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I am writing on my return to Australia from India to compliment the Trinidad and Tobago cricket team on their fantastic performance at the Airtel 20/20 Champions league held in India in October.

I feel compelled to write this because what I witnessed was a class performance both off and on the field. I was fortunate enough to be in India on business and staying at the same hotel as the team in Hyderabad, where I came into contact with the men off and on during my stay. Read more…

Recently, WICB identified 35 players who will receive retainer contracts with the West Indies Cricket Board.  The players named are:

BARBADOS: Floyd Reifer, Fidel Edwards, Sulieman Benn, Kemar Roach, Ryan Austin, Tino Best, Kraigg Brathwaite, Kevin McLean, Omar Phillips, Dale Richards, Dwayne Smith

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Adrian Barath, Lendl Simmons

GUYANA: Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Narsingh Deonarine, Travis Dowlin

JAMAICA: Chris Gayle, Jerome Taylor, Dave Bernard, Brendan Nash, Andre Creary, Nikita Miller, Chadwick Walton

WINDWARD ISLANDS: Darren Sammy, Andre Fletcher, Devon Smith, Nelson Pascal

LEEWARD ISLANDS: Lionel Baker, Kieron Powell, Gavin Tonge

It is clear, yes, even to West Indians who do not follow cricket religiously, that some of these contracts were given as “rewards” – as if the payments they received for representing West Indies during that period were not enough. Read more…

Over a century ago, the Caribbean people under British rule saw a game for the first time. It was deemed for the more affluent in society and one shared tea and cupcakes on the sidelines. A gentleman’s game it was called then.  The locals weren’t allowed to participate, the whites rules were thought to be superior.

As the game progressed in the Caribbean the locals played amongst each other and developed skills that were often superior to their colonial rulers. The popularity of the game grew producing a slew of talented locals with amazing skills.  However, they were still considered inferior and weren’t allowed to captain the team, but they were resilient and never gave up. Read more…

By  Claude Raphael

When it was stated that Sir Shridath Ramphal our esteemed international states-man was identified to oversee the mediation process, I felt that at last we would have a resolution to this seemingly unending conflict.  However, when he pronounced that the matter would be resolved by 31st August 2009,  (ie) within one (1) month I was  totally taken aback and   felt that Sir Shirdath must be totally unaware of the magnitude of the task he had undertaken.

Evidently he wasn’t  cognisant of the deep levels of distrust and disrespect that existed amongst the main players WICB, WIPA & the Players and the fact that there could be no “Quick Fix Solution” to this problem. Read more…

The West Indies are in danger of losing next year’s World Twenty20 competition  because of the bitter dispute between their players and their board which has forced them to field a virtual second team in the Champions Trophy.

A meeting of chief executives from all the leading countries here over the next few days will consider switching the event, to be held in early May, to the United Arab Emirates unless the West Indies get their house in order.

The International Cricket Council are wary of a repeat of the disastrous World Cup in the Caribbean in 2007 which saw poor crowds and poor cricket and feel that the hosts must have a team capable of making an impact.

In a recent interview with Cricinfo, you made several comments about the state of West Indies cricket, and also about WICB’s relationship with WIPA.  It is unfortunate that you did not state what most of the Caribbean – including CARICOM, eminent citizens and former Prime Ministers – already know: WICB is at the heart of most of the problems afflicting our game.

Indeed, it seems seems that, over the past 10 years,  selected CEO’s must have been given the same script, for each of them spoke about the same issue that you raised – trust, mature and professional, relationship, embarrassment, working with WIPA, and so on.  Of course, we all know where they all ended. Read more…

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said Friday they had embraced Caricom’s six-point plan aimed at ending the bitter dispute with the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), but had reservations over one of the recommendations regarding players’ fees.

WICB president Julian Hunte said following discussions with Caricom, the Board had “accepted the recommendations of Caricom and has asked Caricom to commence discussions with a view to resolving the impasse at the earliest opportunity.”

He said, however, the WICB had “certain reservations” over recommendation ‘B’ but were still “committed to finding a common understanding and a satisfactory mechanism for resolving all of the issues in dispute”.

Source: Jamaica Observer