King

Kingston: After Greg Chappell, Duncan Fletcher and Dav Whatmore, it was the turn of West Indies coach Bennet King to resign in the wake of a disastrous World Cup show by his team.

The West Indies’ medium fast bowler Ian Bradshaw also announced his retirement from international cricket.

“He (King) gave up his job as coach. He has offered to stay on for a month to help with the setting up of the academy,” president of the Jamaica Cricket Association, Jackie Hendriks, was quoted as saying by a newspaper. With the West Indies set for a summer tour of England, King has recommended that his assistant David Moore take over.

“I have heard that he recommended his assistant David Moore to take the team to England,” Hendriks said.

The West Indies suffered a string of poor results under King since 2005, highlighting more than a decade of decline in the West Indies cricket since the halcyon days of Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards.

Bradshaw, who joined Brian Lara as one of several players retiring after the World Cup, has played 62 one-day Internationals and took 78 wickets. He played five Tests.

There were rumours that West Indies Cricket Board president Ken Gordon had also resigned.

“My understanding is that he (King) is the only person to resign,” Hendriks said, in response to questions about Gordon. Lara, however, has been fined by the International Cricket Council (ICC) following his last appearance for the West Indies because of his team’s slow over rate during the final Super Eight match.

England and the hosts were both penalised for failing to complete their allocated overs on time during the match. Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle ruled Michael Vaughan’s side were two overs short and Lara’s side one over behind their targets at the scheduled finish when time allowances were taken into consideration.

In accordance with the ICC Code of Conduct governing over-rate penalties, players are fined five per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.

As such, Vaughan was fined 20 per cent of his match fee while his players have each received 10 per cent fines. Lara was fined 10 per cent while his players received five per cent fines. (Agencies)