Legends support CARICOM’s recommendation to disband the WICB
Several West Indian cricket legends are rallying together to support CARICOM’s recommendation to disband the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). The group, dubbed the West Indies Cricket Legends Panel, criticized the board’s stagnancy, disorder and unaccountability.
The WICB and West Indies players have had ongoing disputes in the past, with T20I captain Darren Sammy saying they received no support from the board during their triumphant World T20 campaign in India recently.
“During the last two decades, many different presidents and CEOs have led the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and yet, its performance has declined steadily with each passing year,” the group said in a press release. “The Board is an oligarchic structure that considers itself answerable to no one but itself. It is one of the few sporting institutions that have remained virtually unchanged in attitude and structure in the last 70 years or more.”
The dissenting group, led by famed Barbadian all-rounder Garry Sobers, met with Grenada Prime Minister over the weekend to discuss their concerns. Other Legends members in attendance at the meeting were all-rounder Roger Harper, fast bowler Charlie Griffith, wicketkeeper Deryck Murray, (who was also member of the CARICOM review panel) leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine, (previous president of the West Indies Players Association) and opening batsman, Desmond Haynes.
The group concurred with CARICOM’s recommendation that the WICB become accountable to CARICOM authorities, and that the board should “undergo structural adjustment.”
Although many of the players have voiced opposition against the WICB in the past, this marks the first time a formal group has been formed in opposition to the WICB.
“We are very proud of our legacy,” the release said. “We cannot now in good conscience stand idly by and watch everything that we fought so hard to build and achieve disappear right before our eyes because of the actions of inept Board members and an incompetent Board.”
