Kaieteur News
Saturday October 18, 2014
Page 31
West Indies pull out of India tour ESPNcricinfo - The West Indies tour to India has been cancelled with the BCCI announcing it had been called off by the WICB and announcing a replacement tour, while the West Indies board in a later statement yesterday evening confirmed the decision. The developments followed a protracted payment structure dispute between the players, the WICB and West Indies Players’ Association. The WICB said it would make a further statement following the conclusion of the fourth ODI in Dharamsala, which India won by 59 runs. At the end of the game, the official broadcaster Star Sports displayed India as the winners of the ODI series by a 2-1 margin, though no trophy was given to MS Dhoni at the presentation ceremony. The WICB has called for a meeting at 3pm Caribbean time to discuss the developments, after which the board will explain its position. Following news of West Indies’ pullout emerged midway through the first innings, the BCCI said it was “shocked and disappointed”
that the decision to abandon the tour had been “taken by the WICB”, and that India would now play five ODIs against Sri Lanka between November 1 and 15, after Sri Lanka Cricket accepted the invitation to fill the void. “They have withdrawn their team and this [development] has come abruptly. We received an email from Richie Richardson, the West Indies team manager, only this [Friday] morning,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told ESPNcricnfo. Patel also said the board was contemplating legal action against the WICB. Shortly after that development, however, the WICB put out a statement saying it had not taken a decision to end the tour. “The West Indies Cricket Board advises, that, contrary to media reports, it has taken no decision to discontinue the ongoing tour to India,” it said. “The WICB will make a further statement following the conclusion of the fourth one-day International which is in progress.” Late in the day, the BCCI issued a second release quoting Richardson’s email
Dwayne Bravo said at the toss that it was “time to make a decision” © BCCI and chronicling the events of the last week to support their position: “Despite agreeing to play the fourth ODI in Dharamsala, regrettably, the current West Indies players have decided that they will not participate any further in this tour and wish to return home after this match. In light of this, I suggest that the entire squad travel to Delhi tomorrow and be booked into a hotel there, until international return flights have been booked. On behalf of the entire squad and
GT Beer/Berbice Cup 2014
High expectations for today’s semis Expectations are extremely high among teams and supporters leading up to today’s semi-final matchups in the GT Beer/Berbice Cup KO football Tournament organized and hosted by Starlight Generation in conjunction with Monedderlust FC. The 2nd annual 8-team competition which kickedoff on October 4th has so far tallied 21 goals from the four first round games and according to widespread optimism among the coaches fans are in for another goalfest tonight at Number Five Village on the West Coast of Berbice. In the opening act set for 18:00hrs, home-side and defending Champion Monedderlust FC will put their title on line against a young and hungry Cougars FC of New Amsterdam. Both sides will be without some players due to injuries and work commitment. Right full-back Clifton Campbell is out for Monedderlust with a groin injury sustained in the
opening game while there are other niggling injuries in the camp. The NA side has lost right back Charles Williams and flank man Ron Wilson due to work and midfielder Roger Crandon is doubtful with an ankle injury. Captain Travis Henry the solid central defender will once again spearhead the Cup holders with national U17 captain, Kevin Layne Jr. at left full-back and Erwin Johnson on the opposite side. Delbert Wilson and Arthur Bailey alongside Leon McDonald will parade the middle with a trio of marksmen up front in Delroy Halley, Eon Abel and former national youth player King Archer. For Cougars the experienced Stefon DeFlorimonte and Adrian Bess will marshal the defence with Reon Emanuel in goal. Tishan Moore and Alvin Reynolds will for the core of the midfield with Sherwin Parris, Conroy Crandon and Albert Anderson in attack.
The all-East Coast affair featuring Victoria Kings and Ann’s Grove in the 2nd semifinal is anticipated to be mouthwatering with bus loads of villagers expected to make the trip to give support on both sides of the pitch. The much accomplished Kings will once again feature a solid mix of experience and youth in their line up with the ever-green, Winston Pompey leading the way. The other players with vast experience are midfielder Aubrey Gibson and defenders Shawn Samuels, Samuel and Dane Johnson. Former national youth player Calvin DeSouza and Devon James will shore up the midfield. Travis Allen, in goal, will l e a d A n n ’s G r o v e ’s challenge with main the support coming from central defenders Cleveland Adams and Antonio Jackson. In the middle will be Kevon Barry, Gavin Rogers and Anthony Barry and up front it will be Mackston Adams, Jamal Blair and Devon Chance.
