ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell has labelled as “disturbing” claims by West Indies head coach, Phil Simmons, of outside interference in the selection of the One-Day International squad for Sri Lanka.
Mitchell, the Chairman of CARICOM’s Sub Committee on Cricket Governance, said yesterday any selection panel needed to be “free of interference, fear, or favour”, and joined with Simmons condemning “any act that undermined his leadership and the discretion of the Board of Selectors to field the best team.”
“It is my view that West Indies cricket is fortunate to have a leadership team that includes head coach Phil Simmons, captain Jason Holder and chairman of selectors, Clive Lloyd,” Mitchell said in a statement.
“The team is now at an important crossroads, and it will require wisdom and good leadership to chart and follow the right path. It will therefore take the skill, motivation and priorities of the men who lead and the players who follow, to restore the team to world prominence.”
He continued: “To that end, the leadership unit must receive the full and unequivocal support and cooperation of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), and the backing of an independent selection panel, that is free of interference, fear, or favour.
“The head coach’s comments about the selection of the West Indies one-day team to tour Sri Lanka are highly disturbing.”
Speaking to media in Barbados on Friday following the end of the West Indies camp for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka, Simmons lashed out at what he termed “too much interference from outside”, as he explained the continued absence of Trinidadian all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard from the ODI side.
Both players were dropped ahead of the ODI series in South Africa last January and also overlooked for the subsequent ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Though the ODI side for Sri Lanka has not been announced by the WICB, Simmons took the unusual step of revealing that neither Bravo nor Pollard, would be a part of it.
Simmons said both he and chief selector Clive Lloyd had been in favour of the players’ re-inclusion, but the five-member selection panel had voted 3-2 against.
Courtney Walsh, Eldine Baptiste and Courtney Browne are the other selectors on the panel.
“That’s not the disappointing fact, the disappointing fact is that you can lose 3-2 in a vote-off but there is too much interference from outside in the selection of the ODI squad and it’s disappointing for me to know that in any aspect of life … [people would use] their position to get people into a squad for in this case, get people left out of a squad,” Simmons chided.
“It is wrong and I don’t like it and that is my beef with the selection of the ODI team.”
Echoing Simmons’s sentiments, Mitchell said it was important the selection process ensured that West Indies always had their best sides available.
“Opposing teams, cricket lovers around the world and supporters of West Indies cricket expect to see the best West Indies teams on the field. Clive Lloyd, the chairman of selectors, recently made that same point,” Mitchell said.
“Together with the head coach, he urged selectors to bury their hatchets and trade the self-defeating, mean-spirited and losing culture of exclusion for a cooperative and winning culture of inclusion and unity. The West Indies public expects and deserves nothing less.
“I fully endorse the sentiments and position taken by the Chairman of Selectors and the head coach, and I join with Simmons in condemning any act that undermined his leadership and the discretion of the board of selectors to field the best team.”
Simmons was appointed West Indies head coach in March after nearly eight years in charge of Ireland’s side. He subsequently presided over a 1-1 draw in a three-match series against England and a 2-0 defeat to Australia.
Mitchell said he believed the Trinidadian had the ability to transform the fortunes of the Windies team once given adequate support, and urged leadership to avoid the dangers of “polarization, anger, hatred, resentment, exclusion and adversarial attitudes.”
“I believe that if Simmons is given the right tools to do his job, the liberty to make critical cricket decisions, the autonomy to create learning environments in which young players can grow and prosper, and the freedom to field the best teams, West Indies cricket will flourish,” Mitchell pointed out.
“Already the head coach and his coaching team have taken a great step forward by gaining the trust, respect and loyalty of the West Indies players. These are things that administrators and other West Indies coaches struggled with and failed to achieve during the last fifteen years.”
He added: “A sports organization needs good management and administration to function at its best, but throughout its ranks. The organization must not be divided unto itself.
“Only a few days ago, Pope Francis in a speech at the United Nations, reminded the world about the dangers of polarization, anger, hatred, resentment, exclusion and adversarial attitudes, and the benefits of inclusion, kindness, unity, cooperation and common purpose.
“We sincerely hope that his words were heard and heeded by our cricket administrators.”
