Cameron must be held accountable

Dear Editor, The musings of WICB President Cameron: “I must say to you that we`re probably 90% sure that we`re not going to make it to the Champion`s Trophy at this point in time.

“It’s part and parcel of not performing year in and year out that we’ve found ourselves in this position. All we can say is that all our programmes have to be geared towards making West Indies cricket better. I don’t think if you try stop gap measures by going to the Champion`s Trophy, that serves anybody at this point in time.”

What are we to make of this? Mr Cameron has been President of WICB for the last three years and had been a board member for the last fifteen years. I discern a sense of irresponsibility in that statement. Most leaders in similar circumstances would have said one of the fol- lowing:

1. I have failed as the leader of West Indies cricket and therefore I shall resign. Those directors who feel as I do should also resign.

2. Under my leadership West Indies cricket has been retrogressing. I will have to try a different approach to see if things can be turned around.

3. The latest development suggests that I should search for help from those who know more about the game than I do.

Not our Dave. Surely there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is, at least, some causal connection between the policies pursued by Mr Cameron and the retrogression of West Indies cricket. I will list only a few:

Until the recent appointment of Mr Simmons, the WI team was without a head

coach for an inordinately long period of time that included the most recent World Cup.

The team has had the smallest cricket support staff of any major cricket country. It has had neither a batting, bowling nor fielding coach. Mr Williams was either an assistant or acting batting coach and Mr Ambrose was a bowling consultant. It did not retain the services of a sports psychologist.

Dwayne Bravo was excluded from the 50 over squad of 15 immediately after being selected on a world 11, and after having had an excellent tour in 50 overs cricket in New Zealand, one of the World Cup venues.

A 23-year-old captain with absolutely no first class captaincy experience was chosen to lead the team for the South African and World Cup engagements.

On a tour of India the leading fast bowler discovered a pre-existing major injury.

On a tour of New Zealand the team could not field 11 players for a warm up match.

Mr Cameron breached an undertaking given to high political office holders by excluding initially three of the best all rounders from the 50 overs team for the tour of South Africa and the World Cup.

There has been no improvement in the quality of wickets despite complaints from numerous knowledgeable people.

Several talented players have disappeared from the scene. Mr Cameron must be held accountable. Yours faithfully, Romain Pitt