Grave said he totally understood the doubts and fears expressed by the three players after speaking with Bravo last Friday and receiving emails from the other two players over the weekend.

Grave said Paul, the 22-year-old all-rounder, wrote an email to CWI explaining how difficult a decision it was for him to not travel to England.

“Keemo Paul is the sole breadwinner in his entire household and wider family,” Grave said. “He was really concerned if something happened to him how his family would cope.

“He wrote a personal note to us to explain it was with a heavy heart that he had decided not to tour but that he just didn’t feel comfortable going to England. He wrote passionately about how hard a decision it was for him and how much he loves playing for West Indies, but with consultation with his family he doesn’t feel he can leave them and doesn’t want to go on the tour.”

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In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

Absolutely stupid tour. Travel imto pandemic death zone #3. I wont b surprisef if we end up playing wn England C or D team. Completely agree with their decion.

WI are the suckers of world cricket...aint that something?

In reply to johndom90

Looks like you're upset, actually insinuating, that Shallow Skirrett not running things the way you would like.

Just live with it!

Unlike graves, I do not understand Paul’s decision

The sole breadwinner of the family is a healthy adult that will be isolated as far as practicable from possible infection, and will get a chance to stake claim for a more permanent position.
Seems like a no brainer to me.

England is the greatest part of the 66 million population and just under 40k dead. I know about one single soul that dies from Covid here and that was our good acquaintance Banner. It’s not like zombies walking the streets of cities.

The players that go on the tour will have opportunities to consolidate their places in WI team. If guys like Blackwood, Bonner, Brooks, etc, consolidate their places in the middle order, guys like Bravo and Hety would have to carry towels - if they are lucky.

Same thing for Keemo and the army of young pacers and all-rounders.

These guys that opted out must have felt that they will just walk back into the WI Test team.

In reply to Halliwell

Paul is from a small community, he is living with his parents.
Someone still listening to mommy and daddy, his mom must be scared as hell with the virus, not wanting her son to leave Guyana.
All three players may have concerns with travelling at this time.

Isn't it Paul's prerogative to converse with his family before he takes that trip to England?

Just two weeks ago, you guys were praising him as a respectful family man who is well-grounded. Why all the questioning of his decision today?

Allyuh should relaxed and give the guy a break. He will be back after this tour.

BTW, the cream always settles to the top.

In reply to johndom90

totally agree with you! Going to Pakistan is safer.

In reply to camos

The tour is stupidity personified.

One should ask one's self this: Would any WI territory,except maybe Barbados, allow a goup of English cricketers from a country, infested with COVID-19 ,to enter their territory?

In reply to camos

Instead of NZ...I'd take a tour to NZ, but then again, the kiwi authorities would reject.

The pakistan tour back then was absolute rubbish....another type of similar nonsense.

The players should be aware of how WI support the health/injury problems of its players.

Good luck to them.


WI have no say in any cricketing decisions. we are the pansys of international cricket.

i get it though....everyone on cc wants to sit at home and

watch some cricket comfy comfy.....

I dont's see any other cricket nation salivating to got to England....

I will endorse the tour only..onlyu... if PM Gonsalves, Rowley....any of them...get on a

a plane and take in some of the action.

In reply to Drapsey

Skerrit or anyone that have even a remote part in sanctioning this tour are prolific jackassess........

In reply to johndom90

The people that sanctioned the tour are medical professionals. Should CWI overrule the advice of their medical experts?

In reply to imusic

common sense come before book sense. England and the US full of all kind of medical professionals and

they country is a graveyard.....

and where these medical professionals you tout, when WI players injured and begging for attention....?????

In reply to johndom90

What if nothing happens, COVID related to any member of the touring party?

What if one or all of Bravo, Hetmeyer, or Paul contract COVID while staying at home?

There are no guarantees anywhere on the planet.

In reply to johndom90

Explain the risks involved in traveling to England. How is going to England surrounded by covid tested individuals more dangerous than walking around in Guyana with untested individuals?

Personally I dont blame them for not going, these are scary times. However if the protocols for safety are in place their risks of contracting covid should be low.

In reply to Baje

If given the opportunity...will you go support the guys?

Discretion will always be the better part of valour.....

This tour will prove nothing....

In reply to imusic

'what if' works both ways.

In reply to johndom90

But what if it doesn’t?

