ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Upon assuming office in April 2019, just over a year ago; in keeping with our theme of “Cricket First”, and promises of governance reform and financial transparency, the new CWI President and Vice President (with the support of the Directors of CWI) immediately undertook the process of seeking to systematically address and rectify several areas across the organization which we believed were cause for concern.
One of the first three of these actions was the review of the CWI team selection system, which was successfully undertaken by a Task Force led by the Vice President, which commenced in May, over a three-month period.
Simultaneously, the Accounting and Management Consulting firm of Pannell Kerr Foster (PKF), was engaged for a six-month period to conduct a business situation assessment and review of the organisation’s financial management systems, and to provide recommendations for addressing any shortcomings.
Did Cricket West Indies (CWI) run the risk of being involved in money laundering when it acted as a conduit for more than US$100,000 intended for the development of cricket in Dominica in 2018?
That and more are questions being asked by auditors and former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding, who spoke out on the issue which was among several red flags raised by auditors in a recent report on the operations of the CWI.
According to Holding’s reading of the audit, that CWI has reportedly classified as ‘confidential’, but which the fast bowler characterized as damning and harsh, in 2018, the CWI received funds of US$134,200 from a sponsor on or about August 8, 2018, on behalf of the Dominica Cricket Association (DCA).
The money was received from a third party, which appeared to be an offshore corporation, Holding explained.
The auditors, Holding said, wrote that it was unclear why the funds did not go directly to the DCA.
However, the auditors, according to Holding, said the money was paid over to the DCA in three tranches; US$104,100 on November 16, 2018; US$15,700 on August 15, 2019, and US$14,400 on September 21, 2019. “In this particular situation, CWI was the financial conduit,” the auditors are quoted by Holding as adding.
STATEMENT FROM THE MOST HON. P. J. PATTERSON CHAIRMAN, CPL TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE
On May 6th, the CPL Tournament Committee received a formal complaint from the CPL alleging breaches of its Tournament Rules & Regulations by Mr. Chris Gayle, arising from a series of videos that he had posted to his personal YouTube channel on April 27th.
Having circulated the complaint, the CTC unanimously decided that it satisfied the prima facie test. In accordance with its Disciplinary Powers, it authorized the establishment of an independent three (3) member Tribunal to hear the matter.
Notwithstanding, intense efforts were made to settle the charges for the benefit of CWI, CPL and Mr. Gayle, before empanelling its members.
Have you ever heard the phrase ‘do what you love’? And there are few instances, rare but indeed true, where you come across the embodiment of that saying. Well, there’s this one gentleman… cricket, football and rugby Psychologist, Adrian McInman, a Kiwi Sports Psychologist who is currently employed by the Zimbabwe Cricket Board. Having also worked with a number of other cricketing nations, for both male and female national teams, McInman was an ideal choice to have this conversation on the field of Psychology and its place in the world of sports, more specifically, cricket. So when he agreed to speak with me on the topic, I was grateful for the opportunity.
With 12 years as a researcher, over 15 years of applied work in the field and with the aid of technology, he stresses, from all the way in Sri Lanka, the distinction between therapy or counselling and his methods, he shares some experienced-based thoughts and expresses his desire to work with the West Indies team in the future.
Who exactly is a Sports Psychologist?
There are many types of sport psychologists. Perhaps you can artificially split them up into two camps. There are some who are based primarily in universities that focus on research and teaching. Their work is invaluable. Without them, we are just guessing what we think works and what doesn’t. Without them, we might just be suggesting a placebo and wasting clients’ times. So, we need their research findings. Then there are those, like myself, in the applied “real” world, helping athletes, coaches, managers, sporting staff, and administrators. Sports psychologists often fall into both camps. In my case, I completed 10 years of university study, then worked as a researcher for 12 years (while completing 4 more full-time years at university), before switching in 2005 to the applied world.
For the first time since March, competitive cricket involving international players of a Full Member team is set to return after a long hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Vincy Premier League (VPL), a franchise-based T10 tournament, is scheduled to start from May 22 in the eastern Caribbean country of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
This will be the inaugural season of the VPL, a six-team tournament, which will be played from May 22 to 31 at the Arnos Vale Sporting Complex in St Vincent.
Although the Pacific nation of Vanuatu became the first country to resume cricket since the pandemic halted all sport in March, the VPL will be the first instance when the game will resume in a Full Member region comprising international players. The VPL will also become the first tournament where the players will not be allowed to use saliva on the ball, a concept that the ICC and medical experts at various cricket boards have been discussing, as reported recently by ESPNcricinfo. The tournament is set to be open for fans as there are no restrictions imposed by the government in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The VPL comprises 30 matches, which will be streamed live, with three games scheduled per day. A total of 72 players were picked by the six franchises via a draft held on May 11. Among them are six marquee players, including three West Indies players - seamer Kesrick Williams, opening batsman Sunil Ambris and left-arm fast bowler Obed McCoy.
