More chop and change

West Indies cricket found itself embroiled in further and familiar controversy and conjecture yesterday on the eve of a ten-day camp to prepare the team for the imminent tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya.

West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) chief executive officer Gregory Shillingford said on VOB's Sports Everywhere programme that manager Ricky Skerritt's status at present is under discussion, adding strength to reports that Skerritt would be replaced after 15 months of a three-year contract. There was also speculation that coach Roger Harper, who was appointed at the same time as Skerritt in March, 2000, also for a three-year term, would be dismissed.

Shillingford announced that Andy Roberts would be the bowling coach and Gordon Greenidge the batting coach at the camp that starts in Port-of-Spain tomorrow.

He revealed that trainer Ronald Rogers had been reappointed for the tour and that a specialist physiotherapist, still to be chosen, would be added to the support staff.

But he could not state whether Skerritt and Harper would still be involved.

In respect of Mr Skerritt and Mr Harper, they are contracted people which is not to say they will be named again, Shillingford said.

I am not at liberty to discuss details of Mr Skerritt's employment with the WICB, he added.

There are certain things that are confidential between employee and organisations.

Shillingford confirmed that a prolonged debriefing meeting in Antigua last Monday discussed all aspects of the recent South Africa series of Tests and One-Day Internationals in the Caribbean, in which the West Indies were beaten 2-1 and 5-2, respectively.

Skerritt, Harper, Rogers and psychologist Joe Hoad of the team management and selectors Joey Carew and Joel Garner were present to field questions from WICB president Pat Rousseau, vice-president Clarvis Joseph and Shillingford.

After the all-day session at the Tradewinds Hotel, Skerritt was reportedly asked to submit his resignation. He refused. Captain Carl Hooper met with Shillingford following the last One-Day International in St Vincent on May 16 before returning with his wife and young son to their home in Adelaide, Australia. He was expected in Trinidad yesterday. The latest turmoil comes hot on the heels of the war of words between Skerritt and Hoad and Hoad's criticism of the team's management and players' attitudes.

After Hoad announced last Tuesday that he had quit his post after five months with the team, Skerritt responded by claiming that he had already told the psychologist that his services were no longer required after the South African series.

One WICB director, who requested anonymity, said yesterday he was surprised at the developments and expected them to be fully aired at a WICB directors' meeting at Accra Hotel here on Friday and Saturday.

All this chopping and changing is getting us nowhere except further down the ladder, he said. We've got to try to settle things down.

Skerritt, a 44-year-old Kittian business executive, replaced former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd as manager. He is the first manager since 1957 who did not play for the West Indies.

Harper, 37, who played 25 Tests between 1983 and 1993, took over as coach from Sir Viv Richards, an appointment that sparked angry protests in Antigua. He is the sixth coach since 1995 after Rohan Kanhai, Andy Roberts, Lloyd, Malcolm Marshall and Richards.

The West Indies won their first two Test series under them, over Zimbabwe and Pakistan, in the Caribbean last year but have since lost to England, Australia and South Africa.