little late with their final report, they were initially disgusted that they did not get a chance to present or discuss it with the full board.

Now, according to the committee, "... after more than a year, the people of the West Indies are still in the dark as to the outcome of your deliberations and the consequent fate of our report. There have been innumerable comments and enquiries in the public press from players, writers and lovers of the game, to which no reply has been forthcoming from the WICB," the letter continued.

The Patterson Committee said (that) while the board rejected its recommendation to reduce the number of territorial directors, this was not communicated at the meeting in St Lucia.

"We left the meeting in St Lucia without any knowledge or intimation as to what the executive committee was likely to recommend to the full board. And we are still to hear what the board finally decided, notwithstanding your assurance that instructions had been given for this to be conveyed," the committee's letter to Dr. Hunte further stated.

The committee said the WICB failed to understand that West Indies cricket belonged to the people of the region.

"As presently structured, the WICB, as the trustees, has no obligation to account for its decisions and actions to the numerous stakeholders. Unless extensive changes are made to the existing governance structure, and soon, we fear the eventual demise of 'cricket, lovely cricket'."

In its final sentence, the committee said: "We have no interest in embroiling West Indies cricket into more controversy, but we can no longer remain silent."

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A Fit Of Greed

2008-10-08T08:11:00.000-07:00

This is Martin Williamson's take on the Digicel-Stanford fiasco:

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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http://www.amsaadigital.com

Further Humiliation for the West Indies Cricket Board

2008-10-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

Stanford 20/20 for 20 in doubt after board loses court case

The West Indies Cricket Board has lost its case with telecommunications company Digicel in London's High Court and has been forced to withdraw its sanction for the Stanford 20/20 for 20 match on November 1. As this was an arbitration, there is no recourse for the WICB to appeal.

The unquestioned losers are the WICB. Not only did the judgement go against it, it also faces having to pay costs running into hundreds of thousands of dollars, and will also forfeit the US$3.5 it stood to gain from a share of the US$20 million booty put up by Allan Stanford.

It is understood Tony Deyal, who until July was the board's corporate secretary, gave evidence for Digicel against his former employers.

WICB Signs With IHSAN Sports

2008-08-22T04:02:00.000-07:00

THE West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and IHSAN Sports International signed an agreement yesterday for the sponsorship of clothing for the regional team for the Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan next month.

IHSAN has been after this sponsorship for quite a while and has, at least for the Pakistan tour, replaced the long serving sponsor ADMIRAL. IHSAN is also the team sponsor for Jamaica.

Is there any truth in the rumor that at least one (1), probably two (2), WICB Director has interests in IHSAN Caribbean business? Who has interests in CricketGear and what is the relationship between CricketGear and Ihsan Sports?

Enquiring minds would like to know!

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"Lightening" Bolt Again

2008-08-22T04:00:00.001-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS USAIN BOLT

2008-08-17T05:49:00.000-07:00

You have made us proud Usain! I wish our cricketers and cricket administration can take a leaf from your book.

President Hunte and the OfficeGate Affair

2008-07-13T14:10:00.000-07:00

I picked up this on another blog: http://caribbeancricket.com/topic/892185

Is true wha' mi hear???

Personal property (home) get fix up under de guise of offices....to de chune of over US$200k, courtesy of WICB???

Family member named as landlord / lady to collect rent of U$6k per month paid by WICB?

CFO mek payment on verbal instruction from Prez....no have no written record to substantiate payment???

Hilaire mekking US$250k per annum to run Champions Trophy OC???

Rass bowy........dem man nah mek sport

Those who know this blogger would know that he has good sources.

This is an earlier post by another blogger:

I indicated earlier on a previous thread that will provide info on the Hunte office in SLU. Now I am reporting.

Previously a constituency off for Mr Hunte in his political life in the tpwn of Gros Islet right along the route Castries.

It is obviously from the highway that renovatons has been done to the property with cameras all round the building.

A visit inside reveals a very well laid-out classy office building with high-end furniture. Met male and female staff there sporting WICB branded clothing.

Interestingly the newest addition to staff Dr. Ernest Hilaire was in the day I visited.

Is the renovations to the building worth the allegged tab of USD150 thousnd? Well that is difficult to tell though it seem high.

Something is very wrong if all of these things are true. And the bloggers have not even looked at the political connections and accusations surrounding Dr. Hunte's tenure as UN Ambassador.

Something is fishy and it is not the fishing boats at Gros Islet!

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Julian Hunte's Lavish Office?

2008-07-05T07:07:00.000-07:00

This is an extract in today's Trinidad Guardian:

"An office in St Lucia which is used by the president of the West Indies Cricket Board, Dr Julian Hunte, is now the subject of raging controversy.

And WICB officials are calling on Dr Hunte to clear the air on the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the office.

Board members claim that some US$150,000 was spent to construct the office on property owned by Dr Hunte.

“It is not unusual for the president to have an office in the country in which he lives. But it is the first time that WICB money has been spent on a property belonging to the president for his own use,” said a Board source.

The official also claimed that Dr Hunte recently sent an invoice to the WICB claiming rent for the office during the period of his tenure.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the WICB, Dr Donald Peters confirmed that the WICB was paying for an office in St Lucia but could not verify if the building was owned by Dr Hunte.

“I am aware that the WICB has an office in St Lucia for which we are paying but I cannot say where it is located and who owns the building,” said Peters.

Another interesting development is the hiring of Ernest Hillaire to work in the president’s office in St Lucia.

Hillaire is a countryman of Dr Hunte and was among the failed candidates for the job as chief executive officer."

I happen to know that the report about the President's office is true. It is scandalous and ridiculous, smacks of nepotism, arrogance and unethical behaviour. And the CEO, who signs the cheque for the rental does not know "where it is located and who owns the building"? This smacks of incompetence. There is actually more to the CEO than meets the eye. Was Ernest hired by the President directly without Board sanction? Was the position described by the CEO advertised?

