The Guyana Cricket Board yesterday expressed its frustration with the Cricket West Indies selection process and questioned the competence of the selection panel.
“The executive and members of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) wish to once again express our extreme concern with the continuous omission of Guyanese players from representative teams of Cricket West Indies (CWI) as well as from the players’ retainer contracts of CWI,” the release stated.
It noted, “On May 17, 2021, the GCB had cause to issue a strongly-worded press release and also a letter to the CEO of CWI, Mr. Johnny Grave, detailing our concerns with the selection process. We requested that CWI furnish the GCB with the criteria used for the retainer contracts as well as the selection of our players to CWI representative teams.”
The release further pointed out that Grave had stated there was no requirement for CWI to explain its decisions of their selection policy which the GCB claims “appears riddled with inconsistencies, clearly subjective and discriminatory.”
The GCB based its case on the omissions of Romario Shepherd, Sherfane Rutherford, Gudakesh Motie, Veerasammy Permaul and Chandrapaul Hemraj from the International Cricket Council’s upcoming T20 World Cup competition set for next month.
“We reiterate our call for an explanation of the reasons for these omissions together with the selection policy information used. The impression is created that there is no selection criteria document or it is a closely-guarded secret that cannot stand up to scrutiny,” the release stated.
“The GCB is perplexed with the contention by CWI selectors that Sherfane Rutherford is unfit,” the release detailed while adding, “CWI should advise the Caribbean cricket public regarding the standard and schedule for fitness tests for regional cricketers.”
The local board contended that Rutherford is game fit, judging from his performance in the ongoing Caribbean Premier League and subsequent selection by the Sunrisers Hyderbad team for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL).
The GCB, the release stated, said that it regarded the issue of Rutherford’s fitness as an excuse to exclude one of the talented young cricketers in the Caribbean.
This contradicts statements of lead selector, Roger Harper, who is a technocrat member of the GCB.
“The CWI selection panel has disappointed Guyana and the Caribbean at large. The GCB (as a shareholder of CWI) is insisting that the selection panel be accountable to all cricket institutions and stakeholders in the region and to justify this latest selection fiasco. Failure to do so, the GCB calls on CWI to dismiss the selection panel and to replace it with a more competent one which will represent the best interests of West Indies cricket,” the release highlighted.
