WICB Boss Slams ICC 'Madness'
Tue, Jun 24, '03
(Jamaica Observer)
Yet again, West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Wes Hall has found reason to condemn the recent policy of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to schedule international games in the Caribbean during the region''s rainy season.
Speaking at a brief ceremony at the rain-soaked Beausejour Stadium here to honour those who played in the West Indies'' very first Test series against England in London in 1928, the inimitably colourful Hall described the ICC policy as the "quintessence of cricketing madness".
But in a follow-up interview with the Observer, Hall who will not be seeking re-election at the WICB's annual general meeting (AGM) next month because of ill-health, held out hope that the ICC is close to reconsidering its position.
"People (world cricket administrators) are recognising that it is really a travesty to play in June (in the Caribbean)," said Hall.
And pressed as to whether he had received definite "signals" of a re-thinking, the WICB president said: "Oh yes, definitely we have had more than that ... We have had not postulations but the realization that what West Indian officials have been saying for the last four years is true".
Relatives of members of the 1928 tour squad, Cyril Browne and Maurice Fernandes of Guyana; George Challenor, George Francis, Herman Griffith and Edward "Teddy" Hoad of Barbados; and Learie Constantine and Clifford Roach of Trinidad and Tobago received commemorative plaques at the reception held on the field.
Relatives of Jamaicans Karl Nunes (who led the 1928 tour of England), OC 'Tommy' Scott, Frank Martin and Earnest Rae will be similarly honoured later this week at a reception in Kingston.
Hall stressed that discussions with the ICC regarding tour scheduling was "a matter of negotiation. There is no adversarial postures taken it is just a matter of discussing and arguing the point. I take the position that I do not have an adversarial or prosecutorial posture. I just deal by the simple measure of prudent negotiation."
Hall recalled that even before he took over as president two years ago, the regime of Patrick Rousseau had "strongly" pressed the case that attempting to play international cricket in the Caribbean during the wet season was impractical.
But said Hall "they (the Rousseau-led WICB) were outvoted 9-1" at the ICC meeting and "since I came in (as president) that hasn't changed..."
Hall appeared to suggest that the experiences last year in which the Jamaica leg of the New Zealand tour was washed out had a profound effect, since ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed and immediate past chairman Malcolm Gray were there to see for themselves.
"It came home to roost last year," said Hall. "Jamaica had 11 days of continuous rain. It was like the days of Noah and the Arc and the ICC CEO and indeed the chairman were there to see it for themselves... and now this match (rain-hit second Test between West Indies and Sri Lanka which ends here today) might be ruined," he added.
A huge problem for the WICB is the reality that the days when it was able to cover losses from tours to the Caribbean with "guaranteed" receipts for tours to 'cash-rich' England, Australia and the Indian sub-continent are no more. Now the regional board is expected to make the bulk of its revenue by hosting tours.
"You only make money on home tours. We no longer get guarantees from England, no longer get guarantees from Australia. We do not get guarantees from anybody..." said Hall. "So it means that if Bangladesh, for instance comes here, obviously not attracting big crowds as they wouldn't ... (and) we make a reciprocal tour to Bangladesh and we get (many thousands of people at the ground) which the West Indies will bring with their brand of cricket we don't get a cent," he added.
While recognizing the ICC's dilemma in trying to "equalize" reciprocal touring arrangements among the eight current Test playing countries, Hall said special consideration must now be given to Caribbean weather conditions as is the case for other countries.
"We don't play cricket in the winter in England nor in Australia. We do not play in the summer in Sharjah ... so why should we play in the hurricane and rainy season in the Caribbean...?" he asked.
"From 1865 when we played the Americans (the first representative Cari bbean team to play cricket) ... we played from January to possibly May... I've played all my life in the Caribbean in January, February, March, April, May. We have to use common sense and get back to that," he said.
* SOURCE: Jamaica Observer.