WICB Makes 'Definitive' Decision, Asks Gayle To Retract Comments

WICB Makes 'Definitive' Decision, Asks Gayle To Retract Comments

The dispute between Chris Gayle (waving) and the WICB rumbles on

©REUTERS / Action Images

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has made a 'definitive' decision concerning Chris Gayle, and have asked that the Jamaican batsman retracts comments he has made.

Gayle has not played for the West Indies since March, when the West Indies exited the World Cup, opting instead to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and then not being selected for series against Pakistan, India, England and Bangladesh.

The board reluctantly granted Gayle an NOC for the IPL - along with Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, who like Gayle did not sign a WICB retainer contract - but subsequent public comments made by Gayle in relation to the dispute have left the two parties at loggerheads.

Gayle has called the WICB a 'sham and a mockery' while the WICB responded by criticising what it called his 'continued unprofessionalism'.

"Having received reports and reviewed correspondence between Chris Gayle and the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies Team Management and taking into consideration public statements made by Gayle with regard to the Board and its officers, the Board requires that Gayle withdraws his comments in order to be considered for selection to the West Indies team," a WICB statement following a WICB board of direcotrs meeting.

"Further however, the Board recognizes Mr. Gayle as an experienced player who can contribute meaningfully to the performance of the West Indies team.

The Board, in the continued hope that Mr. Gayle complies with the standards and requirements set by the Board, and in response to a request by the JCA, unanimously agreed that it will seek the services of a facilitator to assist Mr. Gayle in complying with the requirements of the Board."

Former captain and director of the WICB Clive Lloyd, added:

"First of all it is disappointing that the matter has gone on for as long as it has, what we need now is closure and to be fair anyone of whom those comments were made would have a right to take umbrage.

"Withdrawing the comments would be the intelligent thing to do to get the issue resolved and have every one move on,” reiterated the former captain of the all conquering West Indies side.

"We need senior players to be in the set up to drive the progress forward and any team would love to entertain Gayle in their set up but under the right circumstances,” Lloyd reasoned.

"Now that we are looking like we can do much better in the future, we need all hands on deck and we need everyone to be working with each other in a harmonious way."

Other decisions taken at the board meeting included scheduling the 2012 Caribbean T20 tournament for 9th to 22nd January. Canada, Sussex and the Netherlands will join the seven regional sides.

The board received a report on the WICB Cricket Development Programme and a review of the Combined Campuses and Colleges programme.

© Cricket World 2011