Gordon steals march on WICB presidency

With 16 days to go before nominations close for the vacant position, former publisher Ken Gordon has already received the endorsement of the Leeward Islands.

A report from Basseterre states that the Leewards will second the nomination of Gordon, by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board and will nominate banker Val Banks for vice president of the West Indies Cricket Board.

The Leewards board nominated Banks of Anguilla and unanimously endorsed Trinidad and Tobago’s choice of Gordon, said Carlise Powell, president of the Leeward Islands Cricket Association to St Kitts radio station WINN FM 98.9 on Wednesday.

Powell said they weren’t in favour of West Indies great Clive Lloyd.

"Some people were of the opinion that while he was a successful captain it did not necessarily translate into being an effective administrator and that he might not have been as forthcoming as a manager," Powell said.

"Lloyd has been living outside the Caribbean for nigh on 40 years, and has not been in the Caribbean a lot, would not, necessarily to our minds, make him perhaps the right choice at this time."

Last week, the Guyana Cricket Board stated their intention to nominate the 60-year-old former West Indies captain after he indicated his intention to bid for the position.

But his eligibility to contest was put into question because of his English residency. However this was cleared up when Lloyd told the GCB that he was willing to return to Guyana and live should he be selected.

According to Chetram Singh, president of the GCB, Lloyd is the perfect candidate for the job and every effort will be made, he said, to get a seconder for the nomination to make sure he is on the ballot paper.

Among those who are expected to be in the fray are former WICB president Pat Rousseau of Jamaica and Tony Marshall of Barbados. Nominations close on July 9 and elections are due 0n August 7 in St Maarten.