West Indies Cricket Board Chief To Quit (24 Feb 1996)

West Indies cricket board chief to quit

Peter Short, president of the West Indies Cricket Board of Control, announced that he will resign at the board`s next meeting, scheduled for May.

"We`ve had a difficult year, and I think the time is now right for someone else to take over," said Short, a 69-year-old retired Barbadian businessman.

"I have already faxed my intention to resign to all member associations," Short told the media in Bridgetown, Barbados today.

Short took over as president in November 1993, after Sir Clyde Walcott resigned the post to take over as chairman of the International Cricket Conference.

In the past year, the West Indies lost its 15-year unbeaten record in Test cricket when it was beaten 2-1 in a home series by Australia. Meanwhile, Short was at the centre of a controversy over ace batsman Brian Lara, who walked out on the team during a summer tour of England, and later withdrew from the squad`s Australian tour.

There were news reports at the time that some board members felt Short had overstepped his authority by intervening to persuade Lara to rejoin the team in England, thus giving the batsman the feeling that the matter of his indiscipline had been resolved.

At the time, Short dismissed the reports as press speculation, and said there was no move to unseat him.

Short is one of the longest-serving administrators in world cricket. He was WICBC secretary from 1966 to 1972, then served as one of the representatives of Barbados on the board. From 1973, he was president of the Barbados Cricket Association and, in 1993, that of the WICBC.

WICBC members are now expected to elect Short`s successor at the May meeting. Early indications are that Julian Hunte, former head of the Windward Islands Cricket Association and leader of the opposition St Lucia Labour Party, is the main contender for the post.

Source :: Rediff On The Net (http.//www.redifindia.com)