Tony Becca

WEST INDIES cricket is suffering and, as bad as things are on the field, as weak and as inexperienced as many of them are, it is not entirely the fault of the players.

The fault – some of it, not most of it – lies with board and players’ association, and it is high time they look at themselves and make the necessary changes.

Respect for each group

The board, for example, needs to lead and lead properly.

For a start, the board needs to earn the respect of the players’ association, the players, its sponsors and the fans. It also needs not only to set standards on and off the field for the players, and needs to ensure, in a fair manner, without fear or favour, that those standards are met and are kept.

The players’ association also needs to lead – and to lead properly. Despite the importance of the players, the players association must appreciate the fact it does not control West Indies cricket, and that while the board should also respect it as the body representing the players, it is the board’s responsibility to administer West Indies cricket.

In welcoming Julian Hunte as the new president, therefore, the wish is that he will get the board working together as one in the interest of West Indies cricket, that he will be able to win back the respect of the players association for the board, and that he will dust off all the documents dealing with the code of conduct and get them back on the table.

The welcome also includes the hope that he will stop this new trend of every player, including the newcomer, giving his opinion almost on a daily basis of what is happening in the game, that he will be firm in dealing with the players as far as matters of discipline are concerned and, remembering that they expect to be paid for services rendered, for every advice given. And that, as much as he can and based on the money available, he will bridge the gap between the past great players and the board and get them involved in the climb back to the top.

West Indies cricket needs a new image, and the real hope is that the new president will be able to polish the present image so that it will shine so bright that the players will be happy representing the West Indies even if they are not paid as well as basketball’s Kobe Bryant.

Also, that businessmen will be happy to get involved with West Indies cricket as sponsors; that, win, lose or draw, the fans will be happy supporting West Indies cricket; and, most importantly, that cricket will once again be able to attract those with influence in the society to serve the game at all levels –including the club level and the territorial level where good leadership, including the type which can influence people, is sadly lacking.

Attitude of Player’s association

As far as the image of West Indies cricket is concerned, however, some of the polishing will need to be done by the players’ association and its president.

While there is nothing wrong with forever seeking better for the players, there must be something wrong with always spoiling for a fight and the players’ association’s attitude of confrontation is hurting West Indies cricket.

In fact, that may well be one of the reason’s why, going into the election of president and vice-president for one of the most important institutions in the West Indies society, only one person for each position has been nominated. That however, is not surprising.

With the players’ association so often referring to those who serve West Indies cricket in derogatory terms – including calling the president a liar regardless of their qualification, including saying that many of them are incompetent, and including calling for senior officers to be fired – could well be the reason why hardly anyone, including potential sponsors and administrators, wants to have anything to do with West Indies cricket.

Although he was perfectly correct, maybe Bruce Aanensen, as the chief executive officer, should not have said, in public, that the players were incompetent.

As the great George Headley once said, however, every man deserves to be forgiven for making one mistake and because of that, the players and the players’ association went too far in saying that they are not prepared to work with him.

The players and the players’ association could have made their protest without going that far – without just stopping short of saying to the board, “fire him or else.”

Hopefully, the board will not bend and listen to the players and their association. Hopefully, however, the new president will have a word with Aanensen.

A nice man

After all, Aanensen, a former RBTT director; a former director of human resources at RBTT; a former chairman of RBTT’s Grenada and Caribbean operations; a former vice-president of many years at Queen’s Park Cricket Club; a man who staged many benefit matches for ex-West Indies players; and the manager of Trinidad and Tobago’s football team to last year’s World Cup in Germany, is not a little man to be hired and fired at someone’s whims and fancies.

Aanensen is a successful West Indian, and the little I know of him he is a nice man. His reputation says he is a nice man, he seems to be the kind of man which West Indies cricket needs right now, and if he is kicked out because of one mistake, if he is fired because the players feel they cannot deal with him, West Indies cricket may never ever get another like him.

Those on the board and the players’ association who cannot change, even in the interest of West Indies cricket, should pack their bags and get out.