I'm a servant of the game first - Greenidge

Gordon Greenidge, the former opener and current chairman of the West Indies selection panel, has responded to criticism about a conflict of interest in the game's development. Greenidge and fellow selector Andy Roberts's roles on the board of directors for the Standford 20/20 Cup had come in for question following the recent row over the Stanford All Stars match and Pakistan tour dates.

"Wherever and whenever anyone wishes to assist West Indies cricket, believe me, I will be one of the first persons to help them do so," Greenidge told reporters. "We have been trying hard for many years for someone to come on board and financially support West Indies cricket. We have had a number of companies and persons who have vowed to assist West Indies cricket financially.

"We saw recently that the Carib Beer Series was not the kind of tournament we would wish because it was reduced due to a lack of finances," he continued. "We have a situation with the 20/20 - a shorter version of the one-day game - and a benefactor was willing to come on board." Greenidge felt that the progress of the Stanford 20/20 organisers would not harm West Indies cricket. "I don't think it can take it any lower now because it is low, quite low right now and it is something about which we are not pleased," he said. "We - the legends - have all been willing to help West Indies cricket and to see that it is run in the way we would like it to run. None of us wants to bring West Indies cricket into disrepute with anyone.

Last month, Clive Lloyd resigned from his position as chairman of the Stanford 20/20 Cup board citing concerns over how the future of the tournament affects West Indies cricket. Greenidge, however, remained unfazed about his role. "I don't feel my situation, being on the Stanford board, and being chairman of selectors which I did not know I was going to be is difficult. Do you wish me to relinquish one and take up the other?" he said. "Until the West Indies Cricket Board says it does not wish for me to be a selector or chairman of selectors, or the Stanford board says it is going to dissolve I will remain in this position."