… defends WICB decision on first class season
ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC)_ – West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) chief executive Ernest Hilaire has chided players union president, Dinanath Ramnarine over his public criticism of the shortened regional first class season, and says the Board had taken a financially prudent decision in cutting back on the number of matches in next year’s championship.

Offering a staunch defence of the WICB’s move to reduce the number of rounds in the tournament by half, Hilaire said the regional governing body for cricket was acting responsibly in managing the finances at its disposable, and noted that an extended regional season would not have been feasible money-wise.

Further, Hilaire said that while the WICB and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) had not reached agreement on the length of the season, the Board needed to press ahead with administering the game in the region.

Earlier this week, Ramnarine criticised the seven-round championship, labelling it “insufficient” for the needs of players and calling for a review of the fixtures especially since the WICB and WIPA had failed to reach agreement on the issue.

In a release yesterday, Hilaire said he was disappointed in Ramnarine’s response, denouncing the players union’s approach to the matter.

“After the recent dispute with WIPA, it was publicly expressed by the WICB that it would be seeking to establish a relationship based on mutual trust, respect and cooperation,” Hilaire said.

“As CEO, I expressed a desire for maturing our relationship by moving from a situation where every disagreement or difference becomes a public spat.

He continued: “It is unfortunate that behaviour patterns cannot change so easily and as WIPA has not gotten its way on this matter it seeks public announcement of its position and creates the context for a public fight.

“It is ironic that WIPA is calling for a meeting and doing so not through the established and respected procedures but through the public medium.”

This year’s first class championship consisted of 14 rounds with each of the seven sides playing each other twice, on a home-and-away basis.

Hilaire contended, however, that this format was not sustainable financially as it had cost the WICB US$3.5 million in a year when fees for players and officials had also been increased. This year, the championship will comprise seven rounds with each round hosted in one territory.

“The strategic consideration centres on the optimisation of the limited resources of the WICB,” said the recently installed WICB top official.

“Let us start with the fundamentals. It is a basic law of financial management that you spend what you have the capacity to earn. To do otherwise is to court with financial disaster.

“The WICB has limited resources which have been further affected by the global economic crisis. This places a major challenge to balance the critical components of a cricket development programme with the limited resources that are available in the present circumstances.”

He added: “Let us not pretend that WICB has unlimited resources. These circumstances may change in the short-term but until then the WICB has to be responsible.”

While he agreed that an expanded tournament was the ideal, Hilaire reiterated that it was not possible at a time when money was being invested in other projects such as the A-team programme, developmental tours and the High Performance Centre.

Hilaire said these projects could only be successful if resources were wisely managed.

“This can only be achieved if we use our limited resources efficiently and effectively and hopefully an active ‘A’ Team programme will be more efficient and effective,” he pointed out.

“The net effect is that the best regional players will not have any decrease in first class cricket but rather increase and at a higher level. Further, they will be exposed internationally and learn to play under different conditions even before reaching Test level.”

Hilaire admitted that WIPA had objected to the length of the tournament and had requesting a minimum of 12 rounds but argued the WICB had the authority to make the final decision.

“The fundamental issue arises as to what is the course of action when the WICB and WIPA disagree and having due regard for the need for regional and international cricket to be hosted,” Hilaire contended.

“Once WIPA establishes its minimum requirements which remain in variance to the WICB position, who has the final call? If it is WIPA to make the final call, then consultation or agreement with WIPA in reality becomes a veto by WIPA on any proposal made by WICB.

“If WIPA’s view that it must agree, then once WIPA opposes a position put forward by the WICB there is no agreement and WICB cannot proceed with organising cricket in the region.

“This is an undesirable interpretation and cannot be the way forward for the development of cricket in the region.”

The first class season is set to bowl off on January 8 with the first round being contested in Jamaica.