WE NEED EQUALITY FOR ALL RACES
Holder: There must be less fighting, less killing, less adversity in society
field and follow the example of the likes of Raheem Sterling in speaking out.
‘Racism is a crime throughout the world and will probably be ongoing beyond our lifetimes,’ said the 28-year-old Barbadian in what was a far from conventional introductory tour press conference. ‘Regardless of race and religion this is a situation for all of us to unite as one.
‘What has happened around the world has impacted on all of us and the response to it has been tremendous. We must acknowledge what is going on and that those who are protesting and standing up for what they believe in are noble and courageous. This is the perfect time for people to educate themselves on what is going on and makeake a change.’
Holder, speaking via Zoom m from West Indies’ on- site training base at Emirates Old Trafford, insisted he had never had a problem with racism in cricket himself but cited the examples of England players Moeen Ali i and Jofra Archer among those e who have suffered.
‘I would be foolish to sit heree and say racism is not prevalent in our sport,’ he said. ‘It is definitely all around us and finding solutions to deal with it should be the focus. For me the only way is finding unity and equality for all races. Everyone has to be on the same page so we have less fighting, less killing and less adversity in society.’
West Indies, who face three weeks based at Old Trafford before travelling to the Ageas Bowl in Southampton ahead of the first Test on July 8, will discuss what they can do to support the antiracism movement when they contest cricket’s first international series since the virus struck.
‘It will definitely be discussed by us as a team and we’ll decide the best way to go forward,’ said Holder. ‘I don’t want to speak for the rest of the team. I just want to make sure that whatever we do — if anything — is done in the right way. If we decide to show some solidarity we will all be doing it together.’
The impressive captain believes the world situation could even act as motivation for his team when they defend the Wisden Trophy, just as verbal provocation has often inspired them in the past when they have played England.
Ahead of the 1976 series, then England captain Tony Greig infamously said he would make West Indies ‘grovel’, and outgoing ECB chairman Colin Graves called Holder’s men ‘mediocre’ ahead of England’s visit to the Caribbean in 2015.
‘West Indians are fuelled and motivated in different ways,’ said Holder. ‘ In previous series, particularly against England, people have said things prior to the cricket and that has stirred things within us as West Indians. ‘This could be the serious issue we can bbuild on to get some real pospositive energy within our gra group. Only when we sit down and get a sense of where ppeople’s minds are at will we formulate our plans.’
Three West Indies players — Darren Bravo, Shimron HHetmyer and Keemo Paul — rerefused to travel because of woworries over the virus but HolHolder insisted the 14- man squad and 11 reserves who arrived here on Tuesday feel ‘pretty safe’.
Holder added: ‘I have to commend the ECB, they have been outstanding. There has been constant dialogue as to what the series will look like and at no point did we force anybody to come. It’s not going to be a normal tour and there’s no doubt it will be different but this is where the world is at. Everything has been smooth since we got here.
‘I tend to be pumped up a little more when I see packed stadiums but they are not going to be possible so we will have to find other ways to get geed up.
‘We are all professional enough to make the adjustment and crack on with the new way of sport. We have got here early to acclimatise and now we’ve just got to get accustomed to it, understand it and make sure we’re doing the best we can in these trying times.’
West Indies plan to make fast bowler Shannon Gabriel the 15th member of their squad if he can prove his fitness.