(Trinidad Express) The president and the executive of the West Indies Players’ Association on Wednesday responded to the dropping of veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul, expressing its “immense disappointment .”
In a release, WIPA described Chanderpaul as, “a man who has given over two decades of service to West Indies cricket.”
The players body said the treatment is especially disturbing since it has come after a statement made by WICB President Dave Cameron where he stated;
“.at the end of a long and illustrious career like Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s we want to ensure that whatever we do, it is well respected and that he knows and the region knows how much we value his services to West Indies cricket.”
Chanderpaul the WICB/ WIPA Test Cricketer of the Year for 2014 was not selected by the WICB to play in the upcoming home series against Australia. He averages 51.37 and has played in 164 Test matches, the most by a West Indian. At present he is our highest ICC ranked Test batsman.
WIPA president and CEO Wavell Hinds said in the release: “The West Indies Players’ Association acknowledges and accepts that the purview of selecting the West Indies cricket team lies solely and independently with the selection panel led by chairman Clive Lloyd, however we are very disappointed in the manner which Mr Chanderpaul was treated. WIPA believes the process of omitting Mr Chanderpaul was untidy and distasteful. We will continue to have dialogue with the West Indies Cricket Board with the hope to bring an amicable solution in the best interests of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and West Indies cricket.”