DID WICB CEO LOSE INTEGRITY OVER GAYLE AFFAIR?

Before last Saturday’s loss to Pakistan in St. Lucia the West Indies had lost 120 One Day International since 2001. That was 120, now 121 out of 231 ODI’s since 2001. When you add the 51 Test match losses and only 13 Test wins from 94 Tests over the same period, it’s safe to say that the last decade has not been kind to West Indies cricket.

Those losses coupled with the constant in-fighting have only served to drive fans away from the sport. Many have come to blame the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Players’ Association and the players for the change in fortunes from the times when we dominated world cricket. In the decade of the 1980s, for example, the West Indies only lost eight Test matches and won 43, a far cry from what obtains now.

On the surface it would seem that the escalating tensions between the board and the players have only made the players less effective. That would certainly explain former captain’s Chris Gayle’s outburst on KLAS radio recently where he told the board to back off. He said he was tired of being a target for the board and more specifically, it’s CEO Dr. Ernest Hilaire, who many within the player ranks feel has targeted the big-hitting Jamaica since he assumed office just about two years ago.

Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul were not selected for the first three matches of the Digicel 2011 series against Pakistan and India. The WICB suggested that their non-selection was more to do with making room on the team to give exposure to less experienced players as the board set about its strategy to win the ICC World Cup in 2015. But as the days went by, some things began to surface that have been proving particularly embarrassing to the WICB. It is instructive to note that since Gayle’s outburst on KLAS radio when he virtually spilled the beans about what went on behind closed doors with regards to his own personal relationship with the board, there has been no response from the board. The silence has been excruciatingly loud.

The WICB would have had us believe that Gayle had jetted off to India to represent Bangalore in the Indian Premier League while not making himself available for the remainder of the ongoing series against Pakistan, all in effort to make money as opposed to representing the West Indies. Gayle, they suggested who had been injured during the ICC World Cup, was still undergoing rehabilitative work, and chose to pursue money over getting healthy enough to play against Pakistan. But as Gayle eventually revealed in the KLAS outburst, this was not the case.

He revealed that following his return from the World Cup he had – by his own initiative – already started rehab and was virtually fit when he realised that he was not selected for the Twenty20 and the first two ODI’s against Pakistan. It was then that he decided to take up an offer to play in the IPL and sought a No Objection Certificate (NOC) that would have given him clearance from the board to play in India.

Below is a copy of an email Gayle sent to Dr. Hillarie…

April 16th 2011 at 3.22pm Chris Gayle to WICB CEO

Note that I do not have any contractual arrangements with the WICB. In fact, as you are aware, as stated in the press release issued on April 14th 2011 by the WICB, I was not considered for selection to participate in the T20 and 2 One Day Internationals against Pakistan. To date no reason has been given by anyone at the WICB for my non selection, including any fitness related issues. Accordingly, I am not certain whether it is in fact necessary to seek this certificate as it was always my understanding that players who are not contracted with the WICB are free to ply their trade in another country without any restriction or interference by any third parties. However, circumstances dictate that this request be made.

Dr. Hilaire responded thus:

Sunday April 17th 2011 WICB CEO Ernest Hilaire to Chris Gayle

You were aware from consultation with the attending physician in England what your diagnosis was and you had in contact with the West Indies Team Physiotherapist on the rehabilitative care. In that regard, I refer to your post on Twitter of March 26th, in which you stated: “After 2days seeing doctors n getting scan finally found the problem! Been playing with a tear in abdominal, small hernia. I’m out couple weeks”

The above suggests that you were aware that you would have required at least 2-3 weeks from March 26th before you could return to training. Therefore, I am not sure why you would say you do now know why you were not selected fort either the T20 or the first two ODIs, as due to the circumstances, you could not have been considered.

But considering that Gayle’s Twitter post on March 26, surely Dr. Hilaire would have recognised that that was more than two weeks that Gayle was making the request for the NOC. The response also suggests that Dr. Hilaire did not speak to Gayle before he (Gayle) had requested the NOC. Why is that?

One of your key players returns from a major tournament with an injury and yet no communication was made with that player prior to him requesting a NOC that would allow him to play IPL cricket in India. It is very instructive that Gayle received an email from the team physiotherapist (seen below) 20 minutes after he had made the request.

Hey guys,

Sorry about the delay. Have been inundated with 32 screenings and a full fitness battery in a week!

Here is a program basic (which I guess has already been started) and a gym based program for prehab and high level strengthening purposes. I hope you have started an outside running program already but I will send one for you requirements if needed.

