Ridiculous situation shows a lack of proper management, says Holding
Friday 17 October 2014 17:42, UK
Michael Holding says the West Indies Cricket Board could face ‘fierce repercussions’ after pulling out of the rest of their tour of India.
The teams were contesting the fourth of five one-day internationals, in Dharamsala, when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that they’d received word that the tour was over due to an on-going pay dispute between the WICB and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA).
Instead of trying to sort the problem out the WICB have just decided they will take the stumps, their bat and ball and go home.
Former West Indies bowler Holding told Sky Sports News HQ that the breakdown between the two parties is “a disgrace”, blaming the WIPA for not representing their players properly in contract negotiations.
“I don’t know what the future now holds for WIPA, the West Indies Cricket Board or the players that are here because I’ve never seen anything like this happen,” said Holding.
“I do not understand why the West Indies Cricket Board has taken this stance; instead of trying to sort the problem out they have just decided they will take the stumps, their bat and ball and go home.”
Compensation
The decision means that the fifth ODI and the ensuing Twenty20 international and three-Test series has now been scrapped. Instead, India will play five ODIs against Sri Lanka.
Secretary Sanjay Patel said that the BCCI is “shocked and extremely disappointed” by the move and Holding says the WICB could well face serious consequences.
“It’s ridiculous and I can see some fierce repercussions," he reflected. "The press release from the BCCI indicates to me that they will be looking for compensation for what they’ll be losing for the rest of this tour.
“I’m not too sure who that is going to be sorted by and I don’t know if the West Indies Cricket Board have enough benefactors that will pay their bills for them. Will they be able to reimburse the BCCI if they are sued?
“I have no idea how this is going to end up. It’s a ridiculous situation by the WICB and it shows a lack of proper management.
“I know a lot of the guys who are playing and I’ve been in touch with a lot of them since they arrived here, speaking to them personally, trying to understand what they are going through and how they are dealing with it.
“It’s all very depressing. It’s embarrassing for me to have played for the West Indies and to have been involved with West Indies cricket at various levels to see this happening.”
Unfair
However Holding does not expect the tour cancellation to impact on any chances that West Indian players have of playing in next year’s IPL.
“I think it is unfair to say that the West Indies players have pulled out. It’s fair to say that the West Indies Cricket Board has cancelled the rest of the tour.
“Whatever the reason, I do not think that this is going to affect the individual as far as the IPL is concerned unless the BCCI instruct the Indian franchises down here not to get involved with any West Indies player. To be honest I don’t see that happening.
“When I heard what was taking place I made a couple of calls back to the Caribbean and I spoke to someone who had spoken to a director of the WICB, who knew absolutely nothing about the West Indies pulling out so it can’t be a decision made by the entire board.
“Let us hope that at least the majority of the board knew about it – otherwise I think the decision has been made by some very dubious means.”
