No Accountability Without Control

When it was first announced that the WICB would undertake a major restructuring in its organizational flowchart, there was a palpable wave of excitement throughout the fan base. Accountability was the new buzzword and rightly so.

Accountability, seminal to any efficiently run organization, makes it possible to swiftly identify problem sources by simply going down the chain of command. It seemed like no one, not even the WICB directors could disagree that the organization needed a good dose of accountability to come to grips with years of failure.

A new head coach position was created and, according to WICB President Teddy Griffith, that person ??will be accountable for the performance of the team and will be judged accordingly??

These sentiments certainly sound refreshing. However, upon further examination, we discover that this head coach ?

• Will have only one vote in a panel of four that meets to determine the composition of his team;

• Will have no official input in the selection of his three fellow selectors. (the WICB directors reserved that authority), and;

• Will have no official input in the selection of the team captain, charged to lead his team onto the field and execute his plan (the WICB directors reserved that authority).

These restrictions beg many questions. What happens when the coach can no longer depend on a high caliber performance from one of his players? What happens when the coach?s assessment of player performance conflicts with the assessment of his fellow selectors? Who will be held accountable when a player continually fails to meet the coach?s expectations on the field? If the team has a poor record, should fingers wag towards the captain for failing to execute the coach?s plan? Or should the coach be responsible for a flawed one? Where does the accountability lie?

Indeed, it seems that the new head coach position will suffer the same affliction as his soon-to-be predecessor. The position lacks the authority necessary for true accountability. The WICB directorship loathes giving up direct control of the affairs of our cricket. This reluctance is in direct conflict with their stated desire for accountability in these affairs. How can you hold a chef accountable for a meal if he has little say as to the ingredients? In the words of the great NFL coach Bill Parcells, "If they want you to cook the dinner, they at least ought to let you buy the groceries."

It is my belief that the lack of true accountability within the WICB will continue. A pre-requisite for true accountability is not met under the newly proposed structure.

Any reports of enlightened change within the WICB have been greatly exaggerated.