Sydney: West Indies cricket chief Dave Cameron was blasted on Sunday for apparently retweeting a demand for outspoken opener Chris Gayle to be given “a retirement package”. In the latest controversy to hit the World Cup team, West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Cameron’s behaviour was condemned as “unacceptable” by players’ representatives.
The drama unfolded during the Windies’ match against Pakistan at Christchurch on Saturday when Gayle was out for four, stretching his run without a century in ODI cricket to 20 matches. One fan tweeted: “Gayle goes... Can’t buy a run. Let’s give him a retirement package... Can’t fail repeatedly and still front up based on reputation”.
Cameron then apparently retweeted the post even as the match was ongoing. The West Indies Players Association (WIPA), often at loggerheads with the WICB in a long-standing battle over contracts and payments, immediately denounced Cameron.
“WIPA is extremely disturbed by the unacceptable re-tweeting by Mr. Dave Cameron, of a negative “fan” tweet which was directed at our member Mr. Christopher Gayle,” said a statement. “That Mr Cameron’s retweet came in the middle of the West Indies team’s critical game renders it even more unacceptable.”
