Murray, Harper join chorus of former players backing Skerritt for CWI post
Roger Harper
Roger Harper

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Ex-West Indies vice-captain, Deryck Murray, and former off-spinner and head coach, Roger Harper, yesterday announced their support for Ricky Skerritt and Dr Kishore Shallow, as resistance continued to build against the incumbent Dave Cameron ahead of today’s Cricket West Indies (CWI) elections.

Murray, also a former Trinidad and Tobago board president, said in a statement that the Skerritt/Shallow ticket represented the “way forward for West Indies cricket” at a stage when the game in the region was at a “crucial juncture”.

“I am asking for full support of those who can vote, to cast it in favour of Mr Ricky Skerritt and Dr Kishore Shallow,” said Murray, who played 62 Tests for West Indies between 1963 and 1980.

“I think their candidacy is a way forward for West Indies cricket and thank these gentlemen for putting themselves forward at this crucial juncture in West Indies cricket.
“We all know that West Indies cricket needs radical change and hope Mr Skerritt and Dr Shallow can bring that to the table and I look forward to them taking over and improving the fortunes of West Indies cricket on and off the field.”

Harper, who played 25 Tests between 1983 and 1993 and led the regional team as head coach from 2000 to 2003, said Skerritt possessed both the professional and personal qualities necessary to advance West Indies cricket.
“During my time as coach of the West Indies team I had the opportunity to work closely with Mr Ricky Skerritt who was the team manager,” Guyanese Harper said.

“I was able to observe Mr Skerritt’s management, organisational and communication skills first hand and I have no doubt that he will be able to build positive relationships with all of the relevant stakeholders in West Indies’ cricket to ensure that the West Indies team progresses to the top of our beloved game where it belongs.”

He added: “Importantly, we need leaders who are responsible, objective and honest, who will put cricket first but treat the governance of West Indies cricket with the seriousness it deserves. I believe that Mr Skerritt and Mr Shallow will do that.”

Harper’s home territory has already signalled its support for the incumbent Cameron, so much so that it snubbed a request from Skerritt and Shallow to address the body.
But with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) embroiled in confusion in recent years, Harper says a change in CWI change could also have positive spin-offs for the GCB.

“As a Guyanese, I look forward to new leadership of CWI, new leadership that will be committed to resolving the crisis in the administration of Guyana’s cricket that has been ongoing since 2011 without democratic elections.”

Murray and Harper are the two latest cricketing personalities to come forward in support of Skerritt/Shallow candidacy.
This follows similar endorsements over the last week by legendary former players Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Andy Roberts and Clive Lloyd, along with two-time Twenty20 World Cup-winning captain, Darren Sammy.

So far, veteran former Windies left-hander, Shiv Chanderpaul, along with former speedster, Tino Best, have publicly endorsed Cameron and vice-president, Emmanuel Nanthan.

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