TTCB president unhappy with Hillaire’s comments
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 12:33 am
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President of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) Azim Bassarath is not pleased with the comments made by CEO of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Dr. Ernest Hiliare concerning the West Indies cricketers.
Dr. Hilaire recently made a number of pronouncements on the state of West Indies cricket during a panel discussion at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies. He suggested that a state of emergency of sorts for the regional game should be imposed. “Over the last six months, I have had the opportunity to speak to senior West Indies players, and to reflect on the operations of the WICB,” he said. “I have listened to many past players, taxi drivers, immigration officers, and hotel barmen to name a few. All will give you advice on what to do with West Indies cricket. He said: “People ask me, ‘What will you do about this team? They are an embarrassment’! I tell them you have about three more years of embarrassment still to witness.”
Hilaire added :”I listen to our players speak, and they speak of money, that’s all that matters to them – instant gratification. Sometimes when you speak to the players, you feel a sense of emptiness. The whole notion of being a West Indian, and for what they are playing has no meaning at all.” Bassarath in reply to this said :”This is indeed very unfortunate. For the CEO of the WICB to come out public and speak like this about the region’s cricketers, is not good at all. “I think that Dr. Hiliare should re-think this position on the players and a man in his position could only cause more problems with outbursts like these. The players in the region have not taken too well with his comments and I think that the comments have done more harm than good for West Indies cricket. It is really a sad day for cricket when Dr. Hilliare can come out and speak of the players like this.”
President of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) Azim Bassarath is not pleased with the comments made by CEO of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Dr. Ernest Hiliare concerning the West Indies cricketers.
Dr. Hilaire recently made a number of pronouncements on the state of West Indies cricket during a panel discussion at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies. He suggested that a state of emergency of sorts for the regional game should be imposed. “Over the last six months, I have had the opportunity to speak to senior West Indies players, and to reflect on the operations of the WICB,” he said. “I have listened to many past players, taxi drivers, immigration officers, and hotel barmen to name a few. All will give you advice on what to do with West Indies cricket. He said: “People ask me, ‘What will you do about this team? They are an embarrassment’! I tell them you have about three more years of embarrassment still to witness.”
Hilaire added :”I listen to our players speak, and they speak of money, that’s all that matters to them – instant gratification. Sometimes when you speak to the players, you feel a sense of emptiness. The whole notion of being a West Indian, and for what they are playing has no meaning at all.” Bassarath in reply to this said :”This is indeed very unfortunate. For the CEO of the WICB to come out public and speak like this about the region’s cricketers, is not good at all. “I think that Dr. Hiliare should re-think this position on the players and a man in his position could only cause more problems with outbursts like these. The players in the region have not taken too well with his comments and I think that the comments have done more harm than good for West Indies cricket. It is really a sad day for cricket when Dr. Hilliare can come out and speak of the players like this.”