Monty ‘Lynched’ by GCB’s unprofessionalism

Oct 05, 2016 Sports

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‘Cricket won’t improve unless changes in WICB are made’ 

By Sean Devers

Former England batsman, Guyanese born Monty Alan Lynch returned to Guyana in 2012 with his mind pregnant with wonderful concepts to help take Guyana’s cricket forward.
But once he replaced former West Indies pacer Reon King as the GCB’s Territorial Development Officer (TDO), it quickly dawned on him this was not England where people did things in a professional manner.
Lynch feels that our cricket is badly structured and will not get better until there are changes in the administration of the Board and we all sing from the same hymn book.
“I did not want to be stuck in an office as TDO. I wanted to Coach but I was told by the secretary of the Board that it would be better to start as TDO since my cricketing background and qualifications would get me recognized quicker by the West Indies Board,” Lynch, who holds an ECB Level 3 Coaching Certificate, explained.
“The secretary of the Board said the girl in office would help me with whatever office duties I had to prepare and my contract was supposed to be written for me to look at it,” disclosed the 58-year-old, who has 39 First-Class tons and 88 fifties from 359 matches.
According to Lynch, who made his ODI debut against West Indies in 1988, he was told that former Sports Minister Dr Frank Anthony would provide some of the funds to assist with his payments.
“I refused to sign the contract until all the promises were confirmed and written into the contract,” said Lynch who worked for a turbulent two months with the GCB.
Lynch said he was forced to resign after his and the Board’s secretary’s view on several cricket related matters differed. The outspoken Coach added that there was little professionalism and plenty of disrespect towards him.
The right handed batsman who played for England, Guyana, Surrey and Gloucestershire said things got so bad between him and the GCB secretary that he had to complain about it to the GCB President.
Lynch, who played First-Class cricket from 1977 to 1997, said there were a number of issues that he and GCB secretary did not see eye to eye on including when he went to Essequibo for a coaching session and when he tried to set up a League in an Amerindian community.
“Due to my style of Coaching I was labeled as someone with a ‘white man’s attitude’ when I was just being a Professional,” stated Lynch, the GCC Coach for the last five years.
Lynch has coached in Zimbabwe and informed that three weeks into his GCB post, Roland Holder sent him an email from the WICB asking what would be the cost for him to work with some of the senior Guyana players including Shiv Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Assad Fudadin, Devendra Bishoo and Veerasammy Permaul among others.
However, as relations with the GCB broke down that offer was rescinded and Lynch believes that Holder was acting on instructions from the GCB.
Lynch was a member of Clive Lloyd’s Guyana team which won the ‘double’ crown in 1983 and feels the standard of Georgetown’s cricket is poor.
“Everyone in this League (GCB) is making centuries and getting a lot of wickets but when they get selected for the higher level they flatter to deceive technically and mentally,” opined Lynch.
Lynch who toured South Africa with a rebel West Indies team in the 1980s, says from what he has seen in the GCB three-day League many of the players lack discipline and show little respect for the game.
“Clinics dealing with how to deal with the Media and how to be a good Ambassador, better pitches and facilities are things that are urgently needed. Coaches should not only be qualified but understand cricket and how to deal with young people. The selection of all age group teams from Georgetown should be structured and the panel includes members of City Clubs to avoid favoritism,” Lynch said.
“The league has too many teams. It should have started smaller to make it more robust and competitive and expand accordingly. Too many players are there that don’t deserve to be there while there are some who should been included but have not been picked. Whoever is picking the teams seems unaware of some of the players in the various areas,” the Coach said.
Lynch feels that too many persons who have played at the highest level are not involved in GCB’s cricket for one reason or other.
“People like, Roger Harper, Clyde Butts myself will never be involved once the present administration is still here and that is a huge waste of human resources,” Lynch added.
“Our Cricket has been drifting for a long time and seems to be following the tune of West Indies cricket and we all know what is happening there. Once people voice their views they are removed and these are people with a vast knowledge of the game,” Lynch lamented.
Lynch wants to get the next generation interested in the game at a time in their lives when they are not aware of the nasty politics involved. He wants to see ‘hard ball’ cricket urgently reintroduced to Primary schools, while school grounds should be rehabilitated and school games set for Fridays.
Lynch feels that each County should have a proper indoor facility with adequate bowler’s run-up adding that Guyana is way behind the rest of the world in terms of Sports facilities and support systems for sportspersons.
“The Women are making West Indians proud but there is no system or structure to develop ladies cricket here. If there is no female club cricket being played in Guyana how can we get new players in the West Indies team?” Lynch wondered.
“I am happy what Guyana has achieved in the last three years but as I told Leon (Johnson) I think some of the reasons we are doing so well is while key players are unavailable due to T20 Leagues or West Indies duties for the other teams, our players are not picked for anything.
We are together more than any other team and while our standard has improved a bit the other teams are weakened. But although we do well at the regional level our players struggle in International cricket,” Lynch noted.
Lynch says the loss of Phill Simmons as Coach just a day before the team left for an important tour is a big blow. “He had his heart into this, was fully qualified and played at the highest level. He did things in a professional way, stood up against nonsense and had the support of the senior players,” Lynch pointed out.
He also feels that while he has not been consistently outstanding, Darren Sammy has something that Lloyd had; that is the ability to unite players from different countries and inspire players to perform which made him a good leader.
“Carlos Braithwaite got selected as Captain for hitting four balls for sixes which is unfair to the young man. There is too much of politics in West Indies cricket and the same ones who are hurting West Indies cricket want to be re-elected. Things have got to change or West Indies cricket will die.”
So why does Lynch wants to stay here?
“I was supposed to leave this week for a coaching job with Zimbabwe but because there has been an ICC investigation against Zimbabwe, the contract is on hold. I have plans to start a business on a piece of land that I own next to the Athletics Stadium at Lenora. When completed, the facility will include rooms, a restaurant, Canteen, swimming pool and a cricket clinic which could be funded by an English investor.”
Lynch thanked GCC, Les Romalio, Paul Chan-a-Sue, Richard Jodah and all the Parents who send their children to his youth clinic at Bourda, for their support over the years.

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