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GUYANA CHRONICLE, Tuesday January 30, 2018
Bravo wants`new blood’ to run Windies cricket
… Present crop incapable of doing so PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Outspoken all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has written off the present crop of Cricket West Indies leadership, and says there is desperate need for a new kind of thinking, in order to save the next generation of cricketers. Speaking against the backdrop of the latest fracas between CWI and the players, the former one-day skipper said the board had a history of mistreatment of players and this could only change if there was a wholesale shakeup at the top level of the administration. “I am just concerned about the next generation of cricketers. West Indies have a history of treating players (badly),” a passionate Bravo told I95FM Radio here. “They treated players badly before my time, they
treated players badly during my time and … it’s just a history of treating players badly. And players always get the blame and when a player does not perform he gets dropped, and that’s it. “Do you hear anybody getting sacked or resigning (from the board). The best coach (Phil Simmons) West Indies had in how many years, the only coach that players loved and were dying to play for, West Indies sacked him because he stood up for the players.” Bravo, who is currently playing in the Australia Big Bash, said the future of West Indies cricket was bleak, and stressed that the Dave Cameron-led administration was incapable of turning around the situation. The major problem, the 34-year-old argued, was the need for “new blood”, point-
ing out that the current leadership had already been in place for an extended period, and had little results to show. “It’s just sad to see what West Indies cricket (has come to) and I’m sorry for the younger players who are coming through,” the Trinidadian continued. “They’re not being paid well, one, and the system is terrible so the future of West Indies cricket is in a very bad state, and those who are in charge now, they cannot help. West Indies need a new blood of thinking, they need new people. “Those board directors (have been) there for how many years, like 20-something years and 30-something years and nothing (has changed). Look at the structure of West Indies cricket, look at the facilities in the Caribbean.”
FLASHBACK: All-rounder Dwayne Bravo (left) chats with CWI president Dave Camero, during a players’ forum in Fort Lauderdale two years ago.
Controversy erupted last Thursday when chief selector Courtney Browne said the senior quartet of Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Darren Bravo and Andre Russell had declined selection for the upcoming ICC World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe. In a statement, Browne said they had reached out to the players who had “indicated that they were unavailable to help us qualify as their priority was playing in the
Pakistan Super League.” CWI president Cameron said the board was “very disappointed” by the players’ decision, adding, “we’ll probably not invite those players to be a part of Cricket West Indies going forward.” Cameron’s comments drew a sharp rebuke from Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board president Azim Bassarath and Bravo, too, was also critical of the Jamaican administrator.
“The president of the West Indies is a bully. You challenge him, you stand up to him and he clicks his fingers to get rid of you. That’s it.” Bravo reiterated his claim that West Indies selectors were only now interested in the senior players because of the team’s failure to earn automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup, and the subsequent desperation to secure one of the remaining two berths at the qualifiers in March. Previously, Bravo argued, senior players had been repeatedly overlooked. “They need to stop throwing around these things and making people think that the players are not committed,” he contended. “They are not committed to us, they’re never interested in us before they reach this situation they’re in now. It’s only now they’re reaching out to us because they’re in a crisis situation.”
Holder, four other players retained for all-formats in new CWI contracts ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Test and oneday captain Jason Holder was one of five players rewarded with new all-format contracts worth up to US$200 000, as Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced a new range of retainers contracts, aimed at encouraging players to commit to representing the regional side. A release from CWI said retainer contracts would now be offered in three categories
– all-format contracts, redball contracts and white-ball contracts – in keeping with “different formats of the sport.” Holder has been joined by fellow fast bowlers Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph, batsman Shai Hope and leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, on the new all-format contracts. “The new retainer contracts aim to incentivise our players to play cricket for the Windies and be contracted to
CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Tuesday January 30, 2018) COMPLIMENTS OF THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market & The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1)
Sri Lanka & Bangladesh
(2)
Keacy Carty-52* (WI)
Today’s Quiz: (1) Who scored most runs in the ICC Under 19 World Cup 2016? (2)
Who took most wickets? Answers in tomorrow’s issue
Shimron Hetmyer
CWI,” said CWI chief executive, Johnny Grave. “All the new contracts offer increased remuneration to our Windies men’s team as well as enhanced medical and insurance policies.” While CWI did not reveal the value of the new retainers, CMC Sports understands that all-format contracts will be worth as much as US$200 000 per year while red-ball contracts will be capped at around US$140 000. Players on white-ball contracts will rake in as much as $120 000. Grave said the retainers reflected the “significant progress” CWI had made in incentivising international players. Contracts will run from October 17 last year un-
til September this year, but Grave said renewals would take place on July 1 to ensure all professional contracts had the same start date. Player selection for retainers was completed in July last year, a month before domestic contracts were issued. Leading opener Kraigg Brathwaite heads the list of players with red-ball contracts, with Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Jermaine Blackwood, Miguel Cummins, Jomel Warrican also signing on. Left-arm spinner Warrican is an interesting choice, having played the last of his four Tests two years ago. Shimron Hetmyer and Kieran Powell, both members of the Test squad, have been offered developmental
West Indies captain Jason Holder
Vishaul Singh
red-ball contracts along with West Indies A star Vishaul Singh, who played a couple of Tests against Pakistan last year. West Indies Twenty20 captain Carlos Brathwaite tops the group of players on white-ball contracts and is joined by Ashley Nurse, Jason Mohammed, Evin Lewis and Rovman Powell, with seamer Kesrick Williams on a developmental contract. “These new contracts will embrace additional terms and conditions which will set out the responsibilities of both player and CWI to each other, together with ensuring that the players are contractually bound to new and existing policies that aim to further increase standards,”
Grave noted. Development contracts have been offered to those players yet to fully establish themselves in the starting XIs. List of retained players All-format contracts - Jason Holder, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Devendra Bishoo RED-BALL contracts Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Jermaine Blackwood, Miguel Cummins, Jomel Warrican (Development - Shimron Hetmyer, Kieran Powell, Vishaul Singh) WHITE-BALL contracts - Carlos Brathwaite, Ashley Nurse, Jason Mohammed, Evin Lewis, Rovman Powell (Development - Kesrick Williams).