Richard Pybus replaced by Floyd Reifer as Windies interim coach ahead of World Cup
Friday 12 April 2019 10:25, UK
Richard Pybus has been replaced as interim Windies coach by Floyd Reifer less than two months before the World Cup.
Englishman Pybus was at the helm as the Caribbean side beat England 2-1 at home in a Test series earlier this year and drew 2-2 in the ODI series.
However, Reifer - who played six Tests for Windies between 1997 and 2009 - has now been appointed on a temporary basis with new Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt wanting to promote home coaches.
"Participating in a World Cup is a career defining experience for West Indian players and coaching staff," said Skerritt, who succeeded Dave Cameron in his role in March.
"We therefore believe it is strategically more beneficial for a West Indian coach with the proven skill sets to have this exposure at CWI's expense - rather than a foreign coach. Floyd Reifer had been identified as the outstanding emerging local coach."
Reifer led Windies to a T20 series win in Bangladesh in his previous stint as interim coach last year, while he has also coached the West Indies A side
"Our landmark decision to immediately introduce a well suited young West Indian professional as our men's team coach is therefore a clear indicator of the seriousness of our West Indian first policy and represents our commitment to celebrate the best of what it means to be West Indian," said Skerritt.
"We believe very strongly in localising the expertise that we put behind our teams and we believe in bringing in non-Caribbean expertise only where it is not available across the region.
"Our performance record overseas under international coaches has been dismal at best. All of our victories in ICC tournaments have been with the help of local coaches.
"That is also why we have decided to give the opportunity to a young but seasoned professional, who lives among us, and who has dedicated his life to developing our young people and teaching them our cricket culture."
The whole Windies selection panel has also been removed, including Courtney Browne, who had served as head selector since 2016.
Skerritt added: "The changes we have triggered this week are more than a change in personnel or a shake-up in the ranks.
"This is a calculated strategic move designed to reignite the passion for a culture, where our cricket is being put back where it belongs: at the very centre."
You can watch every match of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup on Sky Sports Cricket, starting with England vs South Africa at The Oval on Thursday, May 30.
