CaribPR Wire

Kieran Powell

CaribPR Wire, Weds. Jan. 7, 2015: Following recent media and public speculation regarding my absence from regional and international cricket, I would like to make known the following:

During the conclusion of the first West Indies vs New Zealand Test match in Jamaica in June of last year (2014), I requested a meeting with West Indies Team Manager Richie Richardson and the then-Coach, Otis Gibson, in the Team Room we had been allocated at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

At this meeting I advised them that I would be needing to take a break from international cricket to deal with a personal issue. The conversation concluded with Mr. Richardson and Mr. Gibson conveying their understanding and stating that they hoped that I would return to the West Indies squad as soon as I was available to do so. I had then relayed a detailed account of that same conversation, in writing, to my own Management, so as to have made them aware of my actions.

Mr. Richardson and Mr. Gibson went onto assure me that their next steps would include advising West Indies Board officials, including West Indies Director of Cricket, Richard Pybus, Head of Cricket Operations, Roland Holder and the West Indies Selection Panel at the time, that I had made myself unavailable and that they would be advising the Team Media Manager to put out a Press Release to announce my forthcoming absence from the team.

I then went back to my hotel room and received a phone call around 20-30 minutes later from the then-Chairman of Selectors, Clyde Butts, requesting that I come to his room. I duly did so and Mr. Butts proceeded to advise me during our meeting, that he had been informed of my decision and wished me the best of luck but hoped that I resolved my personal issues quickly so that I could re-join the team as soon as possible. I had built a very good rapport with Mr. Butts over the years and his support meant a lot to me. I left his room feeling that my situation at the time was made clear to the primary parties within the immediate Team Management structure.

On Friday the 13^th of June, 2014, the day after I had advised the Team Manager and Coach of my unavailability, I was asked to complete a Performance Review by Mr. Richardson and Mr. Gibson, which took place in Mr. Richardson’s room that morning.

Following the above meetings, I was not given any further steps nor indications that anyone else would be attempting to contact me. I assumed, even if anyone did wish to contact me, that there were several modes available for them to contact me by, including via my Manager, who also represents Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin and Richie Richardson; or via my father, who, himself, is a former West Indies Cricket Board Director and is a close associate of several Board officials, including West Indies Cricket Board President, Dave Cameron.

The next actions I saw in relation to my request for leave of absence from the team, was when a Media Release from the West Indies Cricket Board stated that myself and Marlon Samuels had been “axed,” despite the fact that I had asked for time off for a personal reason days before any such Release had gone to press.

The next contact I received from anyone within the West Indies Management structure, thereafter, was from Mr. Gibson in the first week of July, to check on my well-being. He then contacted me again in the last week of July – again, to check on my well-being. No mention of my return to cricket was discussed in either phone call.

Mr. Richardson had also contacted my father and my Manager on several occasions regarding me.

Furthermore, Mr. Cameron, had inquired from my father about my return to international cricket, on more than one occasion, particularly during the period of the 2014 Caribbean Premier League. Mr. Cameron had gone so far as to ask my father to request that I contact him, which I did immediately.

During my initial conversation with Mr. Cameron, he stated that he had not been made aware by anyone in the Board or Team Management, of the circumstances surrounding my leave of absence from the West Indies team. This obviously bewildered me as I knew that not only had I had a meeting with the Manager and the then-Coach of the West Indies team on the 12th of June, but I had also had a chat with the Chairman of Selectors that same evening, following the announcement of my decision.

Mr. Cameron went onto agree that the Board had a duty of care towards me as a player and that he did not feel due process had been followed. During my conversation with Mr. Cameron, I made it clear that not only had I had a meeting with Mr. Richardson and Mr. Gibson on the 12^th of June outlining my circumstances and my request for leave of absence, but that I had also seemingly received their support on the matter at the time.

Mr. Cameron then went onto re-iterate that he felt I remained a strong contender for the role of future Captain of the West Indies team; a statement which he had made in public and in the media, and a statement which I was humbled by.

Given the mis-communication and mis-management following my meeting with Mr. Richardson and Mr. Gibson, I ensured that my Management was in the room when I had the (phone) conversation with Mr Cameron, on this occasion.

By this time, because I was frequently being inquired about and contacted by Board officials and Team Management, I revisited my position and made the decision to make myself available for the West Indies’ tour of India in September.

I spoke with current Coach, Stuart Williams, on the 11^th of September regarding returning to the international team. The conversation was positive and Mr Williams asked that I take the relevant measures to ensure my re-admission into the team. I then contacted the now Chairman of Selectors, Mr. Clive Lloyd, as well as Mr. Cameron and Mr. Pybus.

During my conversation with Mr. Cameron, I communicated my wishes to make myself available for international cricketing duties again. This time there was an awkward hesitancy throughout the conversation – less than four weeks after our initial conversation where he had been extremely encouraging about my return to international duty. He stated during our conversation that I had not been practising, which was assumed on his part. He then asked me to contact Mr. Pybus, which I immediately did.

