Kingston, Jamaica: Team Manager Richie Richardson believes regional actors must Indies Cricket priority.
The former Windies captain and exceptional drummer said he supported the players who make the most of financial opportunities but said the commitment of countries needed to replace everything else, reports CMC.
“I understand the players wanting the opportunity to go elsewhere to play cricket and I support that. I want players to feel comfortable and to make as much money as possible, “the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper quoted him as saying Richardson.
“But for me personally, West Indies Cricket should be number one. What happens if all the players decide they will play cricket in the world and ignore West Indies Cricket? Our cricket would die.”
He spoke in the context of controversial omission of off-spinner Sunil Narine for the next series of three tests against New Zealand from Sabina Park Sunday.
Narine has chosen to stay with Kolkata Knight Riders for June 1st Indian Premier League (IPL) final, missing the deadline for his return to join the training camp Indies in Barbados. It was considered ineligible for test series but is free to play in the Twenty20 series that follows.
“The rules and regulations are there. Players have signed a framework contract with the West Indies Cricket Board, make a commitment to West Indies cricket,” Richardson said.
“At the end of the day, if it was not for West Indies Cricket none of us would have been here.”
However, Richardson said that to avoid such conflicts in the future, decisions should be taken to create a permanent window in the international calendar for the IPL.
“It is unfortunate that there is a conflict (with IPL). I think maybe he should do is every country in the world should get together and make sure that there is a transparent window IPL, “he argued.
“This would ensure that there is no conflict where players are concerned.
