The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket
Chief executive officer of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Roger Brathwaite has given up the hot seat.
The WICB announced Brathwaite's resignation less than a week after sources told CaribbeanCricket.com that he was under pressure by the Ken Gordon administration to resign. Brathwaite's resignation is effective April 28, 2006.
Former Windward Islands, Middlesex and England all-rounder Neil Williams has died after suffering a brain stem stroke. He was 43.
Williams, who took 675 first-class wickets in a career that spanned 16 years, collapsed at his St Vincent home three weeks ago and was flown to Trinidad for treatment but he never recovered and was pronounced dead on March 27.
WICB chief executive Roger Brathwaite is on the verge of being fired after a tumultuous three-year tenure that coincided with some of the lowest lows in West Indies cricket.
According to well-placed sources, Brathwaite is seeking legal help to negotiate a financial payoff in exchange for his resignation, which was requested by the board. In an e-mail exchange with CaribbeanCricket.com, Brathwaite declined to confirm or deny he was on his way out the door. "I am not in a position to comment," he said.
bits and pieces in the news
Jamaica is taking security seriously for its upcoming World Cup matches. The Jamaica Observer reports that the government is in the process of enacting legislation giving the police more powers to control traffic and prevent dangerous articles from being brought into match venues.
In case anyone hadn't noticed how far the West Indies have fallen, Tony Cozier's latest article from New Zealand carries the news that the Kiwis are concerned that the men from the Caribbean are not good enough to be adequate preparation for New Zealand's upcoming tours. Fleming laments "with the West Indies when you do get second chances, when there are mistakes being made in the field, batting, bowling and every facet."
While several local media outlets look at the West Indies 'A' team win and Carlton Baugh's matchwinning 71, most of the international media are focusing on the senior team's latest series loss. After capitulating in the first Test, the West Indies crumbled in the second Test, allowing New Zealand to claim the series with a crushing ten wicket win.
Bennett King is in full damage control mode in New Zealand, making all the right noises about both Brian Lara's and Shiv Chanderpaul's recent string of failures. "Brian is the world's leading run scorer and has as much passion for the game now and West Indies cricket as anyone else in our side and the same with [Chanderpaul]". While former Kiwi star Martin Crowe is suggesting that Lara was ill-prepared for batting in New Zealand, King dismisses the idea and says that "internal management" are simply managing Lara's cricket.