This is absolutely unacceptable!

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Darren Holder, again...

2008-06-07T01:24:00.000-07:00

'THE UNIVERSITY of T&T, Academy of Sports and Leisure has brought in two top notch Australian cricket coaches to work with youngsters in this country.

Today, coaches Darren Holder and Mike Young will be working at a community outreach programme at the Wilson Road Recreation ground in Penal from 9am to 12 noon.'

This from the Trinidad Guardian of today.

Holder has been here before and failed miserably. Although a capable and well qualified coach, his arrogant approach and poor interpersonal skills leave a lot to be desired. He has no respect for systems and procedures not conforming with his own thinking. During his tenure at the WICB, he demonstrated little regard and understanding for youth development.

I hope UTT knows what they are doing. The continued disregard for our own capable coaches continues unhindered.

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Samuels Torpedoed by his Own Board?

2008-05-18T02:33:00.000-07:00

Orin Davidson has a good piece on the Marlon Samuels affair HERE:

http://www.stabroeknews.com/?p=14536

"The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) cannot help shooting itself in the foot even if euphemism is eliminated completely from the English language.

Its latest self inflicted wound has not only seriously torpedoed the career of one of the team’s talented batsmen, but again advertised the Board as an example of how best to run one’s self into the ground.

Marlon Samuels committed a misdeed, but it is a tragedy he has to suffer as draconian a penalty as a two- year ban which the WICB allowed to be slapped on the player in the blink of an eye.

And how many more cases you have in the past of players getting caught using marijuana without having to endure anything close to a two-year ban?

Yet the WICB through its new Chief Executive Officer Donald Peters saw little problem in tipping Samuels down the cliff.

Peters, who is fast turning out to be a nightmare to West Indies cricket, following his bungling of the IPL players’ issue and for fouling up basic logistics for the recent Sri Lanka tour, claims that the Board’s hands were tied from averting the two-year ban.

If anything else, his eyes appear tied shut to the happenings in the cricket world.
For foolishly deciding to furnish Kochar with team information, Samuels deserves punishment for his action, which should’ve amounted to nothing more than a fine and or suspension for a number of games.

Instead, he faces the prospect of the loss of his career and livelihood, thanks to his ruling Board which is now crying crocodile tears of how sad they are about the player’s plight.

Samuels must now be wondering where are people like the Reverend Wes Hall when he needs them most in West Indies cricket.

Interesting read. There are many who have benefited financially from their involvement in West Indies Cricket and they have not been banned from working. Remember the Lucky Report?

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The Marlon Samuels Judgement

2008-05-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

Read it here:

http://caribbeancricket.com/news/2008/05/16/2729

I fully concur with Justice Bishop's opinion. I will single out the following paragraphs:

"My colleagues would appear to have disregarded the point, though they acknowledge that MARLON SAMUELS’ situation described a special case, but they relegated its merit to the belated stage of mitigation of sentence, rather than elevate it to the status of an impeccable factor that tested the alleged verity of the Board’s charge. An attempt by the Board to propose that the hotel bill, paid for by MR. KOCHHAR has not yet been repaid by Samuels and therefore discredits his plea of innocence, is an example of venturing into the extraneous, since one or more of several events could have contributed to SAMUELS’ failure to repay the money in reasonable time.

On the question of sentence, I had regard to the majority decision [3:1] and proposed that our tribunal should, in the strongest possible terms, frown on the concept of MANDATORY SENTENCING, in this special case of MARLON SAMUELS, where the allegation suggested a FIRST OFFENCE by a person who has many MERIT MARKS to his credit, but is established to be wanting in capacity to commit the act alleged against him. The fact of a money payment was not enough to establish the Board’s case. More relevant evidence was required but nothing more was presented."

I can see nothing in this report to warrant a 2 year ban. Based on the flimsy evidence, most of us, including many who sit in judgment, would be behind bars. I am not surprised with the majority decision led by Justice Saunders. I expect nothing better from him. I am surprised that Riche was part of that majority. And I applaud the position of Justice Bishop.

http://www.amsaadigital.com

Richie on the Marlon Samuels Ban

2008-05-17T06:42:00.000-07:00

Richie Richardson on the Marlon Samuels Decision:

“I’m very disappointed. I’ve had sleepless nights after that hearing. I think what happened is unfortunate,” Richardson said on Thursday.

“Based on what I heard and the evidence I heard at that hearing, it is my opinion that nothing that Marlon Samuels did or was involved with would have warranted him being banned for two years.”

The disciplinary committee was headed by Justice Adrian Saunders, who I have little regard for. They may have made a decision on the basis of legalities that only they understand. Jurists tend to be impersonal and are not equipped to deal with matters of this nature. Stacking the deck with 3 jurists could lead to no other result.

http://www.amsaadigital.com

The Marlon Samuels Saga

2008-05-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

A very sad saga indeed. Or perhaps a long road to self-destruction. I certainly feel for the young man and wonder if the cricketing authorities have not contributed to his demise.

The Jamaican cricket authorities are always protective of their players, casting aside any criticism as biased against Jamaicans. I recall also that the then President of the WICB, Rev. Wes Hall, intervened to block Marlon's expulsion from a Tour to India for indiscipline when Viv was Chairman of Selectors.

The Jamaican Authorities need to do some introspection. This incident, plus the illegal bowling situations involving Marlon and Jermaine Lawson are cases in point. They also need to watch the development of young Marshall carefully.

I hope that Marlon can be rehabilitated and that some opportunity would be available for him to play some cricket and earn a living (perhaps the ICL?). We should not allow him to deteriorate as has happened to other well know ex-players.

http://www.amsaadigital.com/

When Are We Going To Stop......

