Caribbean cries ‘howzat’

THE ENTIRE Caribbean yesterday cried a collective “howzat” when it awoke to find out that the West Indies Cricket Board of Control had dropped 16 leading players (including skipper Brian Lara) from a 25-man squad which is scheduled to participate in a limited overs competition in Australia next year.

Numerous letters to regional newspapers such as the Barbados Advocate, Barbados Nation and the Jamaica Gleaner questioned how this situation could have been allowed to happen. Public support was divided between the WICB and the omitted players. However several of the region’s top cricketing minds opted to remain silent on the latest controversy to rock West Indies cricket.  Former WICB presidents Capt Peter Short and Clyde Walcott declined comment to the Barbados Nation, saying they were not au courant with the matter at hand. 

Equally silent on the issue were former WICB CEO David Holford and Lara’s immediate predecessor, Carl Hooper. However speaking to the Australian press yesterday, former Australia cricket captain Steve Waugh expressed his shock at this latest development in West Indies cricket and hoped that it would not affect the upcoming tour.