WICB PRESIDENT TO MEET PORTIA?

As the sport of cricket desperately clings to life here in the region, the West Indies Cricket Board met this weekend to discuss matters of great importance. Among those critical issues is the year-long impasse between the board and the most popular batsman in the region Christopher Henry Gayle.

Since Gayle made his disparaging remarks against the board and West Indies coach Otis Gibson last year, Gayle has not been considered for selection. The board is demanding an apology from Gayle, who has said publicly that he will not apologize. Gayle in the meantime has thrived financially playing in the growing number of T20 leagues around the world, earning more than US$1 million as well as the adoration of an army of new fans who enjoy watching his explosive batting.

Gayle has more hundreds in T20 than any other player on the planet and T20 is rapidly becoming the most popular version of the game, attracting millions of fans watching from around the world. It almost seems as if every time a new league starts, the first player invited is Gayle. Meanwhile, the West Indies continues to struggle with the domestic T20 competition, the board still cant find sponsors for any of their regional competitions and as much as he is as much to blame as the board in this current impasse, Gayle is being made out to be the victim; the board, the villain.

Things took a turn for the worse recently when newly elected Prime Minister of Jamaica Portia Simpson Miller called for Gayle to be reinstated in the West Indies team and also lamented the fact that Jamaica’s Sabina Park was once again overlooked as a venue for the upcoming tour by Australia. In response to the Prime Minister’s comments, the WICB issued a statement in which it pretty much said that the Prime Minister needed to inform herself of the issues before she makes public statements on the matter. The WICB stung the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) into action. They defended the Prime Minister and lashed the board for being disrespectful. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister, in describing the WICB’s statement was being rude, has promised to take the matter to CARICOM.

So arising from this meeting of the WICB meeting this weekend, word is that President Julian Hunte will be trying to set up a meeting with Prime Minister Simpson Miller in an attempt to mend fences. If this is true then perhaps the board has realized that in this instance it has bitten off more than it can chew. The JCA, despite working behind the scenes to bring about a resolution to the issue, has largely been silent on the Gayle affair. However, with the backing of the Prime Minister, they seem to have grown some cojones and is now willing to challenge the WICB. Remember now that the WICB currently has issues ongoing with the Guyanese Government that recently appointed an Interim Management Committee headed by former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, to oversee the sport in that country. This, after Guyanese sports minister Sir Frank Anthony, disbanded the Guyana Cricket Board.

The board has also had to contend with Lloyd’s resignation from his post as a director of the board. In his resignation letter Lloyd implored the board to look into itself and see if there is not a better way to manage the sport across the region. In short, right now the board seems to be on shaky ground. We can only hope that if the proposed meeting between Prime Minister Simpson Miller and Julian Hunte will bear some fruit with regards to the Gayle issue and the overall management of the sport.

Since she has chosen to get involved the Prime Minister would be well served to have a discussion with Gayle as well. He too needs to show some contrition and come to understand that this mentality of not backing down even when it is evident that he is also at fault, makes no sense. Fine, he doesn’t need the WICB to make money hand over fist. If he chooses to retire from international cricket nothing can stop him from plying his considerable hitting skills anywhere he wants to for as long as he can. In the meantime, the public wants to see Gayle. He is the best asset the WICB have right now. Just recently after his explosive knock at Sabina Park against the Windward Islands, the stands emptied. Whether the board wants to accept it or not, they need Gayle more than he needs them.

The common belief is that without Gayle playing for the West Indies against Australia there will be considerable less interest in the series. If nobody watches the board will not be able to guarantee as much earnings from broadcast rights from other series. They should know that people don’t pay to see the board. They pay to see the players, and more specifically they will pay to see Gayle consistently hitting the ball way over the boundary ropes.

That being said, no man is bigger than the sport and Gayle needs to understand that that applies to him as well. His comments may be true but he chose the wrong forum in which to vent them. For that alone he should fashion an appropriate apology, the board can then bring him back into the fold and we can get on with the business of playing cricket once more.

Too much time is being spent talking about this impasse when more of it should be spent talking about Gayle’s incredible knocks.