2008-05-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

There is a piece in the online edition of Fox Sports about the Australians in Jamaica. Among other things the article reported that:

"As with any tour of the caribbean, there was also the usual run of minor mishaps.

The bowling machine broke down before even delivering a ball. After a few puzzled looks, team management eventually got the message across to ground staff that a new fuse was needed.

It was to no avail though. The same groundsman sent to find a new fuse was reportedly seen scratching around under the bonnet of a car shortly after, with the bowling machine still out of commission by the end of practice."

When are we going to stop embarrassing ourselves in the eyes of the world?

http://www.amsaadigital.com

Sri Lanka Already Building for CWC 2011

2008-04-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

"There are a lot of youngsters, and what we are trying to do is develop a team for the next World Cup. We are going to try a few guys, some exciting youngsters. We want to be competitive against West Indies and see where we are in terms of our preparation for the World Cup." Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lankan captain

Can the same be said for the West Indies? Perhaps, but doubtful. I hope they are not yet again spitting in the wind as they did with selecting Pollard and Simmonds for CWC 2007 and forgetting about then immediately thereafter.

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Poor Oval Attendance = Wasted CWC 2007 Opportunity

2008-04-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

The poor attendance for the second Digicel Test match at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain has been blamed on the declining standard of West Indies cricket.

Official figures produced by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board showed that 8,100 tickets were sold for the opening day on Thursday and another 7,800 sold for the second day.

Of that figure, 6,000 were taken up by Queen's Park Cricket Club for their members. The venue has a capacity of approximately 18,000.

This, I submit, is a clear indication of the opportunities wasted by CWC 2007. Ken Gordon and Chris Dehring can talk until the cows come home about the "profit" generated and other quantitative matters. The real benefits are qualitative, the legacy. I do not see any of that!

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Another Shameful Embarrassment

2008-04-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

This is Tony Cozier's take on the recent fiasco about the West Indies 'A' Team match against Sri Lanka. Read it here.

After putting to rest the falsity of the WICB's explanation about the reasons for the cancellation of the match, Tony closes:

"The WICB may counter with some further excuse for their ineptitude but nothing can excuse the disrespect shown to their guests who were denied a match that had been on the itinerary for several months because, for whatever reason, they could not raise a team."

The kind of spin that Tony Deyal puts on the Board's continued failures perhaps qualifies him to play for the West Indies.

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Khan Pushes The Mental Approach

2008-03-18T02:30:00.000-07:00

“The biggest challenge for the West Indies team, as we head into the first Test against Sri Lanka is the mental approach to the game. I have no doubt of the quality and potential of these players and now is about instilling that competitive edge, that fighting spirit that is so essential for success,” Omar Khan.

I could not agree with Omar more! But we have to stop talking and do something about it. Building a mental approach is a process which takes time; it cannot be done days before a test match, which may only confuse the players. It is time that the WICB put together a long term development program focusing on the following pillars:

Mental Development
Technical Development
Physical Development
Educational Development

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Umpires lash out at TT Cricket Board

2008-03-14T12:25:00.000-07:00

This was the headline in yesterday's Trinidad Express which I am now seeing.

"Scab Labour." That's how local cricket umpire Kasso Dowlath is describing the recruitment of any Trinidad and Tobago umpires to replace West Indies Cricket Umpires Association (WICUA) officials boycotting this weekend's round of Carib Beer Series matches.

Dowlath claimed during a press conference yesterday at the Queen's Park Oval, that T&T Cricket Board president, Deryck Murray, is in part responsible for them not having officiated in the last round of four-day matches.

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Regional Umpire Saga - Something is not right!

2008-03-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board have refuted statements made by two T&T umpires as being "littered with many inaccuracies" and "which attempt to obfuscate the basic facts of the matter".

At a press conference on Wednesday, umpires Hayden Bruce and Keso Dowlath claimed they were being victimised by those in authority because they were not nominated to stand in any regional games this season.

The T&TCB said they forwarded the list to the West Indies Cricket Board and neither Bruce nor Dowlath were on the list. When the schedule of appointments was first published and it was noticed that the names of Dowlath and Bruce appeared, the error was brought to the attention of the WICB, who immediately corrected the mistake.

But something is not right here. The recommendation for umpires comes from the WICB Umpires' Committee. The TTCB should make recommendations through the Umpires' Committee. Dowlath and Bruce appeared on the schedule because they were selected by the Umpires Committee, perhaps nominated by the WICUA, and it seems to me that not only has the WICUA been slighted but so has the WICB Umpires' Committee. The WICB need to ensure that they do not become embroiled in the internal politics of the TTCB.

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WICB and Doctrove on Collision Course

2008-03-14T05:45:00.000-07:00

That was the headline on the back page of the Weekend Nation (Barbados). I do not see the article in the online edition but you can read another related story here:

http://www.nationnews.com/story/305601065996193.php

According to the report, Billy Doctrove, a member of the WICUA Executive, declined an offer by the WICB to officiate in a match in support of WICUA withdrawing their services over a perceived slight by the WICB. Tony Deyal wrote Billy threatening to report him and others to the ICC that they should not be considered for future employment now or at any future time.

What irks me is the continued confrontational style of Tony Deyal. This did not work with WIPA and it will not work with the WICUA. He is just starting another battle which the WICB would not win. I sincerely doubt that Dr. Hunte would approve of the threatening and intimidating language of Mr. Deyal's email to Billy.

Billy has taken a principled stand and rightly referred the matter to his attorney.

I hope that good sense will prevail and we do not go down this confrontational road again.

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CWC 2007 Audited Financial Statements

2008-03-13T18:29:00.000-07:00

I had a look at the World Cup 2007 Audited Statements courtesy caribbeancricket.com. Download it here:

http://caribbeancricket.com/weblog/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/icc_cricket_fs_2007.doc

The Statements make interesting reading. Since this is not a going concern, the reported income should be the combined for the 2 years which would be about $42M. The retained earnings is the best measure of financial performance not the 2007 P&L taken in isolation. There are some interesting figures relating to Staff Costs, Traveling, Managing Director's Office etc. I hope to do a more detailed analysis later.

