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Lloyd, Holding slam greedy players, inept board for impasse
Clive Lloyd and Michael Holding blasted "greedy" players and the "incompetent" board for creating the mess that cricket in the Caribbeans fi
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: July 24, 2009 05:50 PM IST
Read Time: 2 min
St John's:
Lloyd was scathing in his criticism of the current crop of cricketers who boycotted national duty protesting a contract row with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
"When you say the West Indies team is going to withdraw from a series it is not that they are short of money. We have players who are millionaires with an average of 15.00 and they are a first-team pick," a sarcastic Lloyd said.
"We have players who are being paid USD 500,000 or more and they do not pay a cent in any tax. We are the only country where players don't pay any tax," the former captain was quoted as saying by 'Cricinfo'.
West Indies cricket plunged into deep crisis with the players, represented by West Indies Players' Association (WIPA), and the Board engaging in a tug-of-war that resulted in West Indies fielding a second-string squad that lost the home Test series against Bangladesh.
Even though WIPA and WICB have finally decided to come to the negotiation table, Lloyd and Holding flayed both the bodies for their inept handling of the issue.
"The WICB are a dysfunctional organisation that need to realise they are dealing with a modern game and changing times," a bitter Holding said.
"They have been left behind due to their inept staff and an outdated board of directors, most of whom take up space instead of offering something to the organisation or the game," he added.
Lloyd felt the same and he referred to the episode where five players, including regular captain Chris Gayle, demanded to be compensated for missing part of the Indian Premier League due to the series against England.
"WICB received USD 2 million for the England series but our players wanted 600,000. Then we had to compensate someone for missing out on the IPL. What I can't understand why do we need to compensate and pay somebody to play for your country.
That to me is nonsense," an enraged Lloyd said.
Both Lloyd and Holding have been part of WICB Cricket Committee and have a first hand knowledge of the board's functioning.
West Indies greats Clive Lloyd and Michael Holding on Thursday blasted "greedy" players and the "incompetent" board for creating the mess that cricket in the Caribbeans finds itself in.Lloyd was scathing in his criticism of the current crop of cricketers who boycotted national duty protesting a contract row with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
"When you say the West Indies team is going to withdraw from a series it is not that they are short of money. We have players who are millionaires with an average of 15.00 and they are a first-team pick," a sarcastic Lloyd said.
"We have players who are being paid USD 500,000 or more and they do not pay a cent in any tax. We are the only country where players don't pay any tax," the former captain was quoted as saying by 'Cricinfo'.
West Indies cricket plunged into deep crisis with the players, represented by West Indies Players' Association (WIPA), and the Board engaging in a tug-of-war that resulted in West Indies fielding a second-string squad that lost the home Test series against Bangladesh.
Even though WIPA and WICB have finally decided to come to the negotiation table, Lloyd and Holding flayed both the bodies for their inept handling of the issue.
"The WICB are a dysfunctional organisation that need to realise they are dealing with a modern game and changing times," a bitter Holding said.
"They have been left behind due to their inept staff and an outdated board of directors, most of whom take up space instead of offering something to the organisation or the game," he added.
Lloyd felt the same and he referred to the episode where five players, including regular captain Chris Gayle, demanded to be compensated for missing part of the Indian Premier League due to the series against England.
"WICB received USD 2 million for the England series but our players wanted 600,000. Then we had to compensate someone for missing out on the IPL. What I can't understand why do we need to compensate and pay somebody to play for your country.
That to me is nonsense," an enraged Lloyd said.
Both Lloyd and Holding have been part of WICB Cricket Committee and have a first hand knowledge of the board's functioning.
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