SEVERAL PAST PLAYERS are of the view that management should share some of the blame for allowing the four West Indian players to be on the mound shortly after they lost to England on Sunday.
The four, Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Tino Best and Adam Sanford, were the players who were said to be on the mound after the West Indies were bowled out for their lowest ever Test score of 47.
On Sunday evening, shortly after the team's loss, the West Indies team issued a release saying: "The team further apologises for the inappropriate conduct of four members of the team who were seen in a party stand at Sabina Park following the loss."
Shocked
"I was shocked when I saw them coming towards the mound because I thought they had more shame. Instead, they were too busy looking woman and not concerned about the pain they put us through," said a fan who was on the mound.
However, past players believe that management should share some of the blame for allowing the players unto the mound.
"Management must take some of the flack for allowing this to happen," said Maurice Foster, former West Indies' opener. "I'm not sure if the players understood the history of cricket and its importance to the region. You do not lose in that manner and go on to the mound whether or not you are going to visit your father," he said.
Foster said, however, that he does not believe that the players should be punished. "I don't see how the players can be punished for going on the mound. I don't think there's anything in the players' contracts to prevent them from going on the mound. I think it (what the players did) was wrong in principle."
"The question that should be asked is how is it that they left out of the dressing room and walked across the field to the mound? There is usually a team bus which leaves the ground at a certain time but I think management did not implement certain things," said Robert Samuels, former West Indies opener and captain of the Jamaican team.
Samuels believes that the management of the West Indies team should take action since the public was upset about the loss. "People are angry and want something to be done and I think that (disciplinary action) would show people that something was being done. I don't know the reason they went over there but based on the reason they have given then we should pardon their error. They are young men and they make mistakes," said Samuels.
West Indies team manager Ricky Skerritt during an interview with THE STAR defended the players. "I'm not going to discuss anything. Because they were in the mound does it mean they were partying?" he said. "It was poor judgement on their part because of how they lost but it was not that they did not care about the loss."
Skerritt did not say what action would be taken against the players but said the matter was being investigated thoroughly. He said if a breach was found on the part of the players, the matter would be sent to the appropriate authorities and disciplinary action would be taken.
Jackie Hendriks, former West Indies wicketkeeper, selector and director of the West Indies Cricket Board, pointed out that he did not know much about the situation but said the action taken would be made public in due time.
