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WIPA, CWI to meet today to discuss burning players’ issues

Published:Friday | January 28, 2022 | 12:07 AMLennox Aldred/Gleaner Writer
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Simmons
AP
Simmons
WIPA's Wavell Hinds
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WIPA's Wavell Hinds
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The West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) top brass are expected to meet today at 8 a.m. Jamaica time to discuss issues relating to alleged victimisation and player relationships within the current senior men’s team.

The Zoom meeting is expected to be attended by WIPA president Wavell Hinds along with CWI new lead selector Desmond Haynes and CWI director of cricket, Jimmy Adams.

The Gleaner understands that both the coach and captain are expected to come under the microscope at the meeting, following the latest development regarding the treatment of all-rounder Odean Smith.

The bowling all-rounder Smith was dropped from the team for the third T20 against England. The player only bowled one over for four runs in the first T20 and did not get the ball in the second match.

Smith has been performing creditably for the regional side in recent T20 Internationals, where he picked up four wickets against Pakistan in Karachi last month. In the last One-Day series against Ireland, Smith scored 84 runs in three innings and took three wickets.

When the question about victimisation within the team, especially in the case of Odean Smith, was put to head coach Phil Simmons, he said: “I think you are going down the wrong line with this. We need to stop this foolishness that we going on with ... . We sit here and we look at the best team for the day and, if Odean wasn’t in the best team for the day it is because we thought that Rovman Powell was better suited.”

Simmons further explained that persons who are preaching about victimisation should look within themselves.

“There is no victimisation in selection in West Indies cricket and no victimisation in this team, and I am not going to answer any more questions about things like that.”

The Gleaner reached out to WIPA president Hinds who said all the issues, including the Odean Smith situation, will be put on the table at today’s meeting.

“We have members that have submitted complaints to WIPA about different things within the team environment that we need to speak to Cricket West Indies about,” said Hinds.