Former VP slams WIBC over handling of ICC relegation proposal

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Former West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Vice President Clarvis Joseph has labelled the WICB’s “no comment” approach to the draft presented by the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Finance & Commercial Affairs committee, as cowardly.

Joseph was quoted in the Antigua Observer as saying that there are wide implications for the development of cricket in the region and the WICB’s silence on the issue has done it no favour.

“We have lost the leadership role that we used to play in ICC by adopting the cowardly attitude of not making it public. There are very wide implications for the development of cricket and that is all I would say at this time because I really don’t want to get involved for obvious reasons that you would appreciate,” Joseph said.

“But I find it disgusting that we are not prepared to stand up and declare out of hand and talk about it when we should have gone to the meeting and that is nonsense.

“There is too much investment by government and the people in the Caribbean in the development of cricket. We have been let down in terms of the standard of the players but that is no excuse to adopt a cowardly attitude,” he added.

The ICC proposal, if adopted, gives control of Test cricket to England, India and Australia and also includes the formation of a two-tier structure of Test cricket, with those three nations immune from relegation.

Joseph, who said he has seen the draft in its entirety, warns that the motive of the proposal hinges largely on finances.

“My knowledge suggests that the members of the West Indies Cricket Board have not been presented with the full report but have been presented with a power point presentation of the report and if you read the full report, there is nothing to do with cricket,” the former VP said.

“It has everything to do with money and distribution of revenue and if you look at it from a purely cricket perspective, the proposal has no merit.

“It is not today that England has sought to dominate the decision-making in ICC and if you go back as far as when Alan Weir was president, the ECC requested a veto on ICC matters as far as that,” he added.

WICB has reserved comment on the draft proposal until they have made a presentation to the ICC at its Board meeting scheduled for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, next Tuesday and Wednesday.