'Holder begged them not to do it' - BCA boss Riley

Outspoken Cricket West Indies (CWI) director Conde Riley has claimed Windies captain Jason Holder pleaded with the then newly-appointed Ricky-Skerrit association not to change the regional team’s coaching staff ahead of the ICC World Cup.

The administration has come in for some heavy criticism in some quarters after the new president sacked interim coach Richard Pybus and the selection panel only weeks ahead of the tournament.

The move had proven to be particularly controversial as the team had put in a strong performance against England in an ODI tour of the Caribbean only a few weeks prior. Despite being president of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) and a director of the CWI, Riley, who warned against the move, was understandably among the critics.

“We ain’t win a match after the opening game against Pakistan because they fired everybody. Jason Holder, the captain, begged him not to do it, I begged him not to do it. I am hurt,” Riley told the Barbados Nation News.

“I am angry. I said, what they did was wrong to fire every selector. We just beat England and they fired everybody. The ‘A’ team lick up, the ‘B’ team lick up, and the dressing room is in disarray. I say what I have to say, the BCA board of management can vote me out. I am a life member, but I can’t see something that is wrong and say that it is right.”