Ramnarine says players unhappy with WICB’s performance

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Outspoken players union chief Dinanath Ramnarine says regional cricketers are displeased with the current state of affairs and has once again beseeched the West Indies Cricket Board to be more professional in how they administer the game.

Speaking here Friday, Ramnarine said he had received numerous complaints from players throughout the recent regional first class season, with issues ranging from the standard of accommodation to practice facilities.

He said if these issues were not seriously addressed by the governing body for the sport in the region, the standard of cricket would continue to decline.

“The players are not happy with the way things are going in West Indies cricket at the moment and they have complained about a number of issues to us,” Ramnarine said.

“We have since taken it up with the West Indies Cricket Board and if they don’t act decisively, West Indies cricket is going to get worse. They are in breach of the ‘minimum standards requirement’ which we have signed and we have taken up the matter.

He continued: “Imagine, players complaining in this day and age about the state of hotels, no practice facilities, some had to sleep on the floor in a hotel in Trinidad and one player even had to bathe by a standpipe in Jamaica.

“These are the same players that you expect to go out there and give of their best but what are we putting in place for them.”

Ramnarine, who has locked horns with the WICB several times over the last year, said he had been in discussion with the governing body over players’ terms and conditions for several years now but there still seemed to be problems with reaching an agreement.