The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) could be forced to replace Guyana with a West Indies “B” team for next week’s Caribbean Twenty20 tournament if the government of Guyana fails to allow the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) to access its offices and resources to be able to complete the process of fielding a national team for the tournament.
The WICB, in a media release yesterday, said it wrote Minister of Sport Frank Anthony, informing him of official correspondence from the GCB indicating they could not field a team for the tournament, because of “logistical and administrative challenges” imposed upon it by the government.
On Wednesday, GCB secretary Anand Senasie wrote to the WICB indicating that they could not provide a team for the tournament because the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport had placed locks on the doors of their offices since December 24.
The lock-out stems from a decision by the government of Guyana to appoint an interim management committee, headed by former West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd.
The establishment of the interim committee follows a ruling by the country’s Chief Justice after a legal challenge about the legitimacy of the current executive following the last annual general meeting.
The WICB also reiterated to the Minister that the Guyana team could only be provided by the authorised body for the governance of cricket in Guyana–the GCB–and not by any other entity.
This was in reply to Anthony’s letter to the WICB suggesting that the interim committee would provide a team to participate in the tournament.
The release stated: “Should the GCB continue to be in a position whereupon it is unable to provide a team for the Caribbean Twenty20, the WICB will replace the Guyana team with a West Indies ‘B’ team (and) provide match payment to all players selected to the Guyana squad (who are not selected to the West Indies “B” Team) as per the squad submitted to the WICB by the GCB.
“These actions are proposed in an effort to protect, as far as is reasonable, the best interest of the selected Guyanese players so that they are not adversely affected financially from possible non-participation in the Caribbean Twenty20.”
The release also noted that the West Indies “B” team will include players selected on the Guyana squad who have represented the West Indies or who are under consideration for future selection.
“The WICB is hopeful that this matter will be resolved in the best interest of the Guyanese cricketers, the fans of cricket in Guyana and the West Indies and the various stakeholders,” the release concluded.
(Source:http://www.trinidadexpress.com/sports/WICB_set_to_replace__Guyana_with_WI__B_-136786888.html)
