Rousseau, Josephs still batting for regional cricket

Rousseau

FORMER West Indies Cricket Board president Pat Rousseau and vice-president Clarvis Joseph have not abandoned West Indies cricket. In the interest of West Indies cricket they are working behind the scenes to ensure that sponsors do not walk away.

Rousseau and Joseph resigned last month following their dismissal of West Indies team manager Ricky Skerritt and the Board's decision to re-instate him, they hosted a press conference at the Hilton Hotel yesterday, and one of the questions was this: Has there been any negative response from sponsors?

"Yes", said Rousseau. "There are sponsors who have been asking questions, sponsors who are undecided as to whether they will renew their sponsorship of West Indies cricket, and we have been talking to them. We have been trying to get them to stay on board."

"It is simple," said Joseph. "West Indies cricket is bigger than any of us, sponsorship is important to the game, sponsors have expressed their concern over what has happened, they have spoken to us, we were instrumental in getting them involved, and we cannot sit by and let them walk away without doing something about it."

According to both Rousseau and Joseph, there are wider issues than being the president or vice-president of the Board, and president or not, vice-president or not, West Indies cricket and thus the funding of West Indies cricket is important to them.

Joseph also revealed that in the interest of West Indies cricket, he and Rousseau had last month encouraged Gregory Shillingford not to resign as chief executive officer.

Shillingford was involved in the dismissal of Skerritt, and according to Joseph, when he and Rousseau resigned, Shillingford was also about to resign.

"That would have been catastrophic," said Joseph, "and we asked him not to do it.

"Another question was this: Would you work with the Board if you were asked?

"Yes," said Joseph, "and we told the members that when we resigned."

"Oh, definitely," said Rousseau. "Whatever we can do, we will do."

Yesterday's press conference was called by Rousseau, president since 1996, and Joseph, vice-president since 1998, to set out the Board's achievements under their leadership.

Among the achievements were the increase in annual gross income - from under three million US dollars in 1994 to six million in 1996 to 20 million this year, the restructuring of the Board, the publication of an annual report and financial statement, banquet to honour all former West Indies players, training camps, seminars and discussions with past players aimed at the further development of West Indies cricket, more pay for West Indies players, formation of the Cricket Association of the Americas, a new style Busta Cup and Red Stripe Bowl, and the right to stage the World Cup in 2007.

According to Rousseau and Joseph, the Board stands to earn some 80 million US dollars from the World Cup.

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