Barbados [West Indies], Nov.13 : West Indies' Darren Bravo has been dropped from the ODI squad for the upcoming triangular series in Zimbabwe after the batting mainstay described the top official of the country's cricket board as `big idiot` over the contract row.
Issuing a notice to Bravo, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said that the Trinidad batsman's match contract has been cancelled because of his "disparaging" remarks about board president Dave Cameron.
Bravo took to Twitter to lash out at the WICB for their offer of a C-category contract. In his outburst, the 27-year-old asked Cameron to stop handling the new deals offered to the leading stars.
"You hav been failing 4 d last 4yrs. Y don't u resign and FYI I've neva been given an A contract. Big idiot @davec51," he tweeted. Earlier this week, Cameron had clarified that Bravo was offered a grade C contract (the lowest of five grades) because of his declining averages over the last two years.
The WICB president had also questioned as to how players would remain motivated if they continue to get a grade A contract despite a slip in performances.
He further pointed out that the decision was taken by a team, led by Richard Pybus, which carries out annual appraisals of the players.
Hitting back over Bravo's `inappropriate and unacceptable` behaviour, Pybus said the Caribbean batsman's statement was a breach of his contract, adding that he should delete the tweet and apologise for his comments in order to avoid further action from the board's disciplinary panel.
"It has come to our attention that on November 11, 2016 you published a tweet on your Twitter account (@DMBravo46) disparaging the President of the West Indies Cricket Board.We would expect as a senior West Indian cricketer, that you would recognise that your decision to vent your frustration online, as well as to denigrate the President of the WICB, was inappropriate and unacceptable as well as contrary to your contractual obligations to the WICB," Pybus, WICB's director of cricket, was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
"Clause 9.3.1 of your match/tour contract provides that in default by you in respect of your obligations under the contract, WICB may in its absolute discretion cancel the contract by written notice to the Cricketer.
In light, therefore of your breach of your obligations to WICB in clause 4.7.2.2 of your match/tour contract, the letter serves as a written notice that your match/tour contract is hereby cancelled," he added.
Pybus further urged Bravo not to use social media sites in a manner that could embarrass the WICB or its officials or bring the game into disrepute.
Bravo, who recently declined a central contract offered by the WICB for the 2016-17 period, has been replaced by Jason Mohammed in the 15-man squad for Zimbabwe tri-series also featuring Sri Lanka.
While the cancellation of his match contract applies to the Zimbabwe series for now, it could include future tours as well.
Bravo was West Indies' second-highest run-getter in the recently-concluded Test series against Pakistan in the UAE.
However, he stuttered with form in a home Test series against India prior to that, scoring only 139 runs in seven innings.
Bravo has managed to notch up just 1,089 runs in 17 Tests for West Indies since November 2014, a tally that is second to Kraigg Brathwaite's 1,258 runs in 20 matches.
The updated West Indies squad for tri-series starting in Harare from Monday is as follows: Jason Holder (capt), Sulieman Benn, Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell.
Source: ANI
