GCUC To Meet GCBC But… Truce Is Declared

THE raging storm over the omission of Guyanese umpires from the Test panel for last year’s Test series between Pakistan and the West Indies as well as the current one between India and the West Indies seems to be over, at least for the moment.

Truce has been declared, at least temporarily, but if the peace is to be maintained in the interest of Guyana and West Indies cricket the Guyana Cricket Umpires’ Council (GCUC) and the Guyana Cricket Board of Control (GCBC) will have to resolve the several undeclared but existing thorny issues.

President of the West Indies Cricket Board of Control (WICBC) Clyde Walcott told a press conference at the GCC on Sunday that he and Board Secretary Stephen Camacho held a meeting with the GCUC on the same day to deal with concerns which related to the omission of a Guyanese umpire from the Test panel.

Walcott described the meeting as amicable, pointing out that the umpires were reminded of the WICBC policy on selection of teams and umpires which was essentially based on the quality of performance.

He declared: “The policy of the WICBC is to select the best possible umpires regardless from where they come,

I would hope that that would be the policy of the Board with regard to anything West Indian.’’

The WICBC President disclosed that he has advised the GCUC to seek meetings with the GCBC in order to resolve whatever differences exist in the interest of West Indies cricket which is advanced and is being played professionally by the players.

He emphasised:- “I hope that umpiring problems do not affect the professionalism of West Indies players.”

Walcott told the press conference that some reports on local umpiring are promising and it may not be long before some local umpires are selected to the Test panel.

In explaining the system of selection, he stated that the mechanism employed comprises the present and past reports of captains on the performance of umpires standing in the Red Stripe Cup and Geddes Grant matches.

WICBC President Walcott pointed out that the threeman Committee (Lance Murray, Keith Walcott and Stephen Camacho) which selects the panel also seeks the view of selectors and other knowledgeable persons who watch the matches for endorsement or rejection of the captains’ reports.

He added that when the WICBC appoints umpires to stand in the Red Stripe Cup and Geddes Grant competitions it is an indication that they are under consideration for Test selection.

On the question of communicating with WICBC affiliates and umpires, Walcott stressed that decisions, appointments and other such releases are published on CANA with copies posted to its affiliates later.

He emphasised that such CANA reports could be considered authentic and may be acted on.

However, coming out from the press conference are indications that there are serious communication problems between the local Board and the GCUC.

Meanwhile, the eagerness of umpires Rudolph Haynes and Clyde Duncan to tell their side of the story following hints from President of the GCUC Compton Vyphius that they would be penalised suddenly disappeared after they held a meeting on Saturday afternoon.

When contacted on Sunday for his side of the story, one umpire declared: “No comment.”