T&T Drops Imran Jan, But...
Fri, Nov 12, '04
(Trinidad Guardian)
Trinidad & Tobago all-rounder Imran Jan, who was omitted from the national squad to prepare for next year?s Carib Beer Regional Cricket Series, said yesterday he is seeking legal advice on the matter.
Jan, who played a key role in guiding T&T to the West Indies Limited Overs title in Guyana and Barbados last month, was not invited to be part of the 31-man squad because he refused to comply with directives from the tour selection panel in the President?s Cup, according to Dudnath Ramkessoon, chairman of the selection panel.
The left-handed Jan who was the leading runscorer for T&T during the past two regional seasons, told the Guardian yesterday, that he found it strange that he was left out of the training squad for no apparent reasons.
?I never appeared before the board?s disciplinary committee to explain myself, if ever there was a problem. I was only told by chief selector, Dudnath Ramkessoon, that if I look in Thursday?s newspapers, I would see that my name is not among the players called for training,? a disturbed Jan said.
Jan who was the leading bowler for T&T in the just concluded President?s Cup with 14 wickets, said that he will be seeking an audience with the board?s CEO Alloy Lequay, or president Ellis Lewis to explain his position.
Former T&T and West Indies opening batsman and current cricket administrator at the Queen?s Park Cricket Club, Bryan Davis, said that he will be seeking Jan?s interest in the matter.
?We at the Queen?s Park Cricket Club, where Jan is a long-standing member, have always sought the best interest of our players. And as such we would be seeking a meeting with the executive of the T&T Cricket Board about the matter,? Davis said.
Davis added that if Jan refused to open the batting during the President?s Cup series, the tour management committee should have either dropped him or sent him home.
?But once they selected him and put him in the batting order and it worked, I can?t understand why he is being penalised,? Davis explained.
?The boy is a highly successful professional cricketer and the selectors have left him out for an entire regional cricket season.
?The selectors have no right to leave out a player for disciplinary reasons, unless they are instructed and directed by the T&T Cricket Board Disciplinary Committee. And that committee is yet to hear both sides of the story. Jan was never interviewed or given chance to explain himself,? a concerned Davis stated.
The National Disciplinary Committee is headed by attorney-at-law Samuel Saunders, and comprises Guy Ottley, Major Rodney Smart and Mohammed Hosein with Alvin Hackshaw as secretary.
Omar Khan and David Williams, manager and coach respectively of the national team, declined to comment on the matter.
Williams said that he preferred not to comment until his report is submitted to the T&TCB, while Khan said that he will only comment on the issue after his manager?s report is discussed by the executive.