Mischief-makers?

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

CRICKET WEST Indies (CWI) president, Ricky Skerritt, has blasted “well-known mischief-makers” as he stringently denied social media reports of divisions in the West Indies camp during the ongoing Twenty20 International series against England.

In a statement late Thursday night, Skerritt condemned the reports as “unfounded and mischievous allegations”, and charged they were “designed to sow division” in the Caribbean side.

Voice notes making the rounds earlier Thursday suggested there was a breakdown in the relationship between fast-bowling all-rounder Odean Smith and captain Kieron Pollard, and that a meeting had been convened on Friday by CWI to discuss the matter.

However, while not directly referencing the reported situation between Smith and Pollard, CWI said it was “satisfied that there is no discord between the team captain and any member of the West Indies team”.

MALICIOUS ATTACK

“I view this as a malicious attack on the credibility of the West Indies captain, designed to sow division within our team that has just recorded three very impressive T20I performances against very strong opponents, including two outstanding wins and one heroic comeback to get within one run of victory,” Skerritt said in a strongly worded statement.

“This clear attempt by well-known mischief-makers to discredit the captain and to derail the team’s momentum in the ongoing Betway T20I Series should not be tolerated or encouraged.”

At a media conference on Thursday, head coach Phil Simmons was also forced to dispel suggestions of discord in the side, contending “that can’t happen when I’m here”.

“All those who want to sit out there and preach about victimisation and thing, need to look within themselves,” said Simmons.

“There is no victimisation in selection in West Indies cricket, there is no victimisation in this team in playing anyone, so we need to start stepping away from that and letting the people who are pushing this thing know that that’s not happening here, and I’m not going to be answering any more questions about things like that.”

A broad-chested, powerful lower-order batsman who bowls sharp fast medium, Smith curiously sent down a single over for four runs in last Saturday’s opening Twenty20 International at Kensington Oval and was not given a single over in the second match 24 hours later.

He was subsequently dropped for the third match on Wednesday, sparking speculation of a breakdown in the relationship between the Jamaican and Pollard.

Smith was handed his T20I debut back in 2018 in a weakened side which toured Pakistan but then had to wait three and a half years before returning to the side, on another tour of Pakistan last December where West Indies suffered a 3-0 whitewash.

He made his One-Day International debut earlier this month against Ireland in Jamaica, averaging 42 with the bat and 19 with the ball as the home side crashed to a shock 2-1 defeat.

Smith was one of the leading bowlers in last year’s Caribbean Premier League with 18 wickets for Guyana Amazon Warriors but was then controversially snubbed for the T20 World Cup squad on the grounds of fitness.