MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Dwayne Bravo has criticized the West Indies Cricket Board over its strained relationship with players and a lack of facilities for the sport in the Caribbean.
Bravo, who will play with the Melbourne Renegades in Australia's Twenty20 league, said ''too much politics is killing our cricket.''
''We've got the players to be up there with the best in the world but there's a lot of things going on,' he said. ''Those in charge have to look into themselves. We don't have proper grounds, proper nets or a proper academy. All these things are a part of our downfall.''
Bravo was stripped of the captaincy of the West Indies limited-overs team a year ago and then was left out of the squad that contested the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in February and March. He retired from test cricket in January.
He is the older brother of Darren Bravo, who was on the team which lost the first test to Australia last weekend in Hobart by an innings and 212 runs, and is a cousin to West Indies great Brian Lara.
West Indies cricket was thrown into turmoil in October 2014 when players went on strike and quit a tour of India. Its coach has been suspended over a dispute with selectors and many top players have chosen lucrative Twenty20 contracts overseas rather than play test cricket for the West Indies.
''The relationship between players, board members and management staff - it needs to get stronger and tighter,'' Dwayne Bravo said. ''They need to have a lot more honesty.''
