What a Twit! WICB president ignites new scandal with Gayle jibe

The West Indies Cricket Team belatedly peered out from behind the dark clouds this morning with a comprehensive win over Pakistan in their second 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup outing. But they did not take their controversial boss Dave Cameron into the sunlight with them.

It is just as well, of course. At the moment, black cats probably cross the street when they see the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president coming their way.

Photo: Chris Gayle (second from left) celebrates with his West Indies teammates during their 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup win this morning. (Copyright AFP 2015/William west)
Photo: Chris Gayle (second from left) celebrates with his West Indies teammates during their 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup win this morning.
(Copyright AFP 2015/William west)

Even as the “Maroon Men” fought to escape the gloom that has strangled the team recently due, in large part, to Cameron’s hari-kari administration in and after the ill-fated tour of India, the Jamaican official raised the stakes with a spot of cyber-bullying aimed at his compatriot and West Indies veteran Chris Gayle.

Early in the match, the second successive low score from Gayle prompted the following tweet from Gibraun Brijmohan: “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.”

Presumably, Brijmohan is no more than a frustrated cricket fan who would probably ask Gayle for an autograph if he walked into his living room.

Cameron, who must be 44-years-old going on 14, retweeted it. If the initial tweet was a kneejerk reaction, the retweet was just jerk. And not the kind that is served with a Red Stripe beer and festival.

It meant that, long before the final ball was bowled, the West Indies’ first genuine moment of joy in months was always going to be overshadowed by an underperforming batsman and a cricket official who has turned into a walking parody.

Photo: West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron (left) and cricketer Chris Gayle (right) during happier times. Presumably, the fat lady has sung on their relationship. (Courtesy WICB)
Photo: West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron (left) and cricketer Chris Gayle (right) during happier times.
(Courtesy WICB)

Almost certainly, Cameron was allowing himself a bit of revenge for Gayle’s criticism of the omissions of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard from the World Cup team. Gayle was reported to disciplinary committee for his outburst. But who will report Cameron and stand up for the veteran cricketer?

At present, Cameron’s post as WICB president is set to be challenged by former West Indies cricket legend Joel Garner. But perhaps Garner should rethink his campaign.

Cameron, who almost singlehandedly bankrupted West Indies’ cricket, is on a roll now and who knows what he will do next. It is like watching Mr Bean drive a monster truck blindfolded. With his feet. Into parked traffic. While juggling a stick of dynamite.

Arsenal football manager and part-time philosopher Arsene Wenger once said: “the target of anything in life should be to do it so well that it becomes art.”

Apparently, the same is true of ineptitude and we were blind to that fact until Cameron came along. He is King Midas in reverse; blessed with the ability to turn gold into garbage. He is the Brian Lara of thoughtless administration; breathtaking and unmatchable once he is in the mood.

Photo: West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron during a function at WIPA's office in Jamaica in 2014. (Courtesy WIPA)
Photo: West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron during a function at WIPA’s office in Jamaica in 2014.
(Courtesy WIPA)

If Cameron tried to toss himself in front of a moving vehicle, he would discover he was in a car showroom. If he threw himself off a building, he would be on the first floor. If he found the girl of his dreams, he would wake up.

Live Wire applauds the West Indies outfit for successfully rebounding from their embarrassing opening loss to Ireland. Keep your feet on the ground, gentleman. Remember form is temporary but class is permanent.

And so, apparently, is crass. Not so, Cameron? You twit…

 

Editor’s Note: Hours after his initial tweet, WICB president Dave Cameron responded to a barrage of criticism from cricket fans with the following message: “No offense intended. Full apologies extended. Rally round the West Indies.”

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132 comments

  1. Hesma, apparently you are not up-to-date…the JCA is supporting Mr. Cameron for re-election.

  2. Hell hath no fury than a Director scorned. Even the JA cricket board not supporting him for re-election.

  3. This is the man that various BOARDS are SUPPORTING for re-election. Cameron is showing how petty he really is because Gayle gave an opinion on the Bravo/Pollard issue. Is he going to attack Lara next?

  4. Chris gayle is not serious focus on cricket!!!!

  5. we won? Really..there’s still time for us to return to our “usual form”. Fear not.

  6. *sigh* What else can one expect from a crude, classless, clueless cruff? Rex Nettleford said it best: “a bhutto in a benz….is still a bhutto!”

  7. It was not only that. They showed a complete lack of understanding of sports when they suggested that Gayle gets a lawyer for remarks he made regarding the dropping of Pollard and Bravo on the very day that he was to go out on the field to face Pakistan.

