The outgoing Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Michael Muirhead has suggested that he will still be involved in cricket at the level of the WICB when he steps down from his current position next month, the Caribbean Media Corporation reported yesterday.
A WICB statement released early yesterday says Muirhead will not be renewing his contract and will officially demit office on October 14 this year.
The 59-year-old Jamaican, who has been in the role for the last four years, is stepping aside from a position that has changed hands several times over the past decade.
“I am trying to have an association with the WICB,” Muirhead told CARIBUPDATE NEWS, but says that it will be too early to discuss his ideas at this time.
“I am working on that and rather say that towards the end of the month. I am working on something but don’t know how it will pan out yet.”
Muirhead’s comments come just a few hours after the WICB statement announced that he had opted not to renew his contract. “ The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) would like to announce that Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Michael Muirhead will not be renewing his contract and will officially demit office on October 14 this year,” said the brief statement from WICB.
The Board of Directors wishes Muirhead “the best in his future endeavours.” The statement also quoted Muirhead as describing his four year stint with WICB as “insightful, challenging, interesting and an eventful period.”
In an interview with Cricinfo, Muirhead, who replaced Ernest Hilaire as WICB CEO, said he helped turn the finances of the WICB around.
“I came in at a time when the state of finances at the board were in deficit and in my brief tenure I have managed to turn around and will be leaving with a surplus,” Muirhead told ESPNcricinfo.
According to the website, Muirhead has agreed that the chasm between the board and the players has been always there, but said that the divide was steadily being breached. “When I came in it was extremely hostile between us and the players’ association. We were in court regularly,” he said. “There was judgement and arbitration against us. I think I played a more conciliatory role instead of being antagonistic to the point that we have not had petitions against us. Our legal fees have gone down significantly. And we have a good relationship with the union (WIPA),” Cricinfo quoted Muirhead as saying.
According to Muirhead, the recent symposium between WIPA and the WICB prior to the two-match T20I series against India in Florida, was beneficial in some respect.
“A lot of players were able to speak quite frankly. The lines of communication are now re-opened,” Muirhead told Cricinfo.
