'I agree with everything Gayle said'
by IAN BISHOPIt has been yet another troubling week for West Indies cricket.
The West Indies Cricket Board have reacted quite angrily to comments Chris Gayle made in the media last week, in which he took a swipe at the board over their apparent reluctance to appoint him as one-day captain after his nomination by the selectors. He also criticised the delayed arrival of the limited-overs specialists, which meant that they missed crucial warm-up games.
His outburst was the result of a lot of frustration building up, not just on this tour but over a long period of time. And I have to say that I agree with his criticism -- in principle.
I don't know what contractual obligations the players work under in terms of what they can and cannot say to the media, so it is difficult for me to comment on whether he was wrong or right to actually say what he did in public - but I would say that I understand and agree with everything Chris said.
The lack of preparation at the start of the tour, the delayed arrival of the one-day players, the bungling of Gayle's appointment as one-day captain - it has been a poorly organised tour from the very start - and the players can only take so much.
The squad accept that their performances have not been up to scratch, but the administration have in no way helped the players get the best out of themselves.
It is a chicken-and-egg situation; the board have to take the lead, their job is to lay a platform for potential success. Quite frankly, they have failed to do that. They have mismanaged and bungled too many simple issues.
It is like a parent and a child. The parent has to nurture the child, instil the proper principles and discipline needed for that child to grow, set up a framework that allows the child to develop and realise their potential.
If the parent fails to do that, then they are ultimately responsible for how that child behaves. The players reflect the administration behind it, and that has been the case here.
I am not one to condone the breaking of protocol. If Chris Gayle has broken the terms of his contract by speaking out in the media, then he has to accept that he will be reprimanded. However, I think every supporter of West Indian cricket understands his frustration - and I am certainly on his side.
What happens now, I am not sure. The WICB statement released on Tuesday was a very strongly worded document, and it seemed to suggest that the matter is far from closed. Gayle's refusal to apologise was an admirable act of principle, but it means that he will be punished further when the tour is over in a few weeks' time.
The board said they would "take drastic action" if Gayle makes any more indiscretions. It will be interesting to see how he responds.
* Ian Bishop is a former West Indies fast bowler who now works as a television broadcaster. This column is republished from http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/.