CWI President Ricky Skerrit (left) and former CWI President Dave Cameron.
I’ve never been a fan of politics.
The term has a number of definitions and I abhor involvement in any of the variations.
Former Cricket West Indies boss, Dave Cameron, is now in the thick of a political fight he is not likely to win because he, like myself, may not be a fan of any of the definitions either and has not played the game well.
The first definition of politics is basic. It speaks simply to activities associated with the governance of a body, area, country, whatever.
That would suggest that part of being in a leadership role (governance), is being an effective politician.
But politics also speaks to views. Your views on governance are your politics.
Whenever your politics aren’t popular, you had better find a way to massage them into a room.
Dave Cameron believed Cricket West Indies should be run like a business. He was well on his way to achieving that when he was ousted, but his politics and approach to seeing them through, meant he alienated many along the way.
Included in that alienation were heads of government in the West Indies as well as the current CWI board.
Now Cameron wants to run for International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman and on the face of it, it looks like the former CWI president is missing the power he once wielded and seeks a way back.
However, an aspect of his politics that has gone unchallenged, even while he was president of the CWI, is his wish to see an end to the ‘triopoly’ in world cricket.
Cameron has made that issue the lynchpin of his argument for a seat at the head of the table.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Cricket Australia (CA), dominate world cricket and all policies at the ICC level, including those involved with financial remuneration, seem to favour this big three.
It is no wonder then, that the frontrunners to replace Shashank Manohar hail from two of the three powers. Saurav Ganguly is president of the BCCI and Colin Graves, the man touted as favourite for the quasi-vacant role, Colin Graves, is a former ECB boss.
Here is where I part ways with politics. Well, we were never going in the same direction really.
Cameron would like the support of the CWI to run for ICC Chairman and while the organisation has not given a response one way or the other, it is largely expected that he will not get it.
Now the CWI board has had its issues with Cameron’s leadership style, with maybe his policies, but and this is a big but - Cameron represents the only chance for small teams like the West Indies to have their interests represented at the highest level.
There is no doubt that Cameron has a point, particularly in respect to the division of money from television rights. The big three, granted they provide the biggest audiences, corner a large part of that market and the ensuing imbalance makes it difficult for smaller nations to invest in their cricket and advance to the lofty heights of the big three, creating ‘forever minnows’.
Here is my question. Do you play politics ahead of issues, especially if that issue is as important to the future of cricket as it is?
Outspoken former West Indies batsman Philo Wallace has said Cameron’s conundrum is one of his own making, and he may be right.
Blessed or cursed with an incredible self-belief, Cameron comes across as arrogant, irreverent, and maybe a little despotic.
It cost him the presidency of the CWI but I don’t believe like Wallace does, that “Dave Cameron should just tell himself ‘I’ve run West Indies cricket for six years' and just leave it out and just be an observer now, because going up for the ICC job and looking for the West Indies support, it can’t work.”
I believe it should still be workable because what is best for West Indies cricket should be at the forefront of the minds of CWI president Ricky Skerritt and all the members of the board.
Therefore, Cameron’s transgressions should be considered water under the bridge in the wake of a bigger fight.
“It’s like trying to get a dumpling up a hill. Unfortunately, he isn’t going to get the support of Cricket West Indies and we all know it. It’s very sad that a former president has come to this, a former president of West Indies cricket, but sometimes the way that you rule comes back to bite you, there is something called karma…he disrespected leaders and prime ministers in the region and that cannot work,” Wallace had said.
But I have no time for politics, petty grievances or Karma.
I do have time for a stronger West Indies cricket, whether or not I like the person who helps that process along.
Paul-Andre is the Managing Editor at SportsMax.tv. He comes to the role with almost 20 years of experience as journalist. That experience includes all facets of media. He began as a sports Journalist in 2001, quickly moving into radio, where he was an editor before becoming a news editor and then an entertainment editor with one of the biggest media houses in the Caribbean.