Overall a good financial performance but the net effect to the WICB would just cover existing liabilities leaving very little for development as was originally intended. A little tighter management of CWC 2007 could have saved several millions.

And the legacy? That deserves another audit.

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Omar Khan is WI Team Manager

2008-02-26T04:06:00.000-08:00

I have heard that Omar Khan, T&T Manager has been chosen by the WIB as the new WI Team Manager. Omar has several years of experience as T&T Manager but was replaced by the Lequay Administration for reasons including conduct unbecoming! Omar is an active member of the Deryck Murray Team and was reinstated when they took control of the T&T Board.

The last Regional Manager that got the job, Tony Howard, made no impact and I am of the view that nothing will change under Omar. This is not Omar's first attempt at this job, but the conditions suit him better this time around.

What is clear is that Deryck Murray is getting his way - first Larry Gomes (who has not been involved in Regional Coaching) gets the U19 job, now Omar. While this is happening, they have removed Kumar Rampat as Territorial Development Officer, a move that was on the cards once team Murray won the TTCB elections. Kumar is one of the best and brightest Cricket Development personnel in the Region and has been badly treated by the TTCB.

I hope the rest of the region sees and understand what is going on here.

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Marlon Samuels Suspended!

2008-02-26T03:51:00.000-08:00

It should not surprise anyone in the world that Marlon Samuels has been suspended for an illegal action. It has been reported that his elbow flexion is between 27 and 35 degrees far exceeding the legal limit of 15 degrees.

Samuels has been getting away with this illegal action for several years and it is an indictment on the WICB system that he has been allowed to do so. Privately, the JCA President and selectors have complained, but none had the guts to do anything. The Bowling Committee has been disbanded, like everything else development-wise. There are many out there blatantly bowling with a suspect action, some have been ruled on by the former Bowling Review Committee whose report has been ignored and they are slowly coming through the system.

Our Cricket is in for more embarrassment in this regard.

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Women's Cricket: Bermuda make 13 ... and lose in four balls

2008-02-18T13:53:00.000-08:00

Bermuda's women carved an unwanted niche in the international record books with one of the most abject performances in the game's history. In their opening match of the World Cup Qualifiers at Stellenbosch University, they were bowled out for 13 and then South Africa took only four balls to sweep to a ten-wicket win.

Ann Brown-John did some "coaching" in Bermuda recently. Some Coach....

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Fine Innings by Bouncing

2008-02-17T18:23:00.001-08:00

Well, Guyana pulled it off - but barely.

This is not an encouraging performance by Guyana and they will have to do much better against Jamaica. I give Jamaica the edge!

What has happened to the much vaunted "pro" Teams?

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Guyana's Pathetic Batting

2008-02-17T16:35:00.000-08:00

I am posting this before Antigua begins their reply.

This is a pathetic batting display by Guyana. The batting order leaves much to be desired. Why keep back E. Crandon and Cush? Guyana lost 1 wicket after 10 overs, yet Shiv cannot accelerate. If he is not 100% he should not be at #3. Even Dowling, the only shining light, played some awful shots. Sars obviously believes in Christian - he has not delivered and it is doubtful if he will deliver at the representative level. This performance seems to be a combination of poor batting and poor strategy.

With this kind of display, Guyana does not deserve to win!

Athanaze is pelting up a storm. He was reported at the U15 level!

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Sunday League Cricket On Saturday?

2008-02-17T04:15:00.000-08:00

I had a great weekend in Trinidad. Probably the only place in the world that plays Sunday League Cricket on a Saturday!

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Lennox John Out As Windwards President

2008-02-04T08:57:00.000-08:00

According to a CMC report, Lennox John has been replaced as Windward Islands Cricket Board President by Emanuel Nanthan of Dominica after 10 years at the helm. His tenure followed Julien Hunte who served for some 20 years. This does not surprise me as Lennox and I have spoken about this for some time; he continues as the CEO and will continue on the WICB Board.

Given the state of Windward Islands Cricket, these gentlemen will have to do some serious introspection on their contribution (or lack thereof) to Windward Island Cricket.

I wish Nanthan well.

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WICB Dumps "Legends" From The Cricket Committee

2008-02-04T08:44:00.000-08:00

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has dumped Andy Roberts, Courtney Walsh, Desmond Haynes and Ian Bishop from its cricket committee, citing a need to move "towards a committee-based governance structure".

According to a report by Tony Cozier, the four legends -- who all serve as directors of the Stanford 20/20 board -- were notified of their removal from the committee by an e-mailed letter from WICB president Julian Hunte last week.

Perhaps his method may be questioned, but the reasons for the move by Hunte cannot be challenged. These players are never available for meetings. You cannot hold meeting at the whims and fancy of the membership. I recall that Mikey Holding was a member of the Committee in in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He was never available to attend these meeting (yet he avails himself for the Stanford 20/20). Repeated attempts to get Courtney and Ian Bishop involved in development went unanswered. The attendance record of these gentlement would be useful to see. As for Cozier continued lamentations that the "legends" are being ignored, this is far from the truth and, unless you are paying these guys, they are unwilling to make any form of contribution. Believe me, I know.

The so-called "legends" have made very little, if any contribution, to cricket development in the West Indies. I challenge anyone to tell me otherwise.

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Jagdeo Warns WICB - Give Us Our Money Or Else!

2008-01-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

According to a Kaieteur News article I saw today, President Jagdeo has issued a stern warning to the West Indies Cricket Board to hand over Guyana's share of the Cricket World Cup 2007 earnings or face a lawsuit.

