Holding steering clear of current WI board

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

ST JOHN'S, Antigua: The Caribbean has an abundance of past cricketing greats who played integral roles in the region's dominance during the 1970s and early 1980s and the question has often been asked why more of them are not seriously involved in the development of West Indies cricket.One of these cricketing legends is Michael Holding who, though not opposed to offering advice to regional bowlers or any other player, has total contempt for the way regional cricket is being run and hence wants nothing to do with the current administration.

"I am not in the region as much as other former West Indies cricketers; my job takes me out of the Caribbean about nine months of the year," the Sky Sports cricket commentator pointed out. "Apart from that, even if I was available to get involved in cricket in the Caribbean, I would not get involved with this current West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

"I think administratively they are a joke; I don't have any respect for the way the board is run, I don't have any respect for a lot of things they do and so I wouldn't want to get formally involved with them."

Holding is of the view that the WICB does not understand the modern world in which cricket is being played, which he feels has led to Christopher Gayle and Dwayne Bravo being relieved of their captain and vice-captain roles.

"We just saw recently where two West Indies cricketers were relieved of very responsible positions because they refused to sign retainer contracts," Holding highlighted. "I am not saying that Chris Gayle or Bravo should maintain their positions as captain and vice-captain because, in my opinion, they haven't shown, in the past, commitment to West Indies cricket but they didn't take away the captaincy in the past," he added after taking time out from watching Group G action in the Digicel Caribbean Cup being played in Antigua to talk with The Gleaner.

irrational

If the failure to sign retainer contracts is the reason for the two players being relieved of their positions, Holding views it as irrational.

"That is an illogical reason. In today's world with the ICC (International Cricket Council) regulations, the West Indies Cricket Board and any cricket board anywhere in the world have to give permission for their players to play in domestic tournaments around the world."

He further believes Gayle's replacement as captain, Darren Sammy, does not merit his place in the team, especially if all the fast bowlers are available.

"I have seen Darren Sammy play and I don't think Darren Sammy is a certainty in the West Indies team if everyone is fit and well," Holding cited. "He is an all-rounder ... that means he has to do both (bat and bowl) to merit being in the team and if all the fast bowlers are fit, there is no need for him really to be bowling. He is not going to be taking four or five-wicket hauls or he shouldn't be getting the ball to even bowl that long."

This, he thinks, might lead to Sammy losing his credibility and the respect of the team.

Holding said: "As a captain, at some point he might lose his credibility because if he is not performing in the team, how can he look at the players around him and say anything to them when he is not justifying his position in the team. And once you lose your credibility in the team, you have lost the team, so I don't think that was a wise decision to make him captain."