CEO statements set back negotiations, lawyers claim
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Lawyers for estranged Test batsman Darren Bravo believe a resolution between the player and Cricket West Indies could have already been reached were it not for ill-advised statements made by new CWI chief executive, Johnny Grave.
Donna Symmonds and Leslie Haynes QC said “significant progress” had been made in negotiations with CWI over the impasse and they believed an agreement was close to being hammered out.
However, instead of responding to a proposal on the one sticking point remaining, Englishman Grave gave an interview to noted cricket website, Cricinfo, which both lawyers argued scuppered any chance of a resolution then.
“We had embarked on a process and as far as we were concerned, we thought that the process was working and going very well,” Symmonds told Massy Insurance’s Line and Length Network.
“We had initial consultations on the article date of the contract between Darren and [Cricket West Indies] regarding the Zimbabwe 2016 tour, and we had made significant progress, we thought.
“Then … an offer was made by the incoming CEO and it seemed again that we were right on the path of coming to some agreement. We had looked at drafts … I think everyone is very aware that it was agreed that certain statements would be made by the president and certain statements by Darren.”
She continued: “We had agreed the draft of the texts, all sort of things and with regards to the tweet, Darren had agreed to do certain things as well.
“But the sticking point was one other matter and we had made a suggestion as to how that could be resolved and we’ve had no response.”
Haynes added: “Instead we had a statement being made to Cricinfo, a statement made by the present CEO Mr Johnny Grave, which was in our view incorrect and which set things back.
“Quite frankly we were shocked when we read it because we were in the middle of negotiations, there was only one issue remaining and here it is Mr Grave is going to give an interview to Cricinfo which in our view set things back.”
Left-hander Bravo was sent home ahead of the TriNations Series in Zimbabwe last November after labelling CWI president Dave Cameron “a big idiot” in a Twitter rant.
The Trinidadian has since been barred from selection until he removes the tweet and apologises, neither of which he has done to date.
In an April interview, Grave said Bravo’s decision to seek damages from CWI for loss of earnings had frustrated CWI’s attempts to seek a resolution to the impasse as they had been under the impression an agreement had been reached.
“I thought everything was agreed with his legal advisors,” Grave was quoted as saying.
“We didn’t want this to play out publicly but yes, it is true, his attorney is asking for damages and West Indies supporters deserve an explanation as to why he is not in the squad in Jamaica [for the first Test against Pakistan].”
Haynes also criticised public utterances on the matter from CWI Dave Cameron, who as recently as last week said Bravo would remained barred from selection unless the offending tweet was removed.
“We have not spoken to the press since this incident has occurred and yet every week or thereabouts, we see statements being made by the president,” Haynes pointed out.
“In fact, the last statement made by the president appeared in the papers [a few days ago] stating because you are a senior player, that does not make you eligible for an A contract.
“Who is the president talking about? We interpreted it that he was talking about Darren.”
With time ticking away on Bravo’s return to international cricket, the noted lawyer said they were now exploring another option presented by CWI for ending the standoff.
“Darren’s contract provides a procedure to settle these matters and now Cricket West Indies has suggested another procedure which we are presently reviewing but we have to ensure that the alternative procedure suggested by Cricket West Indies does not operate to the detriment of our client,” Haynes stressed.