Legendary West Indies cricketer Clive Lloyd has warned the current team that they may remain in the World Test Championship's (WTC) lower tier if ICC decides to initiate a two-tier system. Cricket West Indies (CWI) held an emergency meeting after the side suffered a 0-3 Test series whitewash against Australia at home.
The emergency meeting included several legendary West Indies cricketers such as Lloyd, Brian Lara, Desmond Haynes along with current head coach Darren Sammy and the Chief Executive of the West Indies Cricket Board. Currently ranked 8th on the ICC Test team rankings, West Indies are at risk of being excluded from playing against the top four teams – Australia, South Africa, England and India, if a proposed two-tier system is introduced by ICC.
Lloyd, who led the side to two World Cup Triumphs back in 1975 and 1979 respectively, strongly feels that if the two-tier system is implemented, then the side may get stuck in the lower tier for 100 years. The former cricketer also argued that the board should stand up to the ICC and demand a bigger share of money.
“We have to look at what’s happening at the ICC with the share-out of the money. India, Australia and England get 180 million, and West Indies will get 80 million like Bangladesh and Afghanistan, and we are just two years out of being in that group for 100 years.To me, it’s not right. We have to stand up. We have to go to the ICC and ask for special dispensation. Because when we were in the ascendancy, and we were playing so well, everyone wanted to play with us,” Lloyd was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“We were playing Australia very often, with England very often, and when we went to Pakistan or India, getting millions of people [to the grounds]. We need to get a better share of the pie, because we were the cash cows for a long time. And we need to get some of that. I am hoping the board follows up on that recommendation where we can be adequately given the money that is needed,” he added.
West Indies' next Test opponent will be India
Meanwhile, West Indies currently stand at the bottom of the WTC points table after they suffered three successive defeats in the series against Australia. The Caribbean side have made quite a poor start to the new WTC cycle and things can go from bad to worse for them as their next Test assignment will be a two-match away series against India which is set to commence from October 2.