CASTRIES, St Lucia, CMC – Regional cricket chief Julian Hunte said Tuesday indiscipline and player accountability were two of the “severe” challenges facing West Indies cricket.
He pointed out that while much of the discussion in recent months had sought to tie the West Indies Cricket Board’s governance structure to the team’s performance, there were more pressing issues that needed to be dealt with.
“While we recognize the critical importance of these [governance] matters, we should also be aware that more severe challenges have become cancerous in West Indies cricket,” the WICB president contended.
“Some of these challenges are not unique to West Indies cricket, though they are having a severe impact on our business on and off the field.
“The first of these relates to the indiscipline and lack of accountability that afflicts many of our cricketers; we are now feeling the full impact of this development.”
Hunte, who was recently returned to office unopposed, said these issues had been manifested in the current contracts dispute, where the leading players refused to make themselves available for West Indies duty recently.
They boycotted the two Tests and three One-Day Internationals against Bangladesh forcing selectors to hastily assemble an inexperienced, makeshift squad.
The 69-year-old diplomat has presided over a troubled period in regional cricket, which has also saw seen the boycott this year of two official functions by Windies players, and a strike by the regional teams during the first class championship, also this year. “Some West Indies players have refused, over a period of two years, to sign their contracts, and have refused to represent the West Indies,” Hunte reminded.
“They have withdrawn their services in a manner and at a time calculated to inflict maximum damage upon the WICB’s ability to manage the affairs of West Indies cricket.
“Some have argued that this indiscipline and unaccountability should be overlooked and ignored for the sake of short term convenience.
“We are concerned about the message which this sends to West Indian youth and our society in general at a time of great turbulence in West Indian society.”
Hunte said the WICB was hoping to put such matters to rest by hammering out a new Memorandum of Understanding with the West Indies Players Association, which would ultimately lead to a better relationship with the players.
He said his organisation had set out a “clear path to restore normalcy and promote development over the coming months” and expressed confidence that the strongest West Indies team would be available for the Australian tour later this year.
