West Indies fans hoping to see Jamaican batsman Chris Gayle back in the regional side may be in for a long wait.
West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) CEO Ernest Hilaire remained mum on the matter on Friday, but did hint that the regional Board will not be backing down from its stance on player conduct, and in particular the current matter involving Gayle.
Gayle is currently not in line for selection for the regional team following comments he made to aJamaican radio station criticising team management, and the WICB’s handling of the player’s injuries sustained at the 2011 World Cup.
The WICB has subsequently said Gayle will not be considered for selection unless he issues an apology, while Gayle has since said he does not know exactly what the Board wants him to apologise for.
Asked about the current status of the matter, Hilaire declined comment.
“I’d rather not say much about it,” Hilaire said. But he also talked about building a team “in a certain environment”, with “no compromises and accommodations” for players who did not fall in line with given criteria.
“We’re trying to build a new framework on which the future will be built and everybody must be held accountable,” Hilaire explained.
The policy for that framework also involves a four-year development drive towards a more competitive West Indies team by 2015. Hilaire is encouraged by the results the team have had this year.
“We’ve seen progress. The public want to see the team back as number one and it will be a painful process on the way,” he said.
“You can’t build a champion side overnight. We failed miserably in the past. But in the process of putting in a foundation for success, your priority will be putting back those drivers that lead you to success and you certainly can’t move from number eight to number one in one tour.”
He is looking forward to improved performances in next year’s World T20, and is very impressed with the West Indies women’s team.
The WICB is also focussing heavily on development, and will be expanding the Sagicor High Performance Centre next year, as well as the Digicel community cricket programme and the Kiddie Cricket programme.
“(We have Kieran) Powell and (Darren) Bravo moving on from “A” team, Kirk Edwards, you’ve seen the successes…we’re looking forward to a lot more of that transition taking place,” Hilaire stated.
As far as the senior West Indies team, Hilaire saw positives in their 2011 outings.
“Just the simple fact we went to Bangladesh and won the series, going to India the team performed credibly, to go on the sub-continent to show that you compete some of the time is an advancement.”
The WICB has serious financial constraints, added Hilare, but is still putting their emphasis on development in order to push the regional team up the ICC rankings.
“It’s very challenging time for us,” the WICB CEO reasoned.” There is not a lot of money in sponsorship in the region. At the same time we’re trying to expand on our development programme we have to see it.
“(We’ve had to) invest more, with less coming in, (so we’ve had to make) hard strategic choices. (But) cricket development is a priority. There is no future for cricket unless there is development.” (Reprinted from Trinidad Express)