Jagdeo was speaking at a press briefing yesterday at the Office of the President when he issued the warning. The Head of State contends that the money spent to host the Cricket World Cup was a good investment but, “they have our money and they are not paying us…we want our money that we earned!”

The sum at hand is some US$1 million, according to President Jagdeo, and this sum represents the gate receipts.

Interesting indeed......
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http://www.amsaa.info

Samuels Reported for Suspected Illegal Action!

2008-01-13T08:53:00.000-08:00

The ICC today confirmed that West Indies bowler Marlon Samuels has been reported for a suspected illegal bowling action on one particular delivery by the match officials following completion of the third Test match between South Africa and the West Indies in Durban on Saturday.

The report was made by on-field umpires Simon Taufel and Aleem Dar, and third umpire Brian Jerling.

This is not a surprise to anyone who has been looking at Samuels bowl, including the WICB Chairman of Selectors and Jackie Hendricks. The only surprise is that it has taken this time to be formally recognised. Knowing how the ICC analysis goes, do not be surprised if, with some coaching, Samuels passes the biomechanical tests. I remember when Lawson was reported the second time, David Moore boasted how they had hoodwinked the biomechanist. In fact, I had cause to write the biomechanist to clarify several issues of his report.

There are a lot of pelters around and we need to weed them out. This has nothing to do with the 15 degree rule and is not a judgement on Marlon.

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CONGRATS TO GAYLE AND THE BOYS!

2008-01-01T04:05:00.000-08:00

Congratulations are in place to our victorious team after their convincing and historic win over South Africa.

This win had nothing to do with Clive Lloyd or John Dyson or with the recent changes at the WICB Management. It had to do with the leadership of Chris Gayle who, if Ken Gordon had his way, may not even be playing for the West Indies.

Let us wish them the best and avoid the "turn the corner" mentality.

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Australian Physio/Trainer Joins the Team

2007-12-20T22:37:00.000-08:00

An Aussie bloke name C.J Clark has joined the West Indies Cricket Team as the new physiotherapist/trainer. He is (not originally) from Australia and is a pal of John Dyson. Shades of BK here, but what do we expect!

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The Longest Name in Test Cricket?

2007-12-20T22:33:00.000-08:00

Uda Walawwe Mahim Bandaralage Chanaka Asanka Welegedara

This is Sri Lanka's newest test payer! Let's see how the commentators will deal with this.

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The WICB Disorganisation is Staggering!

2007-12-13T03:29:00.000-08:00

At least so says Tony Cozier:
"The situation bore the unmistakable stamp of customary West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) bungling.

Pedro Collins and Daren Ganga arrived at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport by British Airways from London early yesterday morning, after their 36-hour journey from the Caribbean, expecting to join the West Indies squad that had flown in the previous evening from Zimbabwe for the forthcoming tour of South Africa.

They found no one on hand to meet them, had no idea where the team was, carried no contact numbers for West Indies or Cricket South Africa (CSA) officials and no instructions to advise them of their next move.

Fortunately, I was at the airport at the time and could offer some help."

New President, new CEO ..... Has anything really changed? Ah well.....

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http://www.amsaadigital.com

Patterson Committee Calls for Audit of Club Cricket

2007-12-07T03:07:00.000-08:00

THE PATTERSON Committee set up to look at the governance of West Indies cricket is not at all happy with the current state of club cricket across the Caribbean and has called on the ruling West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to set up an audit of the state of club cricket.

The committee headed by former Jamaican Prime Minister PJ Patterson and including Sir Alister McIntyre and Dr Ian McDonald had a dim view of club cricket in the Caribbean at present.

The committee cited that the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) in a recent document outlining its formula for success in South African cricket stated that they desperately need strong clubs because they are the between schools first class competitions.

They also remarked that if clubs are not competing at a level that is inspirational to young players, investment in their development programme is lost.

A lot of preliminary word was done between 2004 and 2005 to look at the existing club structure. Proposals were in place to build clusters of clubs and schools, train coaches at the club level, establish a mechanism to accredit clubs, etc. This, like everything else, was ignored by Ken Gordon and his team. I doubt whether there is anyone at the Secretariat who knows about this work or who understands what needs to be done.

So, we continue to do nothing, notwithstanding the "ole" talk, spin top in mud and try to reinvent the wheel

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Corneal Slams WICB

2007-12-06T02:58:00.000-08:00

Source: The Trinidad Guardian

FORMER Trinidad and Tobago national cricketer and footballer Alvin Corneal has slammed the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for their poor administration of the game regionally.

Corneal said, “The West Indies cricket team that was selected recently is a reflection of the board and this has led me to believe that we are going nowhere fast.

“After Ken Gordon exited office, there was ample time for the WICB to study the Patterson Report. They did not do it and I am of the opinion that this document could make a great difference in West Indies cricket.”

“The board had a chance to remove the selection committee but they didn’t. Gordon Greenidge and Andy Roberts were great players in their time but this does not make them good selectors."

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http://www.amsaadigital.com

2007-12-05T10:38:00.000-08:00

For those who want an honest and frank analysis of the fall of West Indies Cricket, go here:

http://content-wi.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/323713.html

I concur with much of what the writer opines, particularly as it relates to the "Legends":

"Past players blame the administration but it's a cop-out. Too many of them queue up for the handouts provided by past fame and present sponsors. Too few of them serve in the confronting fields where players are made and broken. As far as West Indian cricket is concerned, the seeds of destruction were sown even as the victories continued in the 1980s. Bad habits set in but they did not seem to matter.

West Indian cricket and cricketers must carry the can for their own collapse. It has not been caused by basketball or soccer or even the weakness of administration (not that officials can escape censure)."

Perhaps we should take the time and do some serious introspection and focus on the message rather than the messenger.

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http://www.amsaadigital.com

The Great Murali!