WICB, I apologise for the inconvenience caused.” West Indies were scheduled to play a fifth ODI, one Twenty20 international and t h r e e Te s t s a f t e r t h e Dharamsala one-dayer. The BCCI’s first release had said, “The WICB’s inability to resolve internal issues with its players and allowing the same to affect an ongoing bilateral series does not reflect well on any of those involved.” They said the withdrawal had “given little thought to the future of the game, the players and the long standing relations between the BCCI and WICB.” “This is a unilateral decision taken by the WICB and its players, in spite of several appeals to the WICB to honour its commitment and complete the series.” T h e B C C I ’s j o i n t secretary Anurag Thakur told PTI the West Indies players were “hell bent not to play” the fourth ODI, and only
agreed to take the field upon his insistence. Before the game, Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies ODI captain, had indicated something serious was brewing when he told television commentator Ian Bishop at the toss: “Time to make a decision.” Bravo was accompanied by his West Indies team-mates, who stood beside him. Tony Irish, the executive chairman of international players’ association FICA, is reported to be working with WICB and WIPA to try and resolve the issue. “FICA is dismayed that the tour has been called off,” he said. “It’s not good for cricket and it’s not good for player relations within cricket.” The reason for the dispute was the memorandum of understanding and the combined bargaining agreement signed between W I PA a n d W I C B i n September. Bravo, acting as the player representative, had
claimed that WIPA president and chief executive Wavell Hinds had kept the players in the dark over the MoU, which he allegedly signed without their consent. On the eve of the first ODI in Kochi, Bravo had warned that if Hinds did not cooperate and respond to the questions raised by the players, a strike or a pullout from the tour could not be ruled out. Though Hinds responded eventually, Bravo continued to insist that he should step down as chief executive and president, and even asked the WICB to not communicate with WIPA till a solution was found. However, WICB president Dave Cameron sent an email to Bravo saying the board would only engage with WIPA, adhering to the MoU signed in September. That development led to the West Indian players taking the extreme step of pulling out of the tour. Former West Indies seamer Michael Holding called the development “ridiculous” and “embarrassing”. “I have never seen anything like this in the past,” Holding told Sky TV. “I can see serious repercussions from this. I think this is a ridiculous decision by the West Indies Cricket Board. They like to hide behind half-truths. “It’s embarrassing for me, as someone who played for West Indies, to see this happening. I was told a director of the WICB did not know about this decision. Let us hope the majority of the board made this decision, otherwise it has been made by very dubious means.”
Kalladeen elected President of East Bank Demerara Cricket Association Anand Kalladeen, former Treasurer of the East Bank Demerara Cricket Association (EBCA) was elected to serve as the new President of the EBDCA for the forthcoming year 2014/15 when that entity held its AGM on Tuesday, September 30th 2014 at the Providence Community Centre. Kalladeen replaced Rohan Sarjoo, who served five consecutive years at the helm since the constitution of the EBDCA restricts the President and the Treasurer from holding Office for more than five consecutive years. The following Officers
were elected to serve with him: Vice President- Johnny Azeez, Vice PresidentRohan Sarjoo, SecretaryMohamed Baksh, TreasurerSewnarine Kallicharran, Asst. Secretary- Rakesh Seagoram, Asst. TreasurerEric Sukrah. Committee Members: Alvin Rambaran, Ronald J a i s i n g h , K . B a r k e r, Jermaine Ramroop, Julian Mohabir, Competitions Committee ChairmanRakesh Gangaram, Marketing Manager- Raj Singh, PRO- John Ramsingh The new Executive Committee had its first Statutory Executive meeting
on Thursday, October 2nd at which the following subcommittees were named: 1: Marketing & Fundraising- Raj Singh (Chairman), Rohan Sarjoo, S. Kallicharran, J Azeez 2: Disciplinary- Alvin Rambaran, An and Kalladeen 3: Cricket DevelopmentRohan Sarjoo, Julian Mohabir, Anand Kalladeen & Alvin Rambaran 4: Selection reps to the DCB Senior- J. Azeez: Alternate- K. Barker 5: Junior- Rohan Sarjoo; Alternate- Rakesh Gangaram