Croft Accused of Wife-Beating

Wed, Apr 24, '02

Outspoken West Indies cricketer-turned-journalist Colin Croft has been kicked out of his home by a Trinidadian magistrate after his wife accused him of domestic violence.

The former West Indies fast bowler was ordered by magistrate Sharon Gibson to remove all of his belongings from his wife's home at Maloney Street in San Juan Wednesday, under police supervision, according to media reports out of Trinidad and Tobago, where Croft resides.

In a complaint, Croft's wife Gail Phillips accused him of beating her and using threatening language to her and the couple's 12-year-old daughter. The domestic violence occurred on March 31, according to the complaint.

The 49-year-old Croft, who works as a journalist for BBC Sports, WindiesCricket.com, CricInfo and the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), is covering the current Test series between India and the West Indies.

In 27 matches for the West Indies between 1977 and 1982, Croft took 125 wickets at an average of 23.30.