Matthews banned for eight games

Barbados and West Indies opener Hayley Matthews has been banned for eight matches by Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) Disciplinary Committee and has thus been excluded from the 14-member squad announced by CWI for the first two One-Day International matches (ODIs) of the three-match series against India in Antigua starting November 1.

Matthews was sent home from Antigua on the eve of the first match of a three-match ODI series against Australia last month for a breach of CWI ‘s Code of Conduct for an incident that according to reports took place after a training session and involved a Barbadian team-mate.

At that time, CWI said in a press release that the matter was being referred to the Disciplinary Committee and they would be making no further statement at that time. Eight weeks after issuing the press release CWI’s chief executive officer Johnny Greave told Barbados TODAY that Matthews, 21, had been suspended banned for eight matches.

“Hayley was banned for eight International matches by the Disciplinary Committee and still has two matches to serve before she is eligible for selection. After the ban has been completed, she will be considered for selection once more,” the CEO said without revealing the details of the incident that led to Matthews being banned.

Earlier this month, CWI announced changes to their men’s and women’s selection panel and the newly created post of talent ID manager for the boys’ panel.  Former Guyana and West Indies off-spinner Roger Harper was appointed lead selector for the West Indies men’s team, his fellow selector is Miles Bascombe, the former Combined Colleges and Campuses batsman who played a solitary Twenty20 International.

Ann Browne-John, the  former Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies batter  of the 1990s who served for a short time as coach to the women’s team after she retired from the game was appointed lead selector for women’s and girls’ team. Her fellow selector is Travis Dowlin, the former Guyana and West Indies batsman and a member of the disbanded men’s selection panel which was chaired by Courtney Browne. Robert Haynes who served as interim chairman of the men’s panel for six months earlier this year is the ID talent manager for the boys’ panel. The CEO said that all of the persons serving in these posts would be receiving monthly salaries from CWI.

“All of the selectors are contracted on monthly salaries during their tenure on the  various selection panels,” Grave said.

Even though Phil Simmons was appointed coach of the men’s team two weeks ago, his backroom staff is yet to be announced. According to a source, former Barbados fast bowler Roddy Estwick who served as  bowling coach during  the Word Cup and India’s tour to the region earlier this year, will retain the position. Greave said the backroom staff for the men’s team would be announced sometime this week.

“We are finalising the last couple of people for the backroom staff of the men’s team which will be competed later this week, after that is done we will announce who they are. We will also be announcing the names of the backroom staff for the women soon,” Grave said.

The West Indies will play three Twenty20 matches, three ODIs and a Test match against Afghanistan in India next month. The  CEO said the training camp for the teams would take place in India so the players could acclimatise and practise in conditions on the sub-Asian continent.