Sir Viv: Fire the WICB

Mon, Nov 28, '05

West Indies batting legend Sir Viv Richards claims there's a pact between several key players to quit the game immediately after the World Cup tournament in 2007.

According to an article out of London appearing in the Australian media, Richards is calling on Caribbean governments to assist in "dismissing the board" or risk a player exodus after the World Cup.

Richards did not provide details of his bombshell assertion, which could prove calamitous for a team already struggling to field a competitive line-up.

In the article, Richards pleaded for drastic action against a West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) that has failed the region's team and fans for years.

"Unless we get those changes, the trust factor in the future is going to be nil. "I hope these things happen before 2007 concludes, because there are guys I know who are sitting and waiting and readying themselves for 2007, and when that time comes they will up and run," he declared.

"That's the problem I have. West Indies cricket will be much more in turmoil than it is now."

He added: "I believe the governments of the Caribbean must be involved in order for them to get rid of some of the nuisances we have presently in leadership positions. It's hard to make progress when you have a board that no one trusts."

"I'm going to say until I die that until West Indies settle the issue at the very top in terms of our administration, they are not going to get the trust factor."

"A guy may fail twice in a match and he has to go; that's the consequence he pays for failing. We haven't seen the consequences for the individuals at administrative level. I'm still waiting for that. They have been able to get away with that for a very long time, and that's the big problem. There isn't any other problem."