During my conversation with Mr. Pybus, he stated that he had made numerous attempts to contact me but had been unsuccessful. I responded that various people from both the Board and Team Management, had by then, contacted me several times, including the President of the Board and the Coaches and Manager of the West Indies team, therefore, I was baffled as to why Mr. Pybus would have been unable to contact me. Furthermore, he claimed that I had simply “walked off the job” when this was utterly untrue. I had explicitly made my unavailability known to both the Team Manager and the then-Coach. In fact, the Media Release put out by the West Indies Cricket Board announcing the team for the second Test against New Zealand back in June 2014, went so far as to say that I had been “axed”, when I had already made myself unavailable.

Mr. Pybus insisted that I write a letter to him outlining my plans to return to cricket. He also pressed me to divulge details of my personal issue which I did not wish to discuss. He then went onto imply, in my opinion, that my future position in the squad would be compromised if I was not willing to disclose this information, which I felt was coercive, intrusive and unjust.  He went onto suggest that I return to grass-roots level cricket, in my bid to make a comeback. In my mind, I immediately compared this to other situations in the recent past, in which senior players in the West Indies team, had not been expected to follow same protocol and I wondered: why me?

Following this conversation, I felt confused and flabbergasted as I had been contacted numerous times by Board officials and Team Management regarding my return to international cricket. Having made myself available, I felt I was now being made an example of.

On the 26^th and 27^th of September, I was sent several messages requesting that I contact West Indies selector Courtney Browne as a matter of extreme urgency. I spoke with Mr Browne who conferenced called in Chairman of Selectors, Mr. Lloyd. The reason for the call, they advised, was simply to inform me that they had not forgotten me. Mr. Lloyd went onto say that he felt that I was a future leader for the West Indies team. The call ended shortly after this. The episode left me astonished and befuddled as it seemed completely nonsensical that senior officials would contact me so vehemently and with such urgency, simply to advise me that they had not forgotten me.

However, determined to seal my position back in the West Indies squad, I called both selectors back separately and advised them both of my immediate availability. I specifically asked whether there was a possibility of being selected for the West Indies’ tour of India. I was not provided with a firm answer by the selectors, but I persisted and asked whether I may be considered for the West Indies A team tour of Sri Lanka, so as to prove my match fitness, because there was no domestic cricket on in the Caribbean region at the time. Again, I was not provided with a firm answer. Feeling deflated and confused by several months of rollercoaster events, I made a firm decision to take a step away from the game in its entirety, to reflect and refresh.

There have been numerous reports in the media and in the public domain about my absence from the game of cricket, ranging from alleged struggles with “acute fatigue syndrome” to apparently being “in exile.” My Management has also been unfairly condemned for not speaking out about my absence from cricket. I would like to categorically, state on record that I am doing well and remain focused but that I am taking time away from the game. While I appreciate the support and loyalty I have received from people around the world, I would like to use this opportunity to ask that the media and the public respect my right to privacy and I look forward to returning to international cricket and to the game I love so dearly, in the near future.

Dwayne Bravo receiving his history-making contracts from his Agent on the eve of his signing to China Harbour.

CaribPR Wire, LONDON, England, Mon. Dec. 16, 2013: Global T20 superstar and West Indies Cricket ODI Captain, Dwayne Bravo, has just made history by becoming the first international cricketer to partner with one of the largest Chinese corporate entities in the world.

Multi-billion dollar Engineering, Construction and Consultancy giant, China Harbour, has appointed the 30-year-old as their sporting brand ambassador, making them the first ever globally-ranked Chinese firm to affiliate with a West Indies cricketing star.

The high-profile signing will see Bravo featured in exclusive ad campaigns and conducting personal appearances on behalf of the leading infrastructure construction company, which becomes his official corporate sponsor ahead of a packed West Indies playing schedule. That includes the upcoming one-day international series against New Zealand followed by the team’s home series against England and subsequent participation in the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, where the West Indies will defend their T20 Championship title, early next year.

Speaking to the media on the eve of his signing, Bravo said: “To become the first international and West Indian cricketer to be sponsored by a globally renowned Chinese firm is an incredible honor and a privilege. The Chinese are by far one of the most powerful nations in the world today, thus their introduction into, and their presence within West Indies cricket, will make a tremendous difference not just for us as cricketers but for the entire Caribbean region. For me to be the first cricketer to be bestowed with such a prestigious partnership is an incredible feeling and I further hope that our affiliation will pave the way for significant ongoing relations and investment between China and the Caribbean, long-term.”

Bravo’s agent, Emma Everett, added that they had actively discussed affiliating with the lucrative Chinese market for some time and were thrilled that China Harbour reciprocated the significance of such a partnership despite cricket still being a virtually unknown sport in China.

