Gordon urges Windies to return to winning ways

Ken Gordon, the president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), has said his organisation could no longer be identified as "anti-player" or opposed to the interests of West Indies cricketers in light of the recent involvement of many former players in the administration and conduct of the regional Board's affairs.

Gordon was speaking to the West Indies cricket team in the VIP Lounge at Piarco International Airport on Thursday after they arrived for this weekend's two one-day Internationals against Zimbabwe at the Queen's Park Oval.

The WICB president said the board was doing a lot to bring the players and the board closer together. "The board has traditionally been accused of being opposed to the interest of players and even being 'anti-player' by some," he said, before citing the numerous positions held by former players, including chairman of the WICB's Cricket Committee, Clive Lloyd, and chairman of the Board's negotiating team, Deryck Murray.

"Former West Indies players are now at the heart of all the decisions that guide West Indies cricket," Gordon pointed out. "Whatever further refinements may be ahead, no one in his or her right mind can persist with the longstanding accusation of indifference by the WICB to the interests of players. For so many of them who guide WICB decisions were once players like you are. And let us remember that this transformation did not come about because it was forced on us. They were all freely made by a forward thinking West Indies Cricket Board in preparing for the future."

Gordon noted that a lot of the misunderstanding in the past that led to prolonged and bitter contract negotiations and fall-outs was because of faulty communication. "So often difficulties can be cleared up when the misunderstandings which must inevitably occur are addressed promptly and before they become big misunderstandings. Then we have to understand that we are really part of one team."

Along with the multi-million dollar windfall from the 2007 World Cup, Gordon also spoke of plans to boost the regional game's financial status with the recent signing of an agreement between the WICB and the Indian Cricket Board. But it would only be beneficial if the West Indies return to their winning ways.

"There is, as some of you may be aware, tremendous potential for developing cricket in North America, where the diaspora is large, vibrant and only too anxious to embrace the game," Gordon explained. "We expect this to open many opportunities, but we must go there as winners, not as the supporting act in a two-part series with India.

"Let us therefore set our sights and our targets one at a time, first Zimbabwe, next India, next Champions Trophy and then the World Cup."

He said Brian Lara, the newly appointed captain, had emphasised the benefits of goal-setting, a path also being followed by the WICB that is "well on the way to accomplishing them".

"Now we are at the threshold of the big one, but only you can deliver that, for the big one is getting the right results on the field. We need to see the spark of a new era in everything you do," Gordon emphasised. "Let us comprehensively bury the complaints and baggage of the past. We need to think positive. Become positive and by your performance, send an unmistakable message to the cricketing world - 'things are different now, for the new West Indies team is on the move'."