WICB & USACA: Lesson Learnt?

Sat, Jun 14, '03

Remember the embarrassment caused by the West Indies Cricket Board''s (WICB) underhand dealings with the Canada Cricket Association (CCA)?

Well, it appears the WICB has learnt its lesson and is taking a very careful approach to its dealings with its ICC affiliate brethren -- the latest being the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA).

was told that WICB staffer Dr Michael Seepersaud was invited by the New York region to observe the USACA elections but the move was derailed by WICB chief executive Roger Brathwaite who wanted nothing to do with USACA's nasty internal politics.

Seepersaud travelled to the Big Apple to observe the electoral process, which has been the subject of major controversy in the past but was told at the last minute (by Brathwaite) not to participate.

With the United States listed as a likely venue for World Cup games in 2007, USACA executives were hoping to cozy up to the WICB through Seepersaud's scrutiny of its electoral process but, that was not to be.

At the USACA elections, Guyana-born Gladstone Dainty was elected president, replacing Atul Rai and signalling a shift in power to the East Coast, where most of the West Indian teams (and administrators) are based. Dainty, who was once expelled from the Washington Cricket League (WCL) on allegations that he physically abused an umpire, is one of two Caribbean-born executives in USACA.

Not surprisingly, another major controversy has erupted with accusations flying that the elections were fraudulent.

Logie's Job to Lose

Barring a catastrophe in the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, Gus Logie will be confirmed as the head coach of the senior West Indies team.

Logie, who was picked as Bennett King's assistant when the WICB botched the hiring process, is working with the 'interim' tag but at a recent meeting in Barbados, the Mike Findlay-led cricket committee held discussions on the coaching situation and is expected to recommend that Logie be confirmed as the full-time head coach.

Sources say the recommendation will be tabled at next month's board meeting in Roseau, Dominica. Antiguan Kenny Benjamin, who is now coaching at the Shell Academy, is tipped to be named as Logie's assistant.

The Lawson Confusion

First, we heard that Mikey Holding would be in charge of the ICC-mandated review of Jermaine Lawson's bowling action. Then, after the WICB realised Holding had a prior appointment, we were told that Andy Roberts would undertake the review.

However, the latest bit of news from the WICB that Lawson will miss the Sri Lanka Test series, makes no mention of Andy Roberts, instead lists Chief Cricket Development Officer Michael Seepersaud as the person "supervising the review process".

Insiders say Andy Roberts was not consulted before the WICB named him as a replacement for Holding but later agreed afterwards to work with Lawson in his native Antigua. However, because Lawson is undergoing treatment in Jamaica, the WICB wanted to have Roberts travel to Jamaica, further delaying the physical part of the assessment.

Now, sources say Lawson will either travel to Antigua or Trinidad to be videotaped. After that, the WICB's Bowling Review Committee will be convened. The committee is comprised of Roberts (acting chairman), Clyde Butts, David Holford, Brian Davis and Dr Terry Ali (Motion Specialist).

WICB Staff Dwindling

The staff at the WICB's headquarters in Antigua continues to dwindle. Following the decision by president Wes Hall not to seek re-election, Hall's personal assistant, Kelly Jarrett, has been reassigned to Jamaica to join Chris Dehring's West Indies World Cup (WIWC) staff.

The board has not filled the Chief Marketing Executive (CME) vacancy, which opened up when Roger Brathwaite was handpicked to replaced the dismissed Gregory Shillingford. Darren Millien is now being stretched to handle responsibilities left behind by Brathwaite and Laurie-Ann Holding, who previously quit the board's marketing department.

Millien is now in charge of marketing, events, promotion and Internet Technology, including the operations of the under-utilised WindiesCricket.com Web site.