By Neto Baptiste
Former president of Cricket West Indies (CWI), Dave Cameron, is still awaiting official word from the region’s governing body for cricket regarding his request for support in his bid to become the next chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show, Cameron said that although he has received word that his proposal was received by the current president, Ricky Skerritt, there has been no further communication between himself and the board.
“I wrote to the president [Ricky Skerritt] asking for support and again, the president would have known and would have seen all those papers I submitted because he sat with me at the West Indies Cricket Board for six years, so he would be aware of, I hope, all the papers and positions we had as an organisation that we would have presented to the ICC,” he said.
“I got a response that he has seen it but to date, I have not received any response. My understanding is that he has suggested that this is a matter for him personally, as the ICC representative, to choose whosoever he supports,” he added.
Despite the obvious lack of enthusiasm on the part of the CWI to offer any support to Cameron in his bid, the Jamaican has pressed on, making a compelling argument for his stance against the economic disparity between the “big three” — India, England, and Australia — and the smaller cricketing powers like the West Indies.
“Australia’s media rights for six years is 1.2 billion Australian dollars, the BCCI media rights for five years is 950 million for the international rights and 2.5 billion for IPL and the West Indies Cricket Board, if we’re lucky, will get about 50 million for the next five years,” he said.
“What is happening to us is that our players are demanding to get paid the way Indian players, the Australian players and the English players are paid, and they’re right; they are doing the same amount of work but we are in different economies,” Cameron added.
Aspiring to succeed Shashank Manohar as ICC Chairman, Cameron was adamant that his motives are admirable, adding that even if he does not succeed in his bid, someone who shares his passion for equality at the table should be given an opportunity to shake up the system.
“The system which exists within the ICC needs to be changed and I was there challenging that. I am not sure that is being done anymore but in addition to that, if we don’t do it now we are going into another eight-year cycle of ICC rights from 2023 to 2031 and I guarantee you that within three to five years, West Indies cricket and West Indies cricket players would be extinct. Don’t select me as chairman but make sure we select someone who’s willing to make changes within the ICC,” he said.
The United States Cricket Hall of Fame had written to Manohar, indicating that they would like to recommend Cameron to the top post. The former CWI president will however need two nominations to stay in the race.
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief Colin Grave is currently the front-runner for the top post.