2007-12-05T03:51:00.000-08:00

Congratulations are in order. I hope they all stop this nonsense about chucking and recognise Murali as the very great bowler and gentleman he is.

Perhaps there is a lesson in this for the WICB. Give our spinners a chance!

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http://www.amsaadigital.com

Ryan's take on the Bravo Appointment

2007-11-23T03:23:00.000-08:00

Here’s a tip to cricket writers in the Caribbean: Call the WICB and ask why the nomination of Dwayne Bravo for the vice captaincy was sent back to the selection panel. Then, follow your nose, and follow up by asking if the squad for South Africa has been picked yet. Wonder to yourself if Ganga is included in that squad. Keep sniffing…

I’m way too busy to write the story but if you re-read the paragraph above, you can figure out the shenanigans.

Ryan Patrick (caribbeancricket.com)

Bravo Named Vice Captain

2007-11-23T03:10:00.000-08:00

Dwayne Bravo has been named Vice Captain of the West Indies team for their tour to Zimbabwe beginning on November 30. This is a big gamble as Dwayne has very little experience in this area. One would have thought that the Board would go for more experience and I do not believe that learning on the job is the way to go, even if it is Zimbabwe.

The appointment of a Vice Captain is not necessary. There is enough experience, including Shiv, who could act in place of Gayle if required.

'Pee Wee' Wong Passes On

2007-11-23T03:06:00.000-08:00

Noted cricket scorer and statistician Mervyn "Pee Wee" Wong passed away Wednesday night after complications from a stroke. Pee Wee had become a household name in Cricket circles.

Here's hoping that the relevant authorities, WICB and others, give Pee Wee the recognition he deserves.

Team to Zimbabwe and SA

2007-11-19T02:09:00.000-08:00

The West Indies team to Zimbabwe and SA looks more like an 'A' Team than a test team and I can only wish them well. But all is not well.

The Trinidad Guardian reported that GUYANESE middle order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan is a disappointed man after he was overlooked as captain for the tour of South Africa next month. According to the Guardian, sources close to the situation revealed that Sarwan has not taken this news good at all and is feeling slighted by the WICB.

According to the source :”Problems continue to plague West Indies cricket on the off the field and the way the West Indies Cricket Board has dealt with this issue leaves a lot to be desired - it is very unfortunate.”

The more things change, the more they remain the same!

Hogg: Cricket in the West Indies is Gone Forever!

2007-11-19T01:41:00.000-08:00

FORMER Test paceman Rodney Hogg has slammed international and West Indian officials for failing to use the World Cup to begin rebuilding there and said the game was so far gone in the region that it could never recover. Link here..

"For me, though, the West Indies are the disappointment. They are a shell of what they used to be. It's been a very long time since they showed anything remotely inspiring.

"They don't get crowds, so the kids aren't playing the game. It is hard to see how they will get themselves back because there is just nothing there to build on."

The plight of the West Indies reflects the dwindling popularity of cricket with local youth. Most young athletes prefer soccer or basketball to cricket, with the lure of US university scholarships a major factor.

Hogg, 56, was scathing of the game's administration for allowing the situation to deteriorate to such a point, with the World Cup there this year proof of where priorities lie for many officials.

"The World Cup was the last chance they had to grab the public's imagination and do something special," Hogg said.

"Instead, they turned it into a blatant money-grabbing venture. Ticket prices were out of reach of fans, so attendances were terrible. There was none of the traditional Caribbean atmosphere. Those games could have been played anywhere in the world."

Sad to say, but Hogg may be right. Certainly. he has identified the root causes which our administrators have failed to do. He is correct about CWC 2007 although officials there continue to blow their own trumpet.

Gayle named Captain, Lloyd is Manager

2007-11-17T14:11:00.000-08:00

According to the usually knowledgeable and informative caribbeancricket.com, Mike Findlay has lost his job as manager of the West Indies team. The report goes on to say that:

"At a meeting of its board of directors, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) today chose Clive Lloyd to replace Findlay for the upcoming tours to Zimbabwe and South Africa. The board also named opener Chris Gayle as the captain in place of the injured Ramnaresh Sarwan."

The first statement is incorrect. I spoke with Findlay during the KFC final four and he was clear that he would not be able to make the tour. He told me that the tour was too long and for family and business reasons he would not be available. I am certain that he would have communicated this to the WICB.

What is distressing is that the WICB seems to be playing yo yo with this position. They need to settle on a Manager and contract him/her for a period not less that 2 years. OR they could, as I have recommended, dispense with the position of Manager, create a position of Team Operations Officer full time employed at the Secretariat and make the Coach the de jure head honcho for the team.

Dyson to miss Zimbabwe series

2007-11-14T03:23:00.000-08:00

NEWLY APPOINTED coach of the West Indies cricket team John Dyson is going to miss the team’s tour of Zimbabwe that gets going on November 30.

According to reports in today's press, newly appointed WICB Coach, John Dyson, will not be available for the camp and the tour but the source could not give a reason why.

“Dyson is not with the team at the camp and will not be in Zimbabwe, he is expected to take up his duties for the South African leg of the African tour.”

As a result the WICB has summoned T&T’s David Williams and Henderson Springer of Barbados to carry on coaching duties at the camp. The source added that Williams and Springer as likely to be asked to accompany the team to Zimbabwe, until Dyson takes up the role thereafter.

Dyson's unavailability is an internal matter of the WICB and one hopes that they were aware of this when his appointment was announced. My question is - how come our boys (Williams and Springer) are good enough to act as stop gaps, yet not good enough to secure full-time appointments? This insult must stop.

Tough Talk from the WICB President

2007-11-12T16:30:00.000-08:00

“When it comes to the coaching, a new era has dawned. If you are not coaching properly, go [back] where you come from, it’s a new day…performance-based. If you do not perform, at whatever level, including the presidency, you cannot continue. Nobody must feel comfortable that this is just another job, it’s performance. You go out there and perform, when you perform, you are guaranteed of your place.” Read more here...

