Holding withholds no punches in interview

Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding does not see himself getting involved in West Indies Cricket in the foreseeable future unless things change drastically.{{more}}

He made his feelings known on the Press Sports programme aired on Cross Country Radio last week Saturday.

Holding spoke frankly about the present operations of the sport at the regional level.

“I certainly will not be getting involved with this culture we have right now. The West Indies Board needs fixing, and needs fixing, right now.”

“We need the right kind of people on the board. We need people of integrity, people who have the right sort of morals on the board,” the former fast bowler said.

Holding, a Jamaican, said: “We have people turning up for board meetings, and if you tell him he is not going to get a per diem this time around, he is vexed as hell.”

He pointed out: “You do not need two representatives from a region, whoever coming from that region must know what is necessary.”

Holding related an instance where two representatives from the same region voted differently on an issue at a WICB meeting.

“How can that make sense? The point of having that is just to give another man a trip,” he asserted.

Also dissatisfied with the configuration of the WICB, Holding outlined: “We cannot accept whoever Jamaica sends, whoever Barbados sends, whoever Trinidad sends; you have to have reached some sort of qualifying standards to represent the region at the West Indies Cricket Board level.”

Holding, who is now a television commentator, is of the view that the president of the WICB has little clout.

“The president of the Board the way it is structured cannot manifest what is to be changed, what is on the board. No king is going to take the crown off his own head. It is the same board which will have to vote for the changes and unless outside influences are brought to bear for them to change on what is happening,” he suggested.

Holding formed part of the four pronged West Indies fast bowling attack, which enabled the West Indies to dominate world Cricket for more than a decade. He played 60 test matches, 222 first class matches, 102 One Day internationals, hauling in 778 wicket for the West Indies between 1975 to 1987.

His best bowling figures in an innings was his 8 for 92 at the Oval against England in the fifth test in 1976. Holding ended with match figures of 14 for 149, which remains the best for any West Indian bowler. He took 249 test wickets at an average of 23.68 runs apiece.