Ganga tried to explain that Simmo plays with real heart

Former national captain Daren Ganga, in an effort to get Lendl Simmons back into international cricket, accompanied him to a meeting with the selectors and indicated to them that he plays with real heart. After not being told of the specific disciplinary charges again him that kept him out of the West Indies team for a prolonged period, Simmons asked for a meeting with the West Indies selectors. On January 20, 2011 at 2.41 pm at the Golden Sands Hotel, Barbados, he met with Clyde Butts, Courtney Browne and Robert Haynes. Ganga accompanied him at the meeting. At the meeting, Simmons spoke with the selectors and informed them that he had been hearing for several months that there were certain issues concerning him which prevented him from being selected. He indicated to them that he had no idea what these issues were and would have liked to know so that he could address them and ascertain the areas in which he needed to improve, if any. Browne stated that the main concern was the game of cricket and expressed his desire to have the best team represent the West Indies. The selectors reportedly started out by being as vague as they had been before. It was only after Simmons kept saying that he did not know of what they spoke that they began to speak of specific times and places. Even so, Simmons remained puzzled as the selectors referred to his body language rather than to his results or to any “disciplinary issues.” He claimed that he racked his brain to recall instances which would support what they were saying but he could not recall any.

 

 

As a cricketer in a match situation he was constantly thinking about his performance and about what was required in any particular situation: what his approach should be; what areas of vulnerability he had noticed in the other side that he could use to his advantage; where he should try to hit the ball; and how he should score his runs. This mental exercise is obviously internal and if he appeared “don’t-care-ish” to use the words of one of the selectors on that day, it was not something he was aware of. Ganga, who has captained teams on which he has played, also made that point to the selectors: that he knows that he may be quiet but that it is because he is thinking and preparing to give 100 per cent when he goes out to bat. The selectors also referred to Simmons’ alleged refusal to meet with committee chairman Clyde Butts. He was quite alarmed at this as they seemed to be saying that he could be called on very short notice to meet without regard to any prior commitments he might have had. Further, to view this as a disciplinary issue was not correct, in his opinion.  The meeting with the selectors also alarmed him as they seemed to suggest that he should keep in close contact with them and should ask them for their telephone numbers if he wanted to talk to them. He began to wonder if they were really basing their decisions on his performance or on his attempts (or lack of attempts) to be in close contact with them. He had always let his bat do the talking for him and give his best in training. He always thought that would be enough. 

 

 

As a result of the WICB’s actions, he has suffered loss and damage. The WICB has wrongfully damaged his professional reputation, and has deprived him of the opportunity to be heard on matters affecting his selection, a result of which, he was not selected for an entire year. Ganga testified that he was a professional cricketer and the captain of the Trinidad and Tobago national cricket team and had been playing cricket professional cricket for the past 15 years, during which time, he represented his country, Trinidad and Tobago cricket team and the West Indies cricket team. In the early months of 2009, Ganga learnt through the media that the WICB had certain issues with the claimant. Being the captain of the Trinidad and Tobago national team, he contacted the claimant to find out what was the matter. However, the claimant informed him that he had no idea what these issues were. He had an opportunity to address the meeting and stated that he knew the claimant as a player and that he was a quiet person who was dedicated to the game. He knew and he also communicated to the selectors that the claimant plays with heart and soul and was very committed to the game. Simmons eventual won his matter before arbitrator Seenath Jairam and was awarded TT$750,000. Since then he has also been re-instated to the West Indies team and will play in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.