Let me know

Cheers

CJ Clark
Team Physiotherapist.

Based on what has come to light via these emails it would seem as if there was a deliberate attempt on the part of the board to mislead the public with regards to Chris Gayle and his decision to play IPL cricket. The big question is, why?

Gayle claims that the board wants to break his influence over the younger players and by doing so destroy WIPA. We have yet to hear the board respond to Gayle’s claims and we eagerly await it.

In the meantime, the WICB claimed had already contacted Sarwan and Chanderpaul and reported that those discussions went well. ‘Well’ in this instance could be considered relative because whatever was discussed with those players prompted Guyana’s Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony to write to the board expressing the country’s concern about the status of the two Guyanese players.

In response, Dr. Hilarie explained the WICB’s policy of giving younger players exposure and urged the Guyanese Minister of Sport not to be influenced by ‘media sensationalism’. However, Dr. Anthony was clearly not convinced by the response received by the WICB CEO.

In fact, his letter reveals some startling accusations.

He wrote:

Dear Mr. Hilaire,

I thank you, most sincerely for your swift response to my April l4th, 2011 correspondence to Mr. Clyde Butts.
Two issues in your first paragraph need to be clarified: Firstly, whilst we in Guyana are very concerned about the omission of Messrs Sarwan and Chanderpaul from the imminent ODI series in the West Indies, my concern is about the bigger picture of the criteria recently used to come up to what must be deemed a dubious decision, especially if Sarwan’s record and relevant statistics for example are taken into account.
Perhaps if the WICB will like to regain the confidence of the Guyanese and Caribbean public then it should fully disclose the records pertaining to the selection of the WI team.

Secondly, I am amused that you think I will, “fall prey to wild media sensationalism”. If I thought, that you were serious about that, I would certainly take exception to the inference. But maybe the wild media sensationalism was fueled by the opaqueness of the selection process, and the coercive tactics used to bully some of the players. This latter was revealed by former Captain Chris Gayle in his recent radio interview.

In terms of the gist of my correspondence to Mr. Butts, dated April 14th 2011, I have to submit respectfully, that – your own response — much of which was released generously to the Regional Media before my request, has not addressed the specific issues that I raised.

For example, did your Board indeed forcefully “invite” Shivnarine Chanderpaul to “retire” from ODI? Did reported tensions between Coach Gibson and the three senior players’ impact upon or influence recent cricketing decisions?

At a personal level, it is only in “extreme” cases that I would consider intervening in matters related to selection. I know only too well, that these matters are best left to the on the ground professionals tasked with such responsibilities. However, I and we in Guyana, retain the right to seek answers when we are confronted with what appears to be non cricketing considerations.

You write that, “…the WICB cannot take a narrow and parochial view in the process of rebuilding West Indies cricket”. That is heartening. Our Guyanese cricketing “experts” will observe whether that process results in specific players being picked for and exposed at specific (home) venues. That indeed would be pandering to “the luxury of parochialism”, which I am assured, runs counter to your selection policy.

It seems that a well meaning call for clarification in the interest of Caribbean cricket continues to be blinded by the thick fog that surrounds the criteria and the process of selection. If the WICB is unable or unwilling to share this information, then I am afraid it is not only the WI team for 2015 that needs rebuilding, but I will humbly suggest that we think about the rebuilding of the administrative and management team that runs West Indies cricket.

I look forward to a useful reply that covers the issues overlooked in your first response and raised herein a few paragraphs above.

It would seem then that there are many issues that need to be sorted out by the board because it now seems that Dr. Hilaire’s integrity is now being called into question. That cannot be a good thing for the WICB that claims its working in the best interest of the sport in the region. By its actions in this instance it seems to be doing anything but.

When the President of the WICB is St. Lucian, the CEO is St. Lucian and the captain is St. Lucian and only a few St. Lucians turned out to watch the West Indies play at home, it speaks volumes as to what direction the sport is headed. Based on what we observed, it is not the right one.

Older Entries

Newer Entries

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner.
The Gleaner reserves the right not to publish comments that may be deemed libelous, derogatory or indecent.
To respond to The Gleaner please use the feedback form.