Haven't we heard this before? let us hope that a new era has dawned.

However, it would be a mistake to hold the Coach responsible for the state of our cricket and we must avoid looking for scapegoats. How is the system being changed? What about cricket in schools? What about coaching education? What about putting the right people in the right positions? What about the club structure? What about governance at the regional and local levels? What about the development of women's cricket? What about the Patterson report?

Woman referees KFC Cup match

2007-11-12T03:04:00.000-08:00

Viola Rowe has become the first woman in the Caribbean to act as match referee in a senior regional match, when she officiated in the KFC Cup game between Guyana and Combined Campuses and Colleges at the Providence Stadium.

"My love for the game has caused me to get involved in match refereeing," Rowe told the Saturday Sun Sports. "At this age, I can't get involved in playing and I don't really like umpiring. I'm comfortable with it [match refereeing]."

Congratulations to Viola. Let us hope that this is the breakthrough for women's cricket that we have been waiting on for several years.

Patterson Committee wants cricket on schools' curriculum

2007-11-12T02:52:00.000-08:00

The Patterson Committee set up to look at the governance of West Indies cricket is calling on the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to lobby the regional governments to have the game included on the schools' curriculum.

Looking ahead, the committee said the board should continue with the Scotiabank Kiddy cricket which caters for ages between eight and 11, and also schools, clubs, and territorial boards should cooperate to ensure as much as possible that talented secondary school players join clubs when they leave school.

Read more....

This is nothing new but merely reflects the appalling inefficiencies of the WICB Administration and lack of vision. There is already a Teachers Manual for teaching Cricket in schools (titled 'Clarence Goes to School") and an accompanying coaching manual. A lot of work and training was done with the Ministries of Education in every WICB member territory. There are several papers on this topic and how cricket could be integrated into the physical education curriculum and proposals on building a nexus (clusters) between primary and secondary school and cricket clubs.

A lot of work has already been done. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

"Falling on Deaf Ears"

2007-10-31T08:32:00.000-07:00

This was the headline in the mid-week Nation of October 31. Hayden Gill was addressing the perenial complaints and shortcommings in staging regional cricket; and no one seems to be listening. He quoted from Tony Howard, the then Manager of the Barbados team in 2000, who said that "the problem with this competition is that it seems to be organised by non-cricketers...".

Now that he is in charge, what is his excuse for the poor organisation of the KFC final four?

Failing Grade for 3Ws

2007-10-31T08:21:00.000-07:00

I give a failing grade to the 3Ws and its administrators for the staging of the KFC final four. When I arrived for the first match, the media area was still under construction and chairs were still being bolted in the public seating area (this continued for the second match). I had to restrain a vocal and angry Colin Croft as he berated Ronald Butcher for the poor preparations.

They also seemed not prepared for the rain and the mopping up operations were just laughable. The waterhog appeared to be broken. I saw no drying agent. There was very little leadership.

This, from our premier academic institution, is unacceptable.

Mr. Butcher must take full responsibility for this situation. I am sure, however, that no action will be taken and would not be surprised if this situation occurs next time.

T&T Comments on the Dyson Appointment

2007-10-22T04:44:00.000-07:00

Taken from www.trinidadexpress.com:

Former West Indies batsman and selector Joey Carew said he was not against a foreign coach, once he has get the job done. “I know little of the man but what I can say is that I am going to be very happy, if he can get results. If he has been given the job, it means that he has some credentials and we hope that he can inflame our cricketers to be more national minded.

“In this aspect, I would hope that probably among his management team would be a West Indian who can help in this aspect.”

Former Test off-spinner Rangy Nanan said he would have loved to see a local coach given the job but questioned whether the players would have given him the required respect. “I would have loved to see a local coach but I don’t know whether the players would have given him that respect that they might give the foreign coach.”

Successful cricket coach Anthony Gray said the WICB has to give locals the chance to get experience and stop looking outside. “We continue to be too dependent on foreign people and we are not educating our own. Bennett King and David Moore both failed because they came from a different culture and now we go back to another Australian.”

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB), Forbes Persaud said he was not in favour of a foreign coach because he thinks a regional past player can be better equipped for the job. “I don’t particularly like the move, I would have rather one of our own. The problem in our cricket today is an attitudinal one and I think that a foreign coach would have difficulty in having an impact on this.”

John Dyson is New WICB Head Coach

2007-10-21T17:52:00.000-07:00

The new head coach of the West Indies team is John Dyson!

It appears that we have not learned from the Bennett King debacle. What more must our own coaches do to impress the WICB. I believe that any of Simmonds, Williams or Springer, or a combination of any 2 (which I would have recommended), would have been a better choice for our long term development.

An while this is happening we continue to give the very incompetent David More our youngsters (A team and U19) to "un-coach". Even here there seems to be no development pathway for our own coaches.

New WICB CEO

2007-10-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

The WICB has chosen Dr. Donald Peters as its new CEO. This is an exceedingly good choice. Dr. Peters will bring a development perspective which should be in harmony with President's own priorities.

I wish him well.

Nominations for WICB President

2007-06-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

"Veteran St Lucian politician/diplomat, businessman and cricket administrator Julian Hunte is the only nominee to replace Ken Gordon as president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

Hunte, who previously served on the board of directors of Cricket World Cup 2007, is expected to be voted in formally at the WICB's AGM in Trinidad & Tobago next month-end.

According to a CMC Sports report, Jamaican Dave Cameron is nominated for the post of vice-president."

Gayle: "I'm a big man".

2007-06-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

Chris Gayle: "Will I stand up to the board? Yes, that's me," said Gayle. "I always stand up for what I believe in and when I'm wrong, I'm wrong and when I'm right, I'm right. If there are going to be any consequences you have to stand up and deal with it as a man. I'm always ready for anything.

