T20 WC

WICB agrees to meet with senior cricketers during annual review

by Cricbuzz Staff • Published on

West Indies' T20I captain Darren Sammy lambasted the board during his speech after winning the World T20. © Cricbuzz

Darren Sammy's emotional speech after winning the World Twenty20 for the second time has landed on a few ears, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) being one of them. The members of the much-maligned cricket board have agreed to sit down with Sammy for negotiations in May 2016, according to an ESPNCricinfo report.

After being criticised for not supporting the team, WICB president Dave Cameron stated that he would meet the players in May and find a "common ground" where the best cricketers from the region can represent West Indies.

During the post-match presentation, Sammy made strong statements against the board. The West Indies skipper, told he received mails, messages and well-wishes on the eve of the final, but was "very disappointed" not to have heard from WICB. Cameron, reacting to Sammy's outburst, termed the comments "inappropriate" and said he was disappointed to hear that from his captain.

Cameron, in the past, has remained silent on the matter, allowing the players to directly deal with West Indies Players Association (WIPA). Wavell Hinds. the WIPA President, fell out with the players because of inferior pay deals he negotiated with board in 2014, which led to the players walking out of the India tour. However, Cameron appears to have now changed his perspective.

"Coming up in May this year, the Board will host its annual review (retreat) with the players, WIPA, selectors and the technical team to review player, management and technical plans. We want to see how we can find common ground in ensuring that the best players in the region are available for selection for West Indies teams," said Cameron on Sunday (April 3), hours after West Indies were crowned T20 champions after beating England in a nail-bitter.

The likes of Bravo, Pollard and Sammy have not been considered for One-Day Internationals (ODIs) since abandoning from the India tour. In fact, Bravo and Pollard were not selected in the 15-man squad for the 2015 World Cup in Australia and haven't played a single 50-over game since October 2014. In January, WICB shortlisted 15 players for the annual retainer contract with Tests given priority.

Cameron might have agreed to speak to the players, but has stressed that things are not going to change moving forward, "We are fully aware of the financial rewards on offer in the lucrative international T20 leagues, but we believe deeply in the importance of cricket to the people of the region and of West Indies cricket's place in world cricket. It is therefore a priority to have all of our players competing and available for selection. We will also engage the ICC on this so that we protect not only the rich heritage and legacy of West Indies Cricket, but also its future."

The only appreciation Sammy and his boys got from Cameron was an indirect phrase, which said 'WICB President has high praises for World Twenty20 Organisers'. The only other response from Cameron was that he was "overjoyed" that the men's and women's team had won the World T20. He also added that necessary action would be taken following an enquiry of Sammy's speech at the post-match presentation.

"The President would like to however apologise for what could be deemed inappropriate, comments made by the West Indies' male captain, Darren Sammy in a post-match interview and would like to apologize on behalf of the WICB, to the millions of fans who witnessed," the statement read. "The President has pledged to enquire the reason and will have the matter addressed."

© Cricbuzz

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