19 Responses to “DID WICB CEO LOSE INTEGRITY OVER GAYLE AFFAIR?”

Vaga says:

April 24, 2011 at 5:54 pm

All I will say is wow!!!I have said this over and over again that the management of West Indies cricket has brought the game of cricket in to disrepute.
Where in the world of this game of ‘cricket lovely cricket’ that we pick the captain first then the team.
Russell,Bravo,Pollard and Sammy. Who would we pick to represent us if we had to chose two. Can you imagine the fact that Sammy has become an opening bowler for the West Indies team??
It is very clear that the WICB is not very transparent in it’s activities.
dane says:

April 24, 2011 at 9:09 pm

Very good article. It points out clearly the conspiracy of the WICB. That’s why I support Gayle 100 per cent and why the WICB don’t want him to be a part of the team. How can they question his commitment to West Indies when Darren Sammy stated in an interview at the WC that Gayle gave the team a motivational talk just before they defeated Bangladesh? Is he expected to do that all the time? That’s the job of the captain!
ned says:

April 25, 2011 at 5:44 am

If the WICB is truly West Indian it must be made accountable to some regional body or government. Before the last World Cup our people spent millions of $ building and refurbishing stadiums for cricket. The people of the West Indies are left shouldering the debts for these upgrades.

Why would we allow a few selfish and incompetent men in the WICB destroy our cricketing future while they line their pockets with efty salaries and purks.

Like any other entity in the world they must be made accountable, this as been going on for too long and it is destroying West Indies cricket. Too much had been invested to allow this to happen.
ric smith says:

April 25, 2011 at 6:59 am

The West Indian people are sorely lacking in principle. When Lara, Haynes etc. had to leave there was not a whimper from anyone outside their territories. We like it so, divide and rule works for WICB and we facilitate them by our attack on players that do not belong to our territory. The Guyanese only care about Sarwan and Chanderpaul, J’cans concerned about Gayle and Trinis were making noise for Simmons. Where is the integrity – it’s either we support WI cricket as a whole or we continue to perpetuate the insularity that WICB uses to its advantage. Small mindedness is the order of the day and the results on the field epitomizes it. Why is Sammy our captain? After the likes of Worrell, Sobers, Richards Lara et al, we end up with a Sammy? Where are we going? If Hunt was not a St. Lucian would Sammy even be considered as a candidate? Answer honestly please. As the insularity rises so does WI cricket fall.
Andrew Sinclair says:

April 25, 2011 at 8:27 am

The present situation gives credence to Michael Holding’s consistent pronouncements that he has nothing to do with West Indies cricket in its present structure. When a past great, who commands the respect of his peers at the highest level of international cricket, speaks with such passion it shows that something is horribly wrong with the administration of West Indies cricket.
In an interview by Chris Gayle after his devastating innings in the IPL, the relevance and sincerity of the board was brought into question by the interviewer Zimbabwian now South African based commentator Pommie Mbangwa. He started by saying quoute,”Chris your problem with the WICB has been well documented in media,” did the WICB think that this situation would remain “localised”. Pommie went on further to question how could the WICB not select him in ANY team whilst he was available.
This goes to show that the present administration is totally out of with the power of the electronic media,the quicker they realise that West Indies cricket is LARGER than St Lucia – then the insularity overtaking the cricket will stop.
There is a strong perception that the St. Lucian controlled WICB is ensuring that the “small island” use this opportunity in sending a message to the “larger islands” who have dominated West Indies cricket in the past that WE HAVE ARRIVED.
God help us.
Selvin Boothe says:

April 25, 2011 at 3:14 pm

I think the WICB is self destructing. They were not even subtle in their vindictiveness against certain players. Let’s give kudos to Mr Chris Gayle for spilling the beans. As an indication of the impact of this whole saga look in the stands at the matches presently being played….they are “filled” to capacity.
jeff says:

April 25, 2011 at 3:21 pm

I have been watching the WI team for over 25 years and I’ve observed the harsh treatment meted out to some players by the board, especially if they are from a particular Caribbean island. However, I have been echoing this for the past ten years that the board is the one that is causing all the mess in West Indies cricket. For the sake of the people of the Caribbean, I would love for all members of the board to resign their posts and give people who really care about the players and the region a fair chance to bring back cricket lovely cricket.
miguel says:

April 25, 2011 at 5:06 pm

How can you lose something that you never had.The WICB has no credibility whatsoever.
Eugene says:

April 25, 2011 at 5:57 pm

I’ve been following West Indies cricket keenly for almost five decades and I cannot recall a period when the regional game was in such a state of turmoil. International cricketers are ‘sports personalities’ and can never be managed as if their are factory workers.
The WICB ought to recognise by now that cricket is evolving into what transpires in internationaal soccer -where players sign up with clubs in Europe and earn a decent living and still manage to retain loyalty to their respective countries. This thinking that WI players must be managed as ‘boys’, to be punished for speaking up and exposed to all sorts of ugly public remarks by the coach and WICB executives cannot augur well for the future of WI cricket. It is likely to result in premature retirements with quality experienced players distancing themselves from the game in the region, as Carl Hooper and others did.
Furthermore, it does appear more than unusual that Captain Darren Sammy is being retained AT ALL COSTS despite his apparent inability to lead from the front. Game after game he stands before a microphone to tell West Indians what went wrong. His job is to tell us how he got it right.
And shame on Coach Gibson. His horrible performance as coach is being overlooked because of the ongoing high tension between the WICB and WIPA. This was recently highlighted when the opener Smith did not appear to have known that the review system does not apply in the current series. How could there be a functioning coach and players being so ignorant of a matter as serious as that?
Frank Asphall says:

April 25, 2011 at 5:59 pm

It is evident that the WICB CEO has lost its integrity,by appointing a man that not able to play the game at a high level is a moral defeat for the region.The wICB should never allow a little Island that struggle to find an international player dictate the terms of WI cricket.what happen to the Barbados,Trinidad,Guyana, and Jamaica that have achieve excellence for the WI in the past?>
mario grant says:

April 26, 2011 at 7:21 am

Its about time we the supporters of West Indies cricket through thick and thin, be told the truth as to players’ availability and selection and not be lied to by the WICB which has lost credibility a long time ago. It’s time for fundamental changes to be made in the management of West Indies cricket. Ex-players and people with influence should start making their voices heard instead of just staying in the background and not making effort in changing the system for the better. It obvious that under the present captain and board West Indies cricket is struggling. We as cricket loving islands should put all resources together to greatly make positive changes which in time will bring the desired results.
Milam Jackson says:

April 26, 2011 at 10:09 am

Absolutely! I have always given the WICB the benefit of the doubt but this has opened my eyes to what is the real problem. When the ODI team was announced the WICB issued a press release which made it very clear that…..

“Consistent with the policy to expose young players, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan were not selected.

Adrian Barath has not yet attained a level of satisfactory fitness and was not considered for selection.”

SEE “Martin breaks into Windies ODI squad” April 13, 2010 on the WICB website

To now suggest that Chris Gayle was not selected because of issues with his fitness is clearly an attempt to mislead the cricketing public.
Norman Granderson says:

April 26, 2011 at 4:58 pm

Well the President, CEO and Events Manager of The WICB are all from the ST. Lucia Labour Party..same political party.Hence the CEO never had a cricketing background in both playing and administration in St.Lucia, except his political appointment to head World Cup 2007 in St.Lucia.Also the CEO was a potential candidate to run in the Gros Islet seat replacing the president who run that seat in the last elections in St.Lucia.Its just a job for the boys situation..do some investigation and you will see my point..
norman says:

April 27, 2011 at 7:36 am

Gayle, Shiv and Sarwan are the most experienced players on the West Indies Cricket team and at least two of them should be on the team to guide the young players. With the CEO MR HILAIRE ON THE BOARD WEST INDIES CRICKET WILL NOT GET ANYWHERE.
THANK YOU,
NORMAN
Late Bloomer says:

April 27, 2011 at 8:05 am

Good article.
C S O J says:

April 28, 2011 at 2:10 pm

Simply put, the WICB needs to be totally over-hauled. Clean house and start afresh. Obviously if those who are to MANAGE can’t do so or are very INEPT and INEFFECTIVE, what else do we expect to filter down to our players. Dr. Hillaire is a joke for a CEO, his integrity is being called into question…..c’mon fix the top(management) and all else will be ok.
t c williams says:

April 29, 2011 at 8:13 pm

This very interesting, it looks like its about to crash. Everything is coming out. Too many chiefs let hope we get this thing out in the open for West Indies’ sake.
Jewells says:

April 29, 2011 at 9:31 pm

What is the WICB president and CEO Hilarie trying to prove to the caribbean people? Are they trying to create history that the first ST LUCIAN to play test cricket and to captain the W.I. team is SAMMY? You both have proven a blunt point to the cricketing world and the Caribbean. You both are the laughing stock.

I guess you have it that you both have proven your point, so its time for you all to pack up and leave, because Sammy does not warrant a place as a batsman or bowler on the WI team. He is just an extra baggage. Time to go SAMMY.

Sorry, we cant say thanks for your achievement, because there is none.
Robert Pommells says:

July 10, 2011 at 10:23 am

It obvious from all the information available the Windies board needs to urgently address issues relating to the seniors’ players inclusion in the team that the region have long loved and adored. It is quite manipulating the way Chris Gayle issue has been handled and moreso came to light.

I look forward to read about a sensible conclusion.