PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC– The West Indies Players Association (WIPA) has taken a swipe at the manager of the Barbados cricket team Hartley Reid over the expulsion of Kirk Edwards from the squad for the NAGICO Super50 tournament underway here.
WIPA president Wavell Hinds says he is disappointed with the attitude of Reid in a dispute which stemmed from Edwards’refusal to sign for match kits.
Edwards was withdrawn from the team and was scheduled to return to Bridgetown Sunday, the day Barbados defeated Trinidad and Tobago by 28 runs in their opening game.
“Throughout the discussions Mr. Reid remained totally inflexible and at no time did he try to find a solution to what we still say is a non-issue,” Hinds said.
“WIPA is extremely disappointed with Mr. Reid’s attitude.”
Hinds quotes Edwards as saying that he has been refusing to sign for match kits over the past two years because they barely last two months.
BCA stipulates that players sign a document agreeing that the two match shirts and two match trousers must serve them for two years and that the cost of replacement will be taken up by the player in the event of any damage or loss of items within the period.
Edwards complained to WIPA that on his arrival in Trinidad he received threats that he will be sent home if he did not sign for the kits.
“After Kirk made us aware that he had been threatened with expulsion from the team, and of the issue which had given rise to the threat, I immediately contacted Mr. Reid (Hartley Reid) and asked if he would be good enough to meet with us and Kirk at the team hotel right after the WIPA AGM which was being held nearby and he agreed,” said Hinds.
“We were firmly of the view that what Kirk had advised us of as being the issue was a matter which could be easily resolved through sensible and well-intentioned dialogue, and certainly nothing, not even in our wildest dreams, which might warrant the drastic and draconian abuse of power by the team’s manager.”
Hinds reported that during the meeting with Reid WIPA officials, which included Director Michael Hall, were informed that the document which the BCA was insisting Edwards sign was in fact superseded by an official BCA player handbook which stated that a player would be entitled to four sets of match kits for a one year period as opposed to two kits for two years.
Hinds also took issue with Reid for refusing to accept an offer from WIPA to sign on Edwards’ behalf, since, according to him, BCA contradicted itself by giving a third party the right to sign on behalf of the former Barbados captain-without his consent.
“At the end of the day, an unnecessary blot has been placed on the career of a dedicated and talented West Indian cricketer,” said the WIPA president all because those entrusted with leadership roles in our game appear not to have the requisite skills to execute the job.”
Edwards, 29, a current West Indies Test and One-Day player, was replaced as the Barbados captain for both the NAGICO tournament and the forthcoming first-class four-day championship of which Barbados are the title holders.
Batting all-rounder Kevin Stoute is leading the side in the NAGICO tournament while Test opener Kraigg Brathwaite will be at the helm for the four-day championship, which is slated to start February 28.
