West Indies appoints Reifer as head coach
BENGALURU: West Indies appointed Floyd Reifer as its new interim head coach on Thursday, replacing Richard Pybus as part of several administrative changes less than two months before the World Cup.
Pybus’ contract ran beyond the World Cup in England and Wales, but new Cricket West Indies (CWI) president Ricky Skerritt said changes were necessary and a ‘‘calculated strategic move’’ to reignite the passion for cricket in the region.
Barbadosborn Reifer played six tests, eight oneday internationals and one Twenty20 for West Indies between 1997 and 2009 before becoming a coach.
‘‘Up to the end of 2018 Floyd Reifer had been identified as the outstanding emerging local coach,’’ Skerritt said.
‘‘He displayed this by leading the West Indies A team successfully, including victories against the England Lions, and ended the past year by coaching the senior men’s team to a T20 series win in Bangladesh.’’
England’s Pybus replaced Australian Stuart Law in January. He guided the team to a test series win over England, while the ODI series against the topranked side ended 22.
Among other changes, Skerritt overhauled the selection panel, with Robert Haynes replacing Courtney Browne as interim head of selectors.
‘‘We have found it necessary to immediately adjust our selection policy to become more open, inclusive, and playercentric,’’ he said.
‘‘I am therefore pleased to confirm that we have terminated the old embedded selection policy which secretly, but actively, victimised some players and banished them from selection consideration.’’
As part of the old selection policy, availability for domestic tournaments was a requirement to be picked for West Indies squads, but Skerritt said selectors would be allowed to pick all players who were available.
Contractual disputes between players and CWI have weakened the team for several years, but the announcement could pave the way for players such as Keiron Pollard to return to the ODI fold.
West Indies opens its World Cup against Pakistan in Nottingham on May 31. — Reuters