Grave: Gabriel will learn from this

CEO of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Johnny Grave expects West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel to learn from his mistakes, and said he accepts the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) policy on punishing players for poor conduct.

Gabriel has been fined 75 per cent of his match fee and banned for four matches for an ICC Code of Conduct breach in the third and final Test match against England in St Lucia. Gabriel, 30, will miss four of the five matches in the One-Day International series against the English, which bowls off, on Wednesday, in Barbados.

On Monday, a stump microphone caught an interaction on the third day of the third Test between Gabriel and England batsmen Joe Root and Joe Denly. Root told Gabriel, “Don’t use it as an insult. There’s nothing wrong with being gay.”

Although the microphone did not catch Gabriel’s comments which led to Root’s response, it is understood the umpires spoke to Gabriel about them at the time.

In an interview with Newsday, Grave said Gabriel has accepted the charge, saying, “He is not contesting the charge. He is going to be fined and banned.”

Grave says the West Indies pacer will bounce back and knows the ban will hurt him. “I am sure Shannon will learn from this, and it is disappointing he has to learn the hard way, but he has now accumulated too many demerit points and misses games, which is the ultimate action for any professional cricketer in international cricket. They want to be playing when they are fit...it is a massive loss to us and to him personally.”

Gabriel was part of the Windies fast-bowling quartet that helped the regional team defeat England 2-1 in the recently concluded Test series.

Grave said he accepts the ICC ruling. “The ICC has put in place a zero tolerance (policy) on any abuse on the field by players and we are fully supportive of that.”

The CWI CEO hopes the series is not remembered for the Gabriel incident.

“I think in terms of the way the series has been played, it’s been played in great spirits by two teams that have gone hard at each other over three Tests.

“It is disappointing we are talking about one isolated incident, which I hope does not tarnish what has otherwise been a fantastic series in terms of the quality of the cricket and also the manner and spirit in which both sides have played.”