"I'm a big man. I'm always up for the challenge and, whatever the situation may be, I am here to handle it and deal with it whatever the circumstances may be. This is crunch time. This has been a real challenge to deal with, everything happening at one time, but as you go on in life things are going to get tougher. You have to deal with these situations, be a man and stand up and handle it.

Kickstarting our Development Program?

2007-05-29T11:57:00.000-07:00

Deryck Murray: "We really need, and I'm saying...I'm a board member, and I'm saying this to the other board members, we need to stop talking and actually do things that will kickstart our development and get us to a (competitive) state..." Murray told the Express, yesterday. Read more here.

When would these guys stop talking and start doing something concrete. There was never any serious intent to fund the development program. Instead, Brathwaite and Griffith, together, derailed the development program drafted in 2001. Ken Gordon was as bad if not worse. Bennett King and his cohorts conspired to promote their own concept of development and were encouraged to do so. What we have now is a Cricket Development Plan prepared by King that is so expensive no one will fund it. And, literally, nothing is happening in terms of development camps, coaching education, etcetera.

Even our youth programs have been cut back. For example, although KFC is now funding the U15 Tournament, this tournament has been severely truncated and there is now no more development content. No doubt the WICB would be using the money saved to finance their operations. The same could be said for the Kiddy Cricket Program. So much for development!

West Indies Show Fighting Spirit

2007-05-20T06:28:00.000-07:00

The West Indies Team showed some fighting spirit with consistent batting and amassing 437 runs. Let's hope they can bowl well, restrict England and make a match out of it. get live scores here.

Bob Woomer Probe - Doubts Grow

2007-05-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

While news regarding the ongoing investigation into the death of Bob Woolmer is hard to come by, there are increasing suggestions that the Jamaican police jumped the gun in launching a murder enquiry. Read more..

Questions About Duncan Fletcher

2007-05-16T07:57:00.000-07:00

Bryan Davis and Joey Carew, among others, has questions Clive Lloyd's call for Duncan Fletcher to be the next West Indies Team Coach. Read here.

Lloyd Pushing For Duncan Fletcher

2007-05-14T07:03:00.000-07:00

CLIVE LLOYD, the former West Indies captain, has said that he will try and convince Duncan Fletcher to take over the position as coach of West Indies. Fletcher had a long stint as the England coach before quitting after the World Cup last month. Read more....

"Big Cat" may be stepping out of his bounds here. Even if he is given the authority to scout for a coach, one would think that there is an internal process that has to be completed before these views are made public.

Aussies Racist Policies

2007-05-13T06:24:00.000-07:00

The Australian government has ordered the country's cricket team not to tour Zimbabwe in September. John Howard, the prime minister, said it was not fair to leave the decision up to Cricket Australia and the players. Read more here.

Yet these same people would have had no problem touring Ian Smith's Rhodesia or Apartheid South Africa. Talk about racist double standards. This of course does not justify what is going on in Zimbabwe politically. Perhaps we should boycott visits to Australia because of their institutionalised discrimination of the Aboriginal population.

Woolmer probe turns to final email

2007-05-13T06:22:00.000-07:00

The investigation into the murder of Bob Woolmer has turned to his final email to the PCB. The Sunday Telegraph has reported that there is now a theory that the email, where Woolmer said he would stand down as coach, was faked by his killers.

Detectives are focussing on the language used. People close to Woolmer have said that it clearly wasn't written by him and suggestions are that the author was someone whose first language wasn't English.

Bob Woolmer - It wasn't murder says Scotland Yard

2007-05-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

There has been a bombshell development in the Bob Woolmer investigation. A group of Scotland Yard investigators, who were asked to assist with the matter, have concluded that the Pakistan Cricket coach died of heart failure.

According to a Sunday Gleaner source in London, a pathology report submitted by the Scotland Yard team is now saying that the former Pakistan cricket coach died of natural causes and not manual strangulation as was initially reported by Deputy Commissioner Mark Shields. The Scotland Yard report specifically said Woolmer died of heart failure, contradicting earlier reports by the investigative arm of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and local pathologist, Dr. Ere Sheshiah, who had conducted a post-mortem on Woolmers's body.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070513/lead/lead1.html

My Take: Whatever the truth of the matter, the JCF seems to have botched this investigation.

Lara linked to breakaway Twenty20 league

2007-05-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

Retired West Indies batting legend Brian Lara is being linked to a breakaway Twenty20 competition taking place in India in October 2007.

According to a published report, Lara will be joined by Pakistan's Inzamam-ul-Haq and Australia's Glenn McGrath in the month-long tournament which is being run by Zee TV, an Indian Television Outfit.

http://caribbeancricket.com/news/2007/05/11/2427

Anything that Brian is involved with would be of interest to me and I am sure of interest to the cricketing world.

Barbados Government Talks Tough With The BCA

2007-05-13T06:06:00.000-07:00

GOVERNMENT DOES NOT WANT to take over the Barbados Cricket Association's (BCA) interest in Kensington Oval; and it has no interest in running cricket.

However, having spent more than $130 million to remake the historic complex, it has no plans to walk away from its investment.

http://www.nationnews.com/story/306055817432288.php

Lloyd on the West Indies Coach

2007-05-13T05:55:00.000-07:00

LONDON - West Indies' need a coach "who's strong and who will understand West Indies life", according to Clive Lloyd......more

He goes on to recommend Duncan Fletcher. Does Fletcher understand West Indian Life? I would have thought that the key skill would be technical know-how, in addition to understanding West Indian life. Certainly, a combination of a foreign coach and a West Indian Assistance Coach would have been better for West Indies.

However, his further comments suggest to me that "Big Cat" does not understand the root causes of our problems, in particular the paradigm shifts in the environment in which our cricketers develop. These are the issues we have to address.