West Indies: Ex-Cricketers, Officials React To Board's Decision (5 November 1998)

5 November 1998

West Indies: Ex-Cricketers, Officials React To Board's Decision

The Barbados Nation

The decision to relieve Brian Lara and Carl Hooper of the leadership of the West Indies team has stunned many regional observers.

When contacted last night some former players and officials expressed their opinions on the decision:

I agree wholeheartedly with the decision of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). Discipline is for me the very first thing you must have as a cricketer, as discipline is an integral part of the game. When Lara was made captain it appeared they overlooked the issue of discipline. We are now suffering the consequences of this decision. You can't leave the region to represent the West Indies with problems unresolved and not deal with the problem immediately.

It is very sad for cricket generally and West Indies cricket in particular.

"I'm not a lawyer and I know that Mr. Rousseau is a very experienced lawyer ...but I hope that there has not been a breach of natural justice by the board.

"It seems strange that such a decision was handed down against Hooper and Lara without them appearing before the board. The younger players were also fined without appearing before the the board.

"It seems likely that the players may hold together and the WICB may have to pick a new team ...if we are not represented by our best team the whole thing may just be a mockery".

It is unfortunate that such a drastic decision had to be taken. I know the WICB is in charge, but these guys did not expect this to happen when they did not go to South Africa. The reason for the sacking seems to be because they did not go to the meeting in Antigua today (yesterday).

Unfortunately we tend to look only at others' mistakes and not at our own. The WICB has made a number of mistakes. I just hope that on November 13 (at the disciplinary hearing), everything is settled.

The players are just venting their frustrations at some of the things that the board has done over the years. What happened to Lara and Hooper is indeed a sad situation, but the board is always too willing to hand down these heavy disciplinary actions.

For too long the players have been pushed in the background and this would build up frustration. When our players play against others who are not as good and realise that they make far more that is enough to make anyone very upset.

The decision made me smile as I remembered what happened to us on our tour to South Africa (in the early '80s). These kind of heavy actions by the board are not surprising and it is time that the players come together and even boycott the tour. The board must realise that players have been the ones who have been carrying West Indies cricket, and they (the board) have not been doing much.

The West Indies Cricket Board should not be held to ransom 24 hours before a tour. If they want more money and they are being well paid, fire them. I think it is very poor not to fly 24 hours before a tour. They should have settled it well before. You cannot hijack a West Indies Board 24 hours before a tour.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)