RICHARD GAYLE, the new president of Melbourne Cricket Club, has called on the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to come to the rescue of clubs in the region by the way of financial assistance.Speaking at the club's annual awards dinner at its Derrymore Road headquarters last Saturday, Gayle sent out an SOS call on behalf of Melbourne and other cricket clubs in the region for the WICB to come to their aid in what he described as a time of need.
FINANCIAL BIND
According to Gayle, clubs like Melbourne are in a financial bind, they are the ones who produce West Indies cricketers, the board is the one that makes money from West Indies cricket, and it is time it passes some of that money to the clubs so that they can continue to produce players good enough to represent the West Indies.
"The West Indies board endorses the players and earns an income for doing so, the board pays the players decent wages, the local boards earn money from matches awarded to them, but nothing comes to the clubs.
"I ask this question: from where should the clubs get their income?"
According to Gayle, the clubs together is the feeding tree, someone needs to water the tree, and who better to do so that the one that benefits from the tree. There must be a way, he said, that we can earn from the players we produce.
WARNING ISSUED
In calling on the board to assist the clubs, Gayle also issued a warning.
"I tell you something, Melbourne will not survive for much longer under the present structure."
One of the highlights of the awards dinner was a wonderful speech delivered by guest speaker Jeffrey Cobham - former managing director at National Commercial Bank and, among other things, chairman of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. The topic was discipline.
