Minister says T&T board sold out Pollard, Bravo

(Trinidad Express) The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) “sold out” Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo.

This was the claim by Minister of Sport Anil Roberts yesterday during a press conference at his Abercromby Street office.

A fired-up Roberts yesterday blasted the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) and its president Azim Bassarath for misleading him, and provided proof as well. And for the second time for the day—following a similar demand to the National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAA)—he demanded an apology.

In his possession at the conference was a letter, signed by TTCB cricket operations manager Suruj Ragoonath and dated December 30, 2011, which stated that the TTCB received US $240,000, roughly $1.5 million, for the services of Pollard and Bravo at the Nokia Champion League 2011, from their respective IPL franchises, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.

That “selling out”, as termed by Roberts, cost T&T their chance to win the Champions League, the Minister felt. T&T lost their first two matches—one by one run and the other in a Super Over—to be edged out of the knockout phase of the tournament.

Roberts recalled that Bassarath had publicly criticised him for referring to the TTCB head as dishonest in saying that the Board did not receive money for the players, and that they were not eligible to play for this country.

“When I asked him what was the position with Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard with regard to participating or not participating for Trinidad and Tobago in the Champions League, it created quite a furor in which Mr Bassarath accused me of playing politics and supporting Friends of Cricket in the Cricket Board Elections,” Roberts stated.

He also quoted Bassarath.

“The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board stood to gain not one cent from any transfer fees for Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo’ (Bassarath told me by letter),” said Roberts.

“(The players were) only eligible to participate…for their respective franchises if selected. This also prevents the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board from receiving any transfer fees for both players’ (the letter stated).

“This formed the basis of his entire attack on my character, on my professionalism and my integrity. He stated that there was no money for the T&T Cricket Board to gain from them playing for their IPL franchises.”

Roberts said he contacted those franchises, who told him the TTCB would get US$150,000 for each player before tax.

“…Here it is Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board received $240,000 US, approximately $1.5 million TT, for selling out Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard. I hope that this now brings a rest to this issue, and that Mr Azim Bassarath and his Board will now do the honourable thing after calling me all sorts of names…

“I call upon the president as a man to do the right thing…that (the TTCB) can now humbly apologise. This is a serious issue, that any NSO found to be giving Ministry officials false info will be dealt with very seriously.”