by Our Sports Desk

VIV RICHARDS backed suspended coach Phil Simmons yesterday 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 selection.

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 who have been a little iffy at times,” Richards said.

“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 top 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 side.

“When you have a board that have had various issues off the field — it is pretty hard to deal with,” he said.

For his team “winning I think helped to eradicate all that stuff. That’s not happening today.”

Last week former Windies captain Garfield Sobers, the best ever all-rounder, lamented the decline of Caribbean cricket and suggested that some players were putting the high-paying Indian Premier League before the international side.

Richards believes the situation can be turned around and criticised some who want nations to break away from the WICB.

“I still believe we can be a united force in order for us to compete — as long as the folks who administer can be united,” he said.