Hall - New president of the West Indies Cricket Board

WES Hall is heavily tipped to be elected unopposed as the new president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). Nominations for the WICB's two top vacant posts closed yesterday and sources told WEEKENDSPORT that the former West Indies fast bowler, manager and chief selector was the only nominee for president.

There were also reports that Guyana Cricket Board president Chetram Singh might present himself as a candidate.

It was understood, however, that the long-standing WICB member might have been persuaded not to challenge for the presidency.

The Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), which officially announced yesterday it was nominating Hall for the top spot, also said it would be seconding the nomination of Leeward Islands Cricket Association president Val Banks as vice-president.

Hall, Cabinet minister between 1986 and 1994 and now an ordained Christian minister, is also significantly receiving the backing of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control, which has seconded his nomination.

It almost certainly means Willie Rodriguez, a former West Indies legspinner and current president of Trinidad's Queen's Park Cricket Club, will not be a candidate.

A couple days after the WICB's top spots became vacant following the dramatic resignations of president Pat Rousseau and vice-president Clarvis Joseph, Rodriguez expressed an interest in succeeding Rousseau.

Rousseau and Joseph resigned with effect from June 4 after fellow directors overturned their decision to sack manager Ricky Skerritt.

The following day the WICB appointed a five-man interim management committee to make decisions until a new president and vice-president were elected on July 21.

In endorsing Hall, BCA president Stephen Alleyne said the distinguished personality had been adequately prepared for the job.

We are proud to be associated with such an outstanding Barbadian and West Indian cricketer and personality, he said in a BCA release yesterday.

We are confident that, should he be successful, he would give outstanding service to the board and indeed to the Caribbean, bringing to bear all his experience and skills to the task at hand.