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HEADLINE: BCA chief Riley lashes out at CWI over Pybus, Browne axing

 
CaribbeanCricket.com 2019-04-17 14:29:50 

ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC) – Outspoken Cricket West Indies (CWI) director Conde Riley has slammed the regional governing body's decision to axe the entire coaching staff of the men's senior side ahead of the World Cup, and has warned that the sweeping personnel changes announced last week could “destabilise the whole process” heading into the ICC showpiece next month.

In a controversial radio interview here which revealed fractures within the CWI directorate, Riley said while new CWI president Ricky Skerritt was free to implement changes, he was not in support of making them so close to a major tournament and especially after West Indies' outstanding results against England in the recent home series.

CWI last week removed interim head coach Richard Pybus and his support staff of Vasbert Drakes, Toby Radford and Esuan Crandon. Former West Indies batsman Floyd Reifer was named to replace Pybus, while Roddy Estwick, Corey Collymore and Rayon Griffith will serve as assistant coaches.

“It is not about the termination of Vasbert Drakes so much, but more importantly where the team is at this time having reclaimed the Wisden Trophy. England are number one in ODI cricket and we tied with them,” Riley told Observer Radio here in a telephone interview.

“My own feelings are that the timing is off. I felt we should have gone off to the World Cup [without changing the coaches]. I think the players were in a good space, Mr Pybus's appointment was interim… we had put a succession planning system in place where we interviewed nine regional coaches and short-listed five and those were the people that we would look to to take the team forward,” charged Riley.

read more at Jamaica Observer


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Slipfeeler 2019-04-17 14:40:56 

Stay in your lane Conde, let Prez Skerritt clean the swamp of the many who have been undermining WI players for years, whether directly or indirectly.
Clean sweep Mr Prez!

 
dayne 2019-04-17 16:32:43 

I agree with the opinion of Conde Riley, the changes are being made too close to the WC and the team was showing signs of improvement.

 
methodic 2019-04-18 01:07:26 

congrats to Skerritt on winning the presidency.

 
Sylobeauty 2019-04-18 17:28:36 

I disagree with Conde Riley. West Indies was heading in the wrong direction under Cameron, who selected Brown and Richard Pybus to carry out his vision of destruction. Mr. Skerrit ran against that destructive vision of Cameron and won. Therefore in order to steer the ship in the right direction he had to immediately get rid of those that were heading the downfall of our cricket and getting rid of them early was very important. Now we have a chance of seeing our best players in the World Cup which gives us a very good chance of winning. Let's not forget due to the destruction of Cameron and Brown west indies almost failed to qualified and had to play against much weaker teams to barely qualify.

 
Veracity 2019-04-18 18:58:09 

In reply to Sylobeauty

Disclaimer - I am no fan of Cameron

How can anyone with a straight face say that "due to the destruction of Cameron and Brown west indies almost failed to qualified and had to play against much weaker teams to barely qualify". Please look at WI cricket for the past two decades in its entirety.
WI cricket has been on the decline for a while and until the infrastructure is changed/corrected the end result will be the same.

Acting without careful analysis does not address the issue; it only prolongs the status quo.
Skerrit may have the best intentions but the decisions by his administration should be prudent and thoughtful so that they can withstand the test of time, and reverse the current trajectory. Knee jerk/emotional reactions don't in the long term when running organizations.

If you doubt me as Michael Holding