West Indies Cricket CEO Jonny Grave has launched a scathing attack on the International Cricket Council (ICC) and other top cricketing nations, accusing them of undermining the Caribbean side's resurgence.
Grave's outburst came after West Indies' recent tour of Australia, where they drew the Test series 1-1. However, he believes that the ICC and other cricketing powers are actively working against the West Indies' recovery.
"I think everyone is a bit sick of the phrase - world cricket needs a strong West Indies - when we definitely feel that world cricket is doing everything they can at almost every level to make sure that West Indies Cricket are never strong again," Grave told Daniel Gallan in a podcast.
Grave also criticized the ICC's financial model, which he claims has resulted in West Indies Cricket losing 5-7% of its revenue.
"I think that's the borne of the frustration of that as Ian Bishop says in his own words that this is a patronising tone. If you really want a strong West Indies Cricket, it would actually not be that hard to do a bit more. ICC are giving us more money in headlines but our percentage of revenue has gone down from 7% to 5%, which we struggle to understand."
Grave questioned the ICC's commitment to fostering a strong global cricket community.
"If we all just are looking after ourselves then are we really acting as a community? Are we putting the best product on the field?" he asked.
Grave's comments have sparked a debate about the state of West Indies cricket and the ICC's role in its decline. The Caribbean side has struggled to maintain its dominance since the 1970s and 80s, and Grave believes that the ICC and other cricketing nations are not doing enough to help them regain their former glory.
Tags: #WestIndiesCricket, #ICC, #JonnyGrave, #CricketPolitics, #FinancialModel
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