GAINING?smooth access to Kensington Oval is proving to be a vexing issue for former West Indies players.
Pedro Collins says that access to the Oval may now be an issue for him after he was told by a top Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) official that the pass he has from the Cricket Legends of Barbados may no longer be valid.
Collins, 37, whose left-arm fast medium bowling earned him 106 Tests scalps, said he was able to watch Tuesday’s Twenty20 International clash between the West Indies and England, but would be buying a ticket for today’s match.
“I don’t want anyone to embarrass me. I am going to buy a ticket. On Tuesday, I was told by a BCA official that the pass I have from the Cricket Legends of Barbados was no longer valid, but it was never made clear to me why.
“I know what Dessie (Desmond Haynes) went through and I am taking no chances. Those who have represented the West Indies deserved to be treated better,” said Collins, who played 32 Tests between 1999 and 2006.
Collins’ dilemma follows that of Haynes, the veteran of 116 Tests, who has vowed to have his name removed from the Greenidge and Haynes stand after having been denied smooth access to the Three Ws Stand and the facility that bears his name on Sunday.
When contacted yesterday for a comment on the Haynes issue, acting cricket operations manager of the BCA, Roxanne Forte, without going into details, stressed the importance of having either a ticket or accreditation.
“If you want access to Kensington Oval, you must have either a ticket or accreditation. I don’t know what Haynes’ issue was. Sir Garfield Sobers is a National Hero and he waits till he is let in,” Forte said.
Surprisingly, chief executive officer Rollins Howard is still in the dark on an incident that took place since Sunday.
“I can’t comment because I don’t know anything about the issue. I can’t say what will be done because I don’t know what the issue is.”
Haynes told the DAILY?NATION he would continue to call a spade a spade.
“I have had my problems with West Indies cricket.
I have had problems with being outspoken when I was the manager of the Barbados team. I have always tried to say and do the right things and get cricket moving forward in the right direction, so I figure why should I change now.
“I know a lot of people will say to me, Desmond, why it is you are always in the media and always having confrontations with the administration but my argument is, what is the message we are sending to the young cricketers when things like this happen,” he said.
Haynes said it was important the BCA and Cricket Legends of Barbados forged greater ties for the development of the game.
It is understood that since 2009 proposals have been made by the Legends to the BCA to work with the preparation of teams and youth programmes.
Haynes, who has 18 Test tons, shares the record with Clive Lloyd for the most hundreds (4) at the Oval.
