Dear Editor,
Excuse me Mr Browne: It is not a binary choice of youth versus experience or, in more common parlance, an either/or proposition. Rather, it is about common sense, about doing what every successful international team does. It is about choosing a blend of experience and youth. It is about emancipating yourself from the need to punish for actions that are rational to their core. Mr Browne, would not, indeed, could not, defend, either to himself or to those dear to him, a decision to reject an offer of US$750,000 to play cricket for six weeks in India, in order to remain eligible for selection to the West Indies team to play cricket for one year at a salary of US$100,000. He does not have any more interest in seeing young West Indian cricketers come to the fore and get their opportunities than I or those several fans who want him to change the indefensible policy or perhaps more importantly the indefensible attitude of the board members. Hetmeyer, Hope, Singh and Joseph did not all have to play at the same time or in the same match. There are some policies that are difficult to change. This is not one of them. Listen to the youth he claims to love when they say “Get with the programme”. It is not too late, but it soon will be. Stop the hand-wringing.
Yours faithfully,
Romain Pitt