“You never know”

Hola...what's the matter with you guys????Dont you get it????
This virus has no friends...its not about if's and but's...the boys dont want any exposure..safe or otherwise..
Paul indicated he is the sole breadwinner....can you guys get that?????
You guys want representation for your self gratification...PUT YOURSELF AT RISK...DONT ASK OTHERS TO DO THAT....
All over the world people hiding..they call it lock down..people wearing masks and gloves..(they are not doing that for fashion)..
Get real people
.Adios
CB

Paul's cry cry baby letter to the board makes absolutely no sense to me. You are the sole bread winner in ur family and you getting an opportunity to go work and make good money just for one month and you walking out of it? These guys are chickens man! Yesterday I read of 17 Grenadian farmers along with several more from St. Lucia and St. Vincent that left their homes to go work the farm in Canada for six months man. You only going out for 1 month and guaranteed over £15k and you saying no to that? So what will become of ur family if something happens to you in Guyana?

Hetmyer and Bravo did not tour because I believe they feel they are bigger than the game and therefore retaliated for being dropped. It's left to Blackwood, Brooks and others to ensure that they don't just walk back in when they want. As to Paul he just confirmed that he is a chicken who will not be missed since I don't believe he would make the final eleven in any of the games. I just feel bad for him because he got an opportunity to just go to England for one month, in a safe and secure environment and without even having to work since he wouldn't probably play any of the games and come back home with a far check and the man walking out? Doesn't he go to the grocery store in Guyana?

Well they just can't come out and say that they're saving their powder for the IPL.

In reply to Sylobaby

Maybe Paul did not make the decision for himself, we do not know how strong the opinions of his parents had in influencing that decision. However as previously reported, the CWI have financial issues so I could understand them taking the risk, we all should hope that things work out well.

In reply to CITYBOY

how does being the "sole breadwinner" disincentivize you from working? Explain that to me please?

In reply to imusic

Where is Dave400 when we need him?

Team tested for COVID-19 before leaving the Caribbean; Team flies to England on a private charter flight; Team trains in England under quarantine conditions for three weeks before playing; and team plays test matches in empty stadia against another team that has also been tested and quarantined.

If we all could live, travel and work under such conditions COVID-19 would be eradicated without a vaccine

Having said that, I am not in any way second guessing the decisions of those players who opted out of this tour. I do not know if any of them has asthma or some other pre-existing, but peace of mind of family members while on tour would be a sufficient basis in my book.

In reply to Larr Pullo

Hola..Sole breadwinner I am sure refers to now and the future...However i suspect that young Paul have managed his earnings so far(in such a young career)that allows him to stay put until the treat of dying no longer exists...and that allows him to look after his family..now.
Going forward he is confident that he can be relied upon as the "sole breadwinner"...whether as cricketer or ordinary labourer..
You cannot feed your family from 6 feet underground unless of course if you left a massive insurance policy.
Adios
CB
CB

In reply to CITYBOY

Well I hope that's part of his financial planning, because every time he gets on a plane to feed his family he is risking dying.

I respect the young man’s decision but I think it is irrational. Even if he is living in the UK, the risk of him dying from the virus is low—and then taking into account his age and expected level of physical fitness.

Besides, I would assume the ECB the WICB would be taking extra measures to minimize the exposure of the players to the virus.

One more thing: It may sound counterintuitive but the need to provide for your family in the future may require taking some additional risk now. Taking the uncertain, short career of a professional cricketer into account, the money from that tour would go a long way in helping your family.

Perhaps these guys live with someone who is severely immuno compromised.

If that’s the case, that person can not afford to get COVID-19.

So the risk is greater for players who might be in that situation. Not necessarily to themselves, but to their loved ones

Like many on this MB, I am disappointed with things..the tour taking place and players opting out.
But it is the new normal for now.
I will certainly watch if I have the time and I am rooting for all to remain healthy and come out of this
safely.
Sports may never be the same for a while. I will try and get use to it.
And I can fully understand the players who opted out. Circumstances are new for the entire cricket fraternity,
so lets hope all will be well.

In reply to Sylobaby

Read this two days ago ..

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/at-least-164-migrant-workers-at-one-ontario-farm-have-tested-positive-for-covid-19-1.4964690

In reply to Walco

Advantage WI since they well acclimatized to this.

Waiting to hear which one of the 3 first going to say that they did not know that these were the conditions.

In reply to imusic

In that case, they self-quarantine for a given period before interacting with the these people.

People are forgetting that all three of them have all format contracts and even if it is half pay they will still be collecting a reasonable cheque. So they are probably thinking that half a loaf is the way to go while mitigating the risk on their own terms...

In reply to johndom90

I may not go but i live in USA and I do go to work. I think that a relatively safe environment has been created

In reply to carl0002