For years, the West Indies Cricket Board has pointed its finger of blame at its players for the continued decline of the team's fortunes. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Board's actions have been a farcical attempt to further its power and take advantage of its employees.
Today, the WICB had to recruit West Indian players from local leagues in England to fill in for the players called up for the One Day series in England due to mismanagement of travel arrangements. Injuries to members of the Test squad meant that there was a shortage of healthy players to cover for the late arriving players. Claims of indiscipled players have been rampant for the past few years, and many West Indians (myself included) have been all too willing to heed the WICB's accusations and lay blame at the feet of the players. Incidents such as this latest fiasco demonstrate that there is more going on in West Indies cricket than immediately meets the eye.
Chris Gayle understandably expressed disappointment with the handling of the One Day Series, particularly the Board's handling of his captaincy. One must ponder why the selection panel exists if the WICB is so willing to override its decisions. When everyone in the Caribbean beckons for the players to be held accountable for their actions; the time is now for similar expectations to be enforced upon the Board.
It is also high time that the WICB understand that they must adjust to the changing times in professional sport with regards to athlete salaries. No longer can they rely on players being proud to represent their countries as sufficient compensation for putting on the region's maroon colours. The players need to be adequately compensated - no two ways about it. The WICB lost its fifth consecutive arbitration battle with the WIPA this week, unearthing more and more distrust in the Board's intentions. How can the WICB honestly expect the players to perform to the best of their already limited abilities when they are left to feel as though they are not wholly supported? I suggest that they would rather play power games and sabotage the team before operating responsibly.
Of all the things that have come to light surrounding the West Indies Cricket Board, I hope that the Caribbean people will see how the Board has tried to villify Dinanath Ramnarine over the years. It is not Ramnarine why any number of tours have almost been canceled in the past, but rather a defiant WICB which understood how it could manipulate the Caribbean people against the man "who was responsible for there being no cricket". Keep in mind that during his playing days, Ramnarine was by far the best spinner on offer in the West Indies. Yet after a few run ins with the Board, he found himself not even being considered for selection - which eventually led to his premature retirement. In light of this most recent arbitration win, Ramnarine must feel a certain measure of vindication as the true colours of the WICB become all the more apparent to the cricket world.
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