Viv Richards slams 'rotten' West Indies Cricket Board

Viv Richards has expressed his sympathy towards suspended coach Phil Simmons after describing the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) as "rotten".

The WICB last month took the drastic step to bar Simmons from the tour of Sri Lanka following his public criticism of selections.

Simmons claimed he was blocked from picking all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard for the one-day international leg of the tour, despite support from chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd.

Bravo and Pollard have not played an ODI since last October's controversial series against India - when Bravo was captain of the squad which prematurely pulled out of the tour amid a pay dispute with the WICB.

"I always have a sympathy for any individual who is up against an establishment which has been a little iffy at times," Richards told Press Association Sport.

"I would have certain sympathies for him."

Simmons took over as coach earlier this year, overseeing a 1-1 draw against England in his first Test series in charge, but has since seen the West Indies fail to qualify for the Champions Trophy for the first time.

Richards agreed the absence of key players had contributed to that but, while the 63-year-old has lamented the WICB's role, he is wary of isolating it as the root of the problem.

Richards famously never lost a Test series as West Indies captain but suggested that the all-conquering team of the 1980s encountered the same sort of off-field problems as the current team.

"When you have a board that has various issues off the field - it is pretty hard to deal with," he said. "I would have had the same sort of problems - it's just some rotten administration. "The team that we had then, being a good team on the field and so talented, even though we had those issues off the field - winning I think helped to eradicate all that stuff. That's not happening today".

Last week another former Windies captain, Garfield Sobers, lamented the decline of Caribbean cricket during an emotional speech. Sobers questioned the loyalty of modern players in an era where the riches of the Indian Premier League have been embraced before the West Indies team.

"Sometimes guys make decisions for themselves," Richards said. "Making those decisions - you stick by them, I guess."

-eurosport.co.uk