Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy said it is hard for players to show respect to the leadership of the West Indies Cricket Board because of the way they have been treated by the board and its president over the past few years. “From what’s been going on over the past few years, it’s just hard to give them that sort of respect that the position deserves. We have seen the history of the president of the West Indies Cricket Board,” he said.

Sammy was speaking with host Alex Jordan on the SportsMax Zone aired on Caribbean sports network, SportsMax on Monday in response to questions concerning the WICB sending home batsman, Darren Bravo for calling WICB president Dave Cameron an idiot in a tweet last Friday. The batsman’s tweet was in reaction to comments Cameron made on the SportsMax Zone last Thursday. The WICB president said Bravo was offered a “C-rated” retainer contract valued at US$100,000 because he had been underperforming over the last two years.

During that time Bravo averaged well below his career average of 40.00. However, reacting to Cameron’s statements, Bravo tweeted “You have been failing 4 d last 4 yrs. Y don’t u resign and FYI I’ve neva been given an A contract. Big idiot @dave51.” He was subsequently sent home from the tour of Zimbabwe and replaced by Jason Mohammed.

Sammy said the 27-year-old Trinidadian was only paying back what he has been suffering at the hands of the WICB. “When I saw that tweet from Darren Bravo, I immediately called him ‘cause I knew that tweet would probably raise some eyebrows,” he said. “Firstly I will say the president of any organisation is the most respected person of that establishment, but you know I have always learned that respect is not something you demand. You earn that by your attitude, by the things you do, by the way you portray yourself, you automatically earn that respect from your peers.” He asked why would someone who has never had any disciplinary issues tweet something of that nature. “I think it’s a lot of frustration. I know Bravo has turned down many contracts because he wants to focus on Test cricket,” Sammy said. “He has a lot of aspirations to play Test cricket and win matches for the West Indies. He was not offered a contract that he thinks he deserves.”

 

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