King denies 'dinosaur' statement

Bennett King, the West Indian coach, has hit out at reports claiming that he called former players "dinosaurs".

"This is completely and totally inaccurate, it's an outright lie," King said in a statement released by media liaison Imran Khan. "I've worked with former players here in the West Indies and all over the world and I have the utmost respect for their outstanding contributions to the game as players and what they can provide to players now."

King was reacting to comments made by Rudi Webster, the sports psychologist who had recommended King to the West Indies board, and who, according to reports, was regretting that decision.

"I'm seeing a side of him now that I didn't recognise," Webster had said during a conference for senior Caribbean sports journalists. "I'm sorry to say that I'm the person who recommended him to the WICB. Having achieved his goal, and having been given the enormous power he has, and being an academic coach who describes people like some of our great players, and some of the great Australian players as dinosaurs. I think that is the greatest insult from someone who has not had any achievement in international cricket, just two or three titles with Queensland."

King, however, hit back strongly at these allegations, saying that he had regularly enlisted the help of former cricketers. "Currently my staff and I work with the ultimate legend Sir Garry Sobers, and other former player as well, and I personally endorse a greater involvement of former players in order to contribute to the improvement of the contemporary players," King said. "Only a few months ago in Australia I invited Courtney Walsh to offer his advice and he did so most willingly and most graciously.

"It was not the first time that I had done this, it is well documented how we facilitated and encouraged Ian Healy to give his expert opinion in the area of wicketkeeping both when we were in Sri Lanka last and then again in Australia. They have a wealth of information and we cannot afford to let that slip away, and what makes this report even more farcical is that I am currently actively involved in urging the greater involvement of former players."