“Dwayne has made history today,” said Everett. “He has become the first international cricketer to venture into the powerful Chinese market whilst cricket as a sport remains relatively new in China, and for him to have done so by affiliating with a global powerhouse such as China Harbour, indicates the Company’s faith and confidence in him to represent their brand across the world with the same degree of international standing and success. Dwayne Bravo is the epitome of everything China Harbour places at the core of its morale: dynamic, dedicated and entirely focused on getting the job done.”

China Harbour’s regional General Manager, Mr. Deng Bo, echoed Bravo and his representative’s delight at the brand ambassador signing, stating that this was his company’s first foray onto the international cricketing scene.

Dwayne Bravo is all smiles after signing a historic deal.

“China Harbour has a project portfolio worth USD10 billion. Our company is a leader and innovator in our sector. Whilst it is a new concept for us to affiliate with a sporting brand ambassador, we are thrilled by this exciting partnership and look forward to Dwayne Bravo leading our brand and ethos with the same diligence and commitment he displays when representing West Indies Cricket,” said Mr. Bo. “China Harbour already has a substantial presence in the Caribbean, therefore, we are proud to associate our brand with a Caribbean and international superstar, to elongate our ongoing relationship with the Caribbean region and the rest of the world. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with our new ambassador Dwayne Bravo.”

ABOUT CHINA HARBOUR

China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd (CHEC) is a leading provider of full services in Engineering-Procurement-Construction (EPC), Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), and Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) for both public and private sectors. The company’s diverse infrastructure portfolio includes marine engineering, dredging and reclamation, roads and bridge, railways, airports and equipment assembly.

CHEC is a subsidiary of parent company China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), a top Forbes listed organization.

Dashing West Indies opening batsman, Kieran Powell.

CaribPR Wire, LONDON, England, Sun. Oct. 13, 2013: Dashing West Indies opening batsman, Kieran Powell, is set to launch a cricket star search in collaboration with global sporting icon Muttiah Muralidaran’s internationally acclaimed charity, the Foundation of Goodness, in Seenigama, Sri Lanka, this week.

Powell, who achieved victory as Captain of the West Indies A team in the recently completed One-Day international series against India A,  said he is thrilled to be launching such a significant and worthy initiative to assist promising youth cricketers from rural regions, as part of the young star’s ‘Kieran Powell Academy.’

“The aim of the initiative is to discover and expose regional youth cricketing talent with the winning participants being awarded high-level Scholarship Programmes to train under Murali’s Foundation of Goodness,” explained Powell. “Ten Scholarships are up for grabs and it is an honor for me to work in collaboration with the Foundation, which played an enormous role in assisting and nourishing the lives of victims of the 2004 Sri Lankan Tsunami, and has since created an incredible sustainable community model designed to inspire and empower disadvantaged communities across the world. They are indeed an incredible organization and I hope to emulate their ethos and values, in steering my own Academy to the same heights of achievement.”

The initiative will consist of Kieran Powell themed ‘Star Search Days,’ where outstanding young cricketing talent will be selected to compete for prized Scholarship Programmes, awarding the winners’ an intense cricket training, chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity, at the Seenigama Sports Academy, the sporting arm of the Foundation.

Foundation of Goodness Founder and trustee, Kushil Gunasekera, praised the desire of 23-year-old Powell, who was recently named West Indies Cricket Board’s Emerging Player of the Year, to make such a remarkable contribution to those less privileged across the world.

“We have had hundreds of international personalities, including some of the world’s most high profile and most respected cricketers, collaborate with our organization and our cause over the years,” commented Gunasekera. “However, to have such a yearning and determination at such a young age, to develop the talent of others less fortunate than himself – several of whom lost their livelihoods and families in the 2004 Tsunami and would otherwise never get such an opportunity – is a truly notable trait in this young man, and it is a testament to how far he will go not just as an exceptionally talented batsman but as an ambassador for West Indies Cricket and for sport by and large.”

Powell, who had carefully crafted the initiative with his Manager Emma Everett, over the past several months as part of his Academy launch, is excited that the initiative is ready to be unveiled, and paid tribute to sponsors and a dedicated team in Sri Lanka who helped make his wish a reality.

“We have had some amazing commitment and support from a wonderful team of individuals out there, and I am looking forward to personally thanking them all and appreciating the splendor of Sri Lanka, this being my first visit out there,” he said.

Powell will join the West Indies senior team in a few days’ time to take on India once again, and said he is extremely pleased to be back in the squad after finger surgery kept him out of contention during the team’s most recent tours, earlier in the year.

“The India tour will be an especially poignant one, as it will be the great Sachin’s farewell to cricket and I am grateful I will be a part of such a historical occasion. He is what every cricketer aspires to be,” said the powerful left-handed batsman, who himself has been strongly earmarked for West Indies leadership, according to recent media reports, re-affirmed by his award for Emerging Player of the Year, in July this year.

The Kieran Powell Cricket Star Search kicks off on Monday 14^th October at the Seenigama Surrey Oval in Sri Lanka, with the Scholarship Winners’ Award ceremony due to take place later this week.