By now, opener Chris Gayle should know his future in West Indies cricket after a meeting of the regional board yesterday.
West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) chief executive Ernest Hilaire was scheduled to present a report to the WICB directors coming out of Tuesday’s highly publicised meeting with Gayle, after which a decision will be communicated to the Jamaican.
Hilaire, along with director of cricket Tony Howard, head coach Ottis Gibson and team manager Richie Richardson, met with Gayle and his representatives in Kingston to discuss controversial comments made during a radio interview on Jamaican station KLAS in April.
Gayle was accompanied by regional players’ union head Dinanath Ramnarine and vice-president Wavell Hinds.
“After lengthy discussions, the WICB’s team outlined that Dr Hilaire would have to meet with the WICB board of directors and the selection committee to report on the discussions and establish the way forward having now had a frank and direct discussion with Gayle,” a media release said yesterday.
“As the board meeting is today [yesterday] Friday, June 17, it was proposed that the WICB management would write Gayle after the meeting to outline the way forward.”
The WICB also claimed that Tuesday’s meeting ended in “uncertainty” after Ramnarine objected to the board corresponding with players.
“Mr Ramnarine insisted that the WICB has no business writing to players and under no circumstances should the WICB be writing to Gayle, or any player for that matter, as it is his view that the players are not in the employ of the WICB,” the release said.
The WICB said Hilaire’s report at yesterday’s meeting would also speak to “the behaviour, actions and conduct of Mr Ramnarine during the meeting with Gayle”.
Gayle, who missed the Pakistan series to play in the Indian Premier League, was excluded from the One-Day International series against India, with Windies officials stating he would need to meet with them first to discuss comments made during the radio interview, before he could be selected.
The media release said Gayle was told during Tuesday’s meeting that the radio interview was a culmination of a “pattern of behaviour” that had been discussed in the past.
“The WICB team outlined to Gayle that the board has had issues historically in communicating with him and establishing a productive working relationship,” the WICB statement said.
“Gayle was previously written to by the board about these issues.
“The issues include his social media announcements that he was taking a break from the game, that the Sri Lanka tour had been cancelled, among others. He demonstrated an unwillingness to engage the board.”
The WICB said it believed Gayle’s interview had a “detrimental effect” on the relationship with the team and WICB management and said it had been “unbecoming” especially since Gayle would have to play in the same team.
According to the WICB, Gayle and his representatives disagreed, contending that Gayle’s actions were in “response to how he felt the board treated him and had tarnished his name and reputation”. (CMC)