he West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) has lost its first court case against the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and now fears for the security of all first-class players across the region.
This, as a High Court in Trinidad has discharged an injunction that had prevented the board from terminating a six-year-old Collective Bargaining Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding with WIPA. The CBA/MOU had expired in November 2011.
Whenever the opportunities arise, you are always quick to point out how important West Indies cricket is to the Caribbean region; how binding it is; how it was one of our first collective successes; how it put our name on the world stage; how much joy it has brought to fans all over the world; how we so much so revere the names and value the contributions of Sir Learie Constantine, Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Vivian Richards, and lastly, how much we cherish these high-caliber individuals.
You needn't be reminded that things we cherish need our constant vigil and at times may even need our protection. When our physical stock of land is under threat from, or has been compromised by the vicissitudes of nature, we respond with collective alacrity and even welcome assistance from beyond the region to arrest the degradation, and to replenish and to restore.
Kingston, JAMAICA. “We take great pleasure in congratulating our players and celebrating a comprehensive victory over Zimbabwe in each of the three series played, ending with the just concluded 2nd Test in Dominica.” This was the reaction of Wavell Hinds, the President of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA), to the performance of the West Indies team in their dominance of the visiting Zimbabweans. Read full article →
Donald George Bradman. Australia. Greatest Ever Batsman. Just rolls off the tongue, easy peasy. Question is, who comes next behind the great man? Daylight? No, a bit flippant. So how do we decide? Let me name four candidates from four different eras and then make a decision.
The West Indies have swept the two-Test series against Zimbabwe, a result which has seen them win their last three series and all six of their last six Test matches.
That, statistically, is good, and something to be proud about - if you are easily satisfied, if you were not, up to 18 years ago, the champions of the world, the best in the business, and arguably, the best in the history of the game.
Statistics, however, do not always tell the story, or the whole story, and one will have to look behind the headlines, behind the delight of president Julian Hunte and captain Darren Sammy, coach Ottis Gibson and assistant coach Toby Radford, who have hailed these victories as satisfying and wonderful achievements.
