KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC-Chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd says he is disappointed with comments made by opener Chris Gayle criticizing the decision to omit Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard from the West Indies squad for next month’s World Cup.
Gayle has suggested victimization in the omission of the two all-rounders and has described the decision as “ridiculous”.
The claim of victimisation refers to the role Pollard and Bravo played on the controversial abandoned tour of India when the one-day team abruptly quit the series over a contracts dispute with their players union, WIPA.
“I am very disappointed with Chris that he said that because he is somebody I respect but he is not a selector,” said Lloyd during an interview on Sportsmaz Monday night.
“He might think it was victimisation but I have nothing against him. Quite a few of the other players are playing why are they not victimised?”.
St.Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, who brokered an agreement between the players, the WICB and players union, WIPA, in the wake of the abandoned tour, has also suggested victimization
But both Lloyd and WICB president Dave Cameron have rejected the victimization claims, arguing that the squad had been selected on a cricketing basis only.
“We are trying to get the best team out there. We have to try to get out of that number eight position,” said Lloyd.
“We have to try different things. We have to try younger people and people who are performing in our cricket”.
