Dubai
When John Harnden, Chief Executive of the 2015 ICC World Cup, said he hoped West Indies cricket can resolve its crisis before the showpiece, he was merely echoing the fears of the average cricket fan. A World Cup without the Caribbeans, who stamped their class with triumphs in the first two editions in 1975 and 1979 - is a frightening scenario — though such a prospect looks far-fetched as of now.
Anyone who had watched the great West Indies team of the 1970s and 80s would find it hard to believe that the players donning the famous maroon cap have to indulge in strikes to get better pay. The tale of West Indies cricket’s fall from grace is mainly due to their cricket board, which showed no foresight to groom talent when they ruled the world. All of them basked in the glory of the greats who won matches with ease.
Despite the cricket board doing nothing, the golden generation of players made their presence felt in the international arena. The likes of Brian Lara and then Chris Gayle could win matches on their own but the board - instead of being thankful to them - antagonised them too and made their lives difficult.
Inside criticism
After their greats retired one after the other, cricket in West Indies had reached a stage where no one wanted to watch the game in their country. Former West Indies captain Alvin Kallicharan, had in an interview to Gulf News revealed how the board had destroyed cricket in their country. “When we were ruling the world, the administrators were enjoying the fruits doing nothing to create a new generation or facilities. When we all aged our cricket too lost its glory. It had reached a stage where spectators now walk out of a cricket match to watch football.”
Though West Indies cricket had crashed to abysmal levels, the players provided the odd spark to lift their team to even win the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy in England. The historic win was recorded in September 2004 and the very next month, Gus Logie, the former West Indies cricketer-turned-coach was forced to quit. In his parting statement, Logie said: “I am disappointed. I made a contribution and have been denied the opportunity to work with what has just begun to blossom.” Logie, incidentally, had a two-year contract till June next year.
In 2012, the West Indies went on to lift the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. Ottis Gibson, who was the coach of the team, was also sacked by the board. While the board gave out a statement saying that the two had mutually agreed to end their association, Gibson later clarified saying that he was sacked and that the board president Dave Cameron fired him during a telephone conversation.
Financial tussle
The relationship between players and board had worsened from 2005. The point of contention was a clause on the tour contract with gave West Indies Cricket Board the exclusive rights to arrange for sponsorship, advertising, licensing, merchandising and promotional activities relating to WICB or any WICB team. The West Indian Players Association (WIPA) protested against the practice, to which the board reacted by announcing a team without captain and batting icon Brian Lara. Things worsened in 2009 when many senior players decided not to take part over pay and contract issues. The West Indies cricket board even fielded a second-string side in a series against Bangladesh and the Champions Trophy.
In 2012, the International Cricket Council and FICA (Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations) intervened to end a stand-off between players and the board over the issue of contracts and the running of West Indies Cricket - between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA). ICC chief executive Dave Richardson, who was then the General Manager Cricket of the ICC, participated in the negotiations.
The Indian Premier League (IPL), over the last six editions, showcased the image of West Indies cricketers like a Gayle, Dwayne Bravo or Sunil Narine as supreme entertainers. They showed they can still play the game the Caribbean way but their board’s high-handed approach towards them remained the same.
The West Indies cricketers now have to battle to stay afloat on and off the pitch - but cricket will be the loser if they stay away from the pitch for too long. There was a time when West Indies cricketers were the most revered players in the world. Their team in the seventies and eighties ruled world cricket with such authority that every cricketing nation used to wait anxiously for an opportunity to play against them. It is indeed heart-rending to find that this team is embroiled in a controversy after their players decided to abandon an India tour midway through the series.
