Blame the selectors - Fanfare

Wavell Hinds, Leon Garrick, Dinanath Ramnarine and Reon King were all hit by the injury bug with varying results during the present West Indies cricket tour of Sri Lanka.

Caribbean cricket fans, already reeling from coverage blackout and the poor team performance, were stunned to hear of the extent of injuries, ranging from a hernia to the lifethreatening sick sinus syndrome.

It all has to do with the administration. Let's use Wavell Hinds as an example, said Grantley Cummins.

How can you take a man on a short tour with a broken nose and expect it to heal for him to perform? he asked.

Corey Collymore is another example. He performed well in the last Tri-Nations Cup and was Man-of-the-Match, but was not selected. They took Hinds and Reon King who had a hernia. Garrick is a different case.

Cummins believes it is the pay cheque which is more important.

It is a money thing. If I am sick, and you pick me, I will fly to Sri Lanka and you will have to pay me the same as the others. I will play two or three matches and fly back to the Caribbean.

Cummins blamed the administration.

I find it is poor selection. The players should be tested here and the selectors should know they are fit before they leave for the tour, said Lennox LeBlanc.

Tours are costly and sometimes you have someone who is not fit, but there are so many available players who are not ill. I cannot blame it on the players, because a lot of them may not be favourites or the selectors don't like them and although they are fit to do the job, they are left behind, LeBlanc said.

The Dominican said allowances had to be made for people who became injured on tour, but when the players were not 100 per cent, they placed pressure on the captain and coach.

Russell Walton was at a loss to explain why so many people were injured on the tour since they underwent medicals prior to leaving.

I wouldn't pay them until they play or until the series is done. Pay should be based on performance because they know how much they are going to make before they go away, Walton said.