Following Guyana’s withdrawal from next week’s Caribbean T20 tournament, Clive Lloyd, the chairman of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) revealed that the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) should take full responsibility for the act.
Clive Lloyd
“The point is you have to say the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) is responsible for the team’s withdrawal. The Government had a chat with them (GCB officials) four or five months ago and we discussed the IMC and there was no difficulty. There was one area in which the IMC was working along with the GCB, but that has taken a different turn. This IMC issue was not thrown to them (GCB officials) five to ten minutes ago, rather this was something that was talked about and they realise what will happen if things do not fall in place,” Lloyd, the former West Indies captain told media operatives yesterday at a press briefing held at the Sport Ministry’s boardroom.
Lloyd who represented the West Indies in 110 test matches between 1966 and 1985 is optimistic that good sense will prevail and Guyana will be part of the tournament since it will be a tragedy if Guyana does not take part in the tournament. “I am in talks with members of the GCB to let them understand that this team was chosen by them and not by the government. All I am appealing to them for is to let the team go and be part of the tournament then we [can] sit down around the table and discuss the future of cricket in Guyana. I don’t see what the problem is. It seems somewhat semantic and individuals hampering young people from plying their trade, which I think is disastrous and sad,” Lloyd added.
The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has claimed it cannot field a team for this year’s Caribbean Twenty20 tournament. In a letter to the WICB, GCB secretary Anand Sanasie pinned the blame of the withdrawal on the Guyana government, which has placed the running of the game in the country in the hands of an Interim Management Committee (IMC).
Sanasie, in his letter which was leaked to the media, claimed that the GCB tried their utmost to get the Government to acquiesce to the wishes of the players and the Guyana Cricket Board but to no avail. The letter also states that the GCB decided on the team’s withdrawal because the government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has placed locks on the doors of the GCB offices and storage bond since December 24, 2011. “Despite our best endeavours these locks remain in place and as such has caused tremendous administrative and logistical difficulty in the preparation and outfitting of our team,” the letter concluded.
Meanwhile, Lloyd revealed that the GCB Cricket Development Officer, Robin Singh, along with the players, was notified of Government’s willingness to assist the team. Lloyd also revealed that Singh was informed of the Ministry’s readiness to allow Board officials entry into the Board’s office.
The team was due to leave Guyana this weekend to participate in the 10-team competition.
Its good that a senior in the cricket fraternity had step forward to tell GCB that they will be stifling younger cricketers if Guyana doesn't play in this tournament.
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