  8. Could someone who knows who are the folks responsible for electing wicb officials and the process involved post some info for the benefit of myself and anyone else who may be ignorant to the facts? I shudder to think that the TTCB have a hand in that stump being wicb president……..

  9. Past occurrences have shown that Hinds is a sellout and he is working with cameron to undermine the financial well being of the majority of W.I. players. The only logical explanation is that Hinds has something to gain $$$$$$$??

  10. taking jackassness to new depths…

  11. Indeed! What a twit! A big twit, that Cameron fella!

  12. as bad as the tweet saga is, i am hoping that this ignites THE GAYLE FORCE in the remainder of this WC. Wouldn’t be nice if Gayle respond with a blistering hundred against INDIA or SA ?.

  13. This ass need to be removed from wi cricket

  14. Nice try with that one Pinard! Hahaha… We won’t even accept that one in jest.

  15. Trash, how did this fool ever become president?

  16. Idiot in leadership positions. WI cricket will continue to fall short of its true potential under the leadership of Dave Camerons past, present and the ones yet to come. Leaders who couldn’t lead a pack of ants to a mountain of candy.

  17. Well, if CG comes good for us in the WC (and I too hope that he does), then maybe the Pres should retweet something on a few other players as well. Lol

  18. Cameron is a dunce. I really hope he loses the election. He could never reach heights that Chris Gayle has reached.

  19. While that may very well be David but Cameron is an ass of consummate proportions to retweet that

  20. Every sports personality goes through a period of setbacks over their careers but sporting administrators are people who run the sports and should thread lightly on what they do and say Mr Cameron and Mr Hinds dumb and dumber should do the honorable thing and immediately resign from West Indies cricket

  21. What an asshole to be head of WI cricket..he is one the reasons WI cricket is at the bottom of the podium pole…

  22. …if its just to show up Cameron Gayle will come good…trust me

  23. Always said he is a ###% €@ little boy who has no right running big ppl business!!!
    And not a word from his toothless sidekick
    , the President of WIPA , who apparently is too busy campaigning for his (Cameron’s) re-election to strongly condemn this asinine action!!!

  24. Gayle is averaging under 20 in his last 10 ODIs at the top of the order. He has to come good!

  25. Once again we loose focus on what the real problem is. It isn’t Cameron but Gayle’s continued failure to fire is begining to worry the average WI supporter.

    • You are wrong my friend. The issue of non performance is the responsibility of the selection committee, not Mr Cameron. If a player criticizes one of is own team members in public then he is disciplined and fined. What gives the president of the wicb the right to criticize a member of his own team ?

  26. Cameron’s a moronic blight!… there I said it. Go tweet! Or whatever. Well crafted Mr Live Wire

  27. Not always Savitri…he failed miserably last year in the IPL

  28. But didn’t Gayle play well in some of the matches in the South African series?

  29. He and Samuels will come good for Windies, if I am reading the body language right, they along with the rest of the team want to play well

  30. You should have print-screen the tweet and post the pic in this article. What’s his twitter handle I want to see for myself because I doubt the WICB president can be so retarded.

  31. Mark Pouchet, I’ll butt in here about Gayle’s struggling for form – I don’t believe it for one moment, if it was the IPL or Big Bash I bet he would be in top form. He always plays like this for WI, why are we pussy-footing around Gayle? Cameron just needs to keep his trap shut as a leader. This situation just signifies our leadership issues in the Caribbean. I can’t see Pinard’s comments but I can bet he’s all in support of Cameron and the cabal.

  32. I am not apologising for Gayle’s lack of performance but tisten to the post match interview on Sound Cloud (search for “Windies cricket”) with Andre Russell and you will hear for yourself that while Gayle is struggling for form he is contributing to the team effort and being a leading senior player in encouraging and cheering on the team efforts.

  33. Ok Gerard Emile Zatopek Pinard, I will begrudgingly give you the benefit of the doubt

  34. Mark Pouchet, I’m sure the Board will address the issue.

  35. Gerard Emile Zatopek Pinard, that is not good enough, Dave Cameron needs to go through the same process as Chris Gayle and be brought before the Disciplinary Committee of the WICB and let them adjudicate, when is anyone on the WICB going to bean enough and be held accountable to the same standards as they want to hold the players to?

  36. Mr. Clement the original tweet I’m sure reflects the views of many West Indies fans eh, but I agree it was not the right thing for the WICB President to have retweeted it, especially at this time. To his credit though, he has apologized for his error. I feel certain he will also do so directly to CG.

  37. ..Mr Pinard how in heavens name someone who is trying to get re-elected and with all that is going on in West Indies cricket could do such a stupid thing and then have to apologize for it……why?

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