THE board of Cricket West Indies (CWI) never got the chance to deal with the recent controversial four-match suspension of fast bowler Shannon Gabriel.

Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) president and CWI director Conde Riley told a stunned audience of Rotarians, at a dinner at Hilton Barbados on Thursday night that the matter was dealt with by chief executive officer Johnny Grave, who made a decision without consulting the board.

“Before the president or the board could do anything, a decision was made by our chief executive officer. It never came to the president. It never came to the board. He (CWI president Dave Cameron) does not want to say this, but I know he was very upset about this.

“The president wrote and said, why did this not come to the board? The board had no opportunity because our chief (executive officer) made a decision without consulting the board,” he said.

Riley felt the need to rush to the microphone and respond, after questions surrounding Gabriel’s suspension had been fired at Cameron, who was the feature speaker.

Cameron, who is being challenged for the presidency by former West Indies team manager Ricky Skerritt, at next month’s elections in Jamaica, refused to comment on the matter, but earlier in the `evening explained the process in relation to the suspension. (Extracted from Barbados Nation)