FORMER West Indies captain Darren Sammy has advised regional governing body Cricket West Indies (CWI) to take note of increased player power and its impact on the modern game.
Player versus board disputes have been a regular feature on the regional cricketing landscape for several years, with many of the team’s biggest players finding themselves out of contention for selection at various points.
In addition to disciplinary issues a major bone of contention in recent times has stemmed from a conflict between the world’s various lucrative T20 leagues and the international schedule. For the past couple of years some of the Caribbean’s best players have opted to take part in the T20 leagues as they have stood out as a good way to earn a living.
In response Cricket West Indies instituted a regulation which stated that players must take part in regional competitions before being selection for the West Indies team.
The rule, which is currently up for revision, has in the meantime left the team without several of its most experienced players for the Test and One Day formats for several years.
Sammy believes the struggle is a part of the new landscape that has seen players shift their focus from simply looking to represent a region.
“Now players can see it’s not all about international cricket. When I grew up, the goal was to play for the West Indies and then maybe play county or league cricket in England,” said Sammy, who will serve as a pundit for OSN Television during the Champions Trophy.
“But now, if you don’t get into the Indian Premier League, you can get in the Bangladesh Premier League or the Pakistan Super League or the NatWest T20. South Africa and Afghanistan now have one, there’s also the Big Bash in Australia. There are so many opportunities to make a living,” he added.
“Cricket is changing. In this day and age, cricketers understand that they are the product and now boards can’t just boss them around anymore. It’s a different age, a different era,” he warned.
“You only have to look at what’s happening in Australia (the dispute between players and the board). (Sportsmax)