WICB: Three not fit

INDIFFERENT attitude, below par levels of fitness, and a lack of commitment to rehabilitation!
These are some examples of the muscular language used by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) yesterday in supporting the decision of its selection committee not to offer central retainer or developmental contracts to Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jerome Taylor, or Narsingh Deonarine.
The WICB said it was forced to clarify certain issues after receiving numerous queries from the media since the three were not handed retainer contracts.
“The team management, selection committee and the WICB are concerned about Mr Sarwan’s extremely indifferent attitude and sporadic approach towards fitness, particularly in recent years,” the WICB said in a new statement yesterday.
“It is the considered view of the selection committee, following consultations with the specialists in the team management, that Ramnaresh’s less-than-satisfactory and fluctuating fitness levels have directly contributed to multiple injuries thereby causing him to be unavailable for selection to the West Indies team,” the statement added.
The board revealed that due to Sarwan’s “multiple injuries”, he has played less than half of the Windies’ matches in the past contact year.
The WICB also noted Sarwan was one of three players whom the board formally wrote to regarding their consistently low levels of fitness. But according to reports from team management, while one player “improved his fitness considerably”, the fitness levels of Sarwan and Deonarine “remain below par despite the official notice”.
“In Ramnaresh’s case, he then spends a significant period of the tour trying to rectify his unacceptable fitness levels,” the board emphasised.
Sarwan, who was most recently affected by a hamstring problem, has not played a Test since 2009. He appeared in four One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and seven Twenty20s this year.
The WICB also questioned Taylor’s approach to his rehabilitation after he was sent home from the tour of Australia late last year with back stress fractures. He has made only nine limited-overs appearances since then.
“The WICB is disappointed with Mr Taylor’s lack of commitment to his own rehabilitation following injuries sustained in Australia in 2009 and in the ICC World Twenty20 2010,” continued the statement from new corporate communications officer, Imran Khan.
“Jerome, despite being under retainer contract, has not shown the expected attendance and commitment to pursue the required assessment and consequent rehabilitative programmes that would be required.
“Further, it has been explained to Jerome that his physical make-up requires a specific programme of fitness and exercise to ensure his availability to play cricket at the highest level and avoid frequent breakdowns.
“There has not been a demonstrated commitment to achieve that level of fitness and ensure that he can perform consistently at the highest level,” the board noted.
Concerning Deonarine, the board claimed that his attitude towards fitness and training continues to be unsatisfactory “despite the official notice”.
“Mr Deonarine’s level of fitness is, regrettably, unacceptable for an international cricketer,” read the statement. “His results are below par in the majority of fitness tests conducted by the team management specialists.
“Narsingh, despite numerous opportunities, continues to show gross disregard for his fitness.”