All’s not well in Windies camp

Even as the regional cricket team prepare to face South Africa in the First Test match in Guyana on Thursday, there is strong evidence that all is not well in the West Indies camp. It is understood that several players on the 13-man squad have made requests of the team management, to intervene as they are being badgered not to take the field tomorrow. It is believed that the instigation comes from a senior player in the squad. “The younger players have protested that they are being called all sorts of names like ‘prostitutes’  and ‘scabs’ and accused of selling out themselves for money. 

They are being threatened if they take the field on Thursday, and the West Indies Cricket Board have been asked to intervene,” a close source to the team told Newsday. “It appears there are some who do not want the players to take the field, no matter what, and are doing all they can to ensure it, but the problem is that the majority of cricketers in the squad want to play,” he added. “There is also a fear by some that because of the pressure put on by the senior man, that some players may find themselves being backed into a corner,” the source added. “All of this is not going to be easy to deal with, but the West Indies management team has been given a directive to sort it out, before it becomes too disruptive. The problem is that nobody wants this to become a distraction,” he added.

“Remember in all of this, the West Indies Players’ Association will look extremely bad if their vice-president Wavell Hinds is on the field on Thursday, so there must be a lot of pressure on him as well. But whatever happens we can expect more fireworks before a ball is bowled,” he added. “At the moment, the West Indies Cricket Board has dug in and by getting the players to sign the match contracts on Tuesday, would have put the Players’ Association on the back foot and on shaky ground in any future negotiations,” he noted. “It is clear that Shivnarine Chanderpaul wants to lead the team out, but this sort of infighting because various parties are playing politics is not good for their morale,” the source added.

WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine and negotiations consultant David Abdullah, a labour union leader, travelled to Barbados last week to meet with the players and the West Indies Cricket Board. In 2003, Ramnarine, called a strike in the Carib Beer regional semi-finals and in both matches the players did not take the field until the West Indies Cricket Board resolved certain points with WIPA.

West Indies squad: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (captain), Courtney Browne (vice captain), Wavell Hinds, Devon Smith, Donavon Pagon, Narsingh Deonarine, Daren Ganga, Ryan Hinds, Corey Collymore, Pedro Collins, Dwight Washington, Daren Powell and Reon King.