World T20 champs ineligible for one-dayers

With the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) recent change in its selection policy which states that players must compete on the domestic circuit (50 Over/Four- Day) in order to affirm places on the regional team for international competition, several key and trophy- winning players have automatically been excluded. Among them are the likes of World T20 championship skipper Darren Sammy, the in-form Dwayne Bravo, hard-hitting batsman Chris Gayle and all-rounder Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Marlon Samuels and Samuel Badree. All except Samuels were unavailable for the Nagico Super50 after taking up contracts for the Australian Big Bash which clashed with the regional one-day tournament.

With the tri-nation series just around the bend and the regional team still being celebrated for their t20 success, many fans were hoping for the WICB to soften its stance so the T20 stars could compete.

Their hopes were dashed, however, by WICB Director of Cricket Richard Pybus who seems to be playing hard ball.

“We got a selection policy and it stands. The selection policy is pretty straightforward,” WICB director of cricket Richard Pybus told WEEKENDSPORT in an interview recently.

Speaking with former WI cricketer, Bryan Davis, he openly differed with the Board’s policy. The now local cricket administrator also called for selectors to alter such an approach, which he believes is hampering the growth of regional cricket as a whole.

“I don’t agree with the policy because I think we should pick our best team at all times,” said Davis off the bat. “I don’t agree with the policy where you have to play a certain number of games to be available for selection. To me that’s a bit of an archaic rule. I can’t see the reason behind it. I think one of the reasons the West Indian stars are required to play in the local domestic leagues means it will improve our club cricket and so on.

But, if we are trying to encourage them by doing that, and they are still not coming, how is this strategy improving the cricket anyway? I think we are spinning like a top in mud.” Davis questioned whether a player who plies his career professionally at the highest levels of the game, should give up a healthy payout from his job and settle for less money by competing on the local circuit.

“I think the policy should be changed because I don’t agree that we, the West Indies, have a team to pick to play in world competition and we are not picking our best team because of our own restrictions on players. My idea is that your best team should represent the region at all times, regardless if they have played some other cricket.

Once a man is fit, he should play. If he has contracts elsewhere, it shows you just how good he is.

If you can compensate him that money and say that you want him to come and play in this cricket (domestic), then okay. But you will never be able to compensate them the money that people pay them elsewhere, so why should the region suffer because of that?” added Davis.

In countries like South Africa, and other major cricketing nations, restrictions such as these are non-existent.

“He (cricketer) is not suffering because he is getting his money and he playing because that’s his job and career. I can’t see any reason whatsoever to blame the player.

I see no reason why you must tell a player that he has to take less money and lose finance to come and play in the local series. For what reason? I can’t see any whatsoever.

I believe that any time there are selecting players to a West Indies team, and they are available, nothing except fitness should stop them from being selected for that team,” Davis concluded.