'WI Women feeling at home' - skipper Taylor insists team well-settled ahead of England series
West Indies Women’s team captain Stafanie Taylor has revealed that the team is buoyed by its comfort level, having been given time to settle in England ahead of the upcoming series.
The particular nature of the series, played in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed the Caribbean team to arrive in England at the end of last month. The players have been since locked away in a biosecure environment where they have had the time to get used to conditions.
“The good thing is that we have been here for a while now. It feels like home. Normally when we go on a tour it feels like we are the away team. This time it feels like we are the home team.
“The girls are in good spirits. We’ve had a few weeks to get out there and get used to the conditions,” she added.
All matches will be played behind closed doors at Derby, where West Indies have been based for three weeks. The England Women has dominated the West Indies in recent meetings and have racked up comfortable victories in multiple formats. Monday's series opener will be the first women's international since 86,174 people watched Australia defeat India in the T20 World Cup final in March.
Pooran targets fastest 100 or fastest IPL 50 record
West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran will head into the new Indian Premier League (IPL) season in a record-breaking mood as he looks to topple either the fastest 100 or fastest 50 competition record.
Such marks will, however, not be easy to eclipse. India batsman K.L. Rahul currently holds the record for the fastest 50, achieved in a meagre 14 balls, in 2018. The fastest century was smacked by no other than legendary West Indian batsman Chris Gayle who reached the mark, in 2013, in just 30 deliveries.
Pooran has, however, looked in good form recently. Just last month, he cracked 10 sixes in a 45-ball epic worth 100 runs for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
"Any. Fastest fifty or the fastest hundred,” Pooran replied when asked which record, he would like to break in a recent Espn Cricinfo interview.
The player, however, also reflected on his performance in the IPL, which he believes could have been better.
"I don't think that I've too many great IPL performances. I had a couple of scores last year and the one against the KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) was good."
The batsman represented Kings XI Punjab in the IPL last season.
Rayudu and Du Plessis shine as Chennai avenge final loss to Mumbai in IPL opener
Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis led the way as Chennai Super Kings won the IPL opener and exacted a measure of revenge for their 2019 final loss to Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi.
In a repeat of the final of the previous edition of the IPL - when Mumbai beat the then-defending champions Chennai by a single run - the Super Kings chased down 163 to win.
They did so despite losing openers Shane Watson and Murali Vijay in the first two overs of their reply as Rayudu smashed 71 off 48 and shared a third-wicket stand of 115 with Du Plessis.
The South African finished unbeaten on 58 to see his side home alongside scoreless Chennai captain MS Dhoni, with the India great - who recently retired from international cricket - playing for the first time since the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
The defending champions made a strong start and were 46 without loss in the fifth over, but no one was able to go on and make a big total as Saurabh Tiwary top-scored with 42.
Mumbai were 46-6 across the final seven overs of their innings as they made 162-9, with Lungi Ngidi taking 3-38.
The partnership between Rayudu and Du Plessis proved pivotal, though the former perished when caught and bowled by Rahul Chahar with the final ball of the 16th over.
England all-rounder Sam Curran, making his debut for the Super Kings, stepped in at six and his 18 from six balls brought Chennai to the verge of victory.
For once, Dhoni was not 'the finisher' as he failed to score off the two balls he faced, with Du Plessis instead striking back-to-back fours to give Chennai victory with four balls to spare - their first win over Mumbai in five attempts.
ANOTHER OPENING LOSS FOR MUMBAI
The Indians have won the IPL a record four times, but this was the eighth year in a row in which they had lost their opening game of the tournament.
DHONI SURVIVES FIRST-BALL DUCK
It had been 437 days since Dhoni last took to the crease - in India's World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand - and he only just survived a first-ball duck. He was initially given out after appearing to feather a Jasprit Bumrah bouncer behind, but the decision was overturned and Dhoni was there at the end, though, for once, he was not the one bringing it home.
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