Experienced cricketer Pamela Lavine has slammed the West Indies selectors over a decision to drop her from the team for this month’s International Cricket Council’s Women’s Challenge in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
A release from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) last month stated that the 41-year-old Barbadian was left out of the 14-member squad because of poor fitness. However, Lavine has challenged that assertion, saying it has nothing to do with her fitness.
“I would just like to clear the air on the reason why I was left out. They said it was my fitness, but I think there is no truth at all to that.
“What I believe is that I was left out of the team because of my age and I felt they should have gone about it a different way instead of trying to make me look bad in the eyes of the public.”
Personal attack
“I feel it is a personal attack on my character as it relates to my personal fitness, which is at its best since I was recalled to the West Indies team,” Lavine said in an exclusive interview.
She added that the day before the team was announced she was informed of being omitted and the reason was her age but sometime after she received a phone call from someone who said it was about fitness and running between the wickets.
The Barbadian, who made her international debut in 2004, was voted the Most valuable Player in a Twenty20 tournament against England last November.
She was also the second highest run scorer in this year’s regional tournament, slamming the only century.
Lavine said her fitness could not be questioned since that innings of 107 against Trinidad contained 37 singles and she bowled ten overs on the trot for 29 runs.
The all-rounder said she did a fitness test last May which she easily passed.
“I would like the WICB to produce my fitness reports over the last year and match it with any other player in the team and you will see that I am always in the top four when it comes to fitness. I know there are persons in the team that can’t come close to my level of fitness.”
Lavine, who was rated among the seven best players in the world after the 2005 World Cup, charged that there are some people in the West Indies squad to South Africa that have never passed the B test.
Real truth
“I think they should come with something different and come with the real truth, that it is not about my fitness it has to be about my age.
“I have never received any negative reports from the trainer, physio or management.”
She said that for the past year she has been in the gym five days a week, getting up at 3:30 a.m. and running five miles.
Despite statements by the WICB that she has not been discarded or retired, Lavine believes the move signals the end of her career.
Eligible
“If you can drop me now and say that I am not fit but still say that I am eligible for selection, then what would they be bringing me back for? It does not make sense to me.”
The St Lucy resident revealed that after last year’s Twenty20 tournament she informed the team management of her intention to resign and was told to hold on since she still had something to offer.
