I have followed the current impasse between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), the West Indies Players Association (Wipa), West Indies players and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from ball one. I was in the kitchen so to speak close to the heat in Dharamshala, India, when the decision was made to call off the tour.What has transpired over the past few days has left me with the view that this impasse did not have to go down to this low level.One has to understand that the BCCI was aware of the problems very early on and they did not shy away from having their say in the matter.
The first talk of a threat came in the Southwestern City of Kochi and the BCCI did speak to the West Indies players. They went ahead and played the match and the BCCI was at the point buying time, hoping that the warring parties would come together.At this point, the BCCI officials were still talking favourably about the WICB. No one was getting angry because any board could have issues with their players.Some years ago the BCCI had their problems with their players so they understood.As time went on, the BCCI waited for a positive response from the WICB. They waited on the WICB because they did not enter into any agreement with the players or Wipa.
Their partner in this bi-lateral arrangement was the WICB and they wanted to hear from only them.While all this was going on, the sponsors of the series were aware that there could be a possible fallout.As time went on, the BCCI was getting anxious, the WICB was sticking to their guns, Wavell Hinds the president of Wipa was hiding behind press releases and messages to team captain Dwayne Bravo and the players were getting frustrated.Everyday that the players' frustration grew, the BCCI was starting to get angry. BCCI officials were starting to make emotional outbursts.Then someone from the WICB decided to play macho and this lent fuel to the fire.
All of a sudden all hell broke loose, when this official informed the BCCI that, talks (which never occurred) broke down between the players and they were willing to send a second string team to play the remainder of the series.This did not go down too well with the BCCI and they refused saying that they would not accept a second string team because when they sold the series to their business partners, they were selling the clash of two first teams, no A team or B team.It is alleged that the official of the WICB told the BCCI officials that they could go ahead and sue the regional board if they want.
Obviously the BCCI would have realised that at this point the WICB did not have an interest in having the tour completed with their senior players.This caused the rage and although both boards have enjoyed a wonderful relationship over the past decades, it counted for nothing, with this totally arrogant move.Well the macho talk of: "Sue if all yuh want," could now leave men without their pants.West Indies cricket has been warded in the ICU department when it comes to their finances for quite some time.With sponsorship not readily coming because the team was not doing well, the WICB administrators had their work cut out in getting financial assistance.Baldath Mahabir a director of the board charged with the responsibility of marketing was doing a good job in creating investor confidence and now this. If the Indians go ahead with this lawsuit then West Indies cricket could die or at best remain in a comatose situation for a very long time to come.