BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Newly-elected Cricket West Indies chief, Ricky Skerritt, says he intends to make sure the region’s legends have a key role to play in Caribbean cricket development.
He told CMC Sports that the iconic former players were invaluable resources who needed to be utilised properly in order to get the full benefit from their vast knowledge and experience.
His comments came on the heels of recent controversial remarks by losing three-time incumbent Dave Cameron who said some West Indies legends had not excelled when asked to perform roles within the administration.
“I don’t even feel competent to value the legends – the legends are invaluable. Their role and their value has been immeasurable and of course it varies from one to the other,” Skerritt pointed out.
“Some are more famous and more powerful and influential globally and some are more powerful and influential regionally or more powerful and influential locally. The bottom line is: what is their value to cricket at the local and regional level and the international level.
“We’re going to explore every opportunity that we can find where, in a way that is workable and affordable, they can be involved.”
Skerritt said during the recent CWI election campaign, he had the opportunity to sit with and listen to legendary former players, whose ideas had informed his own planning.
“One of the places I went to during my regional campaign was to Barbados and to the home of the legends,” he said.
“I sat with the acting CEO of the Barbados Legends, Desmond Haynes, I sat with him for over two hours, listening to him, learning from him and then sharing with him some of my thoughts. “I sat for over half an hour with Sir Wesley Hall…and he gave up valuable commercial time to talk to me.”
The region’s legends largely felt ignored under the Cameron administration, and threw their support behind Skerritt and running mate, Dr Kishore Shallow for the top CWI spots.
In endorsing Skerritt, former captain Sir Vivian Richards said last week the legends had invested much into the game and also had valuable input.
Skerritt, a former West Indies team manager, said CWI would definitely be seeking out advice and expertise from such individuals.
“I have no problem interacting with folks who have been there on the frontline, who understand what takes place even though they may not have played T20 cricket, they know cricket,” said the former St Kitts and Nevis government minister.
“Clive Lloyd was actually chairman of selectors when Jason Holder was chosen – a very young and green captain chosen by Clive Lloyd because he saw in Jason Holder the qualities that he knew were necessary for leadership going forward on the field.
“I have no doubt that we can find a tremendous resourcefulness in the past cricketers.”
