(Trinidad Express) The West Indies Players Association (WIPA) has thrown its support behind former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd after he resigned from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) earlier this week over his involvement with the interim management committee (IMC) in Guyana.
In a media release yesterday, WIPA said it shared Lloyd’s concern for the game in the West Indies and is hoping his resignation “would act as a catalyst for the members of the Board to ask soul-searching questions and take a hard look at what could be done differently to get our cricket back to the glory days”.
The release added: “WIPA supports and simultaneously regrets the decision by Mr Clive Lloyd, former captain (1974 to 1985) of the all-conquering West Indies team, to resign from the WICB.
“We appreciate, however, that as he acted as a captain of the West Indies team, he has done so in this instance and taken a principled decision.
“Clive Lloyd has always stood tall, proud and strong for his country, for West Indies Cricket and his commitment to doing what is right. In fact, during his tenure as a non-member director of the WICB, Lloyd always acted on principle rather than on personalities or popularity,” said WIPA.
The release also noted that Lloyd’s ability to rise above pettiness and his insistence on standards of excellence and his vast knowledge of the game all contributed to his being selected by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as chairman of its Cricket Committee and why he was chosen to lead the reorganisation of cricket in Guyana as chairman of the government-appointed IMC.
In his letter of resignation, Lloyd stated: “As one of the most successful West Indian captains in the history of our game, I have to say that I am very concerned not just about the state of cricket in my country but the state of West Indian cricket as a whole–the lack of accountability and consultation and limited discussion about the stagnant state of our cricket.”
The Players Association responded: “WIPA shares Mr Lloyd’s concerns. This is one of the major issues that must be solved by those charged with the management of West Indies cricket.
“In the eyes of WIPA and all cricket fans throughout the world, Mr Lloyd’s eminence has grown and his stature increased because of the position he has taken in support of his country and of cricket in general.
“This is a sad day for West Indies cricket but, hopefully, with the help of all interested parties, including past and present players, solutions to the debilitating ills of West Indies cricket will be found.
“For this to occur positive change is necessary and WIPA again calls on all stakeholders to ensure that such change can be realised,” the release concluded.
