Players find 'clarity' from Hawke's Bay Cricket Association meetings

Colin Schaw (2nd from left) with team manager John Jowsey (with red ball) before HBCA sacked Schaw in December. Photo/file

Hawke's Bay Cricket Association did receive a letter from senior men's representative players just before Christmas asking for sacked coach Colin Schaw to be reinstated for the Hawke Cup campaign this summer, according to board chairman Phil Chandler.

However Chandler, in response to written questions he asked Hawke's Bay Today to submit when contacted yesterday, said they had not received the letter Central Hawke's Bay Cricket Club had sent to the newspaper for publishing this week.

"I am confident we have the support of the clubs which HBCA represent although the letter submitted to Hawke's Bay Today by Dennis Schaw [Colin's brother] and Hamish Lewis, both representatives of CHBCC, is noted," he said in writing.

Chandler said the players' letter was drafted in response to the article HBT published on December 19 in relation to terminating Colin Schaw's contract as coach of the Pay Excellence-sponsored team.

In that article, HBCA chief executive Craig Findlay stated communication issues had been a factor in the board's decision.

"At this stage it is not necessary to go into the communications issues in detail," Chandler said.

He said some Bay players (and former players) had submitted the letter before they had had "a full understanding of events which led to the board's decision".

The letter had prompted him to meet team manager John Jowsey and captain Jacob Smith separately to take them through the events in detail.

He had, through Jowsey, made an offer to players who had questions to speak to their team manager but, as board chairman, Chandler also was happy to provide clarity.

As a result of those meetings he understood the players had accepted the reasons for HBCA's decision and were preparing, under interim coach Craig Ross, for the Furlong Cup game away against Whanganui this weekend.

He said the training called off on Monday night due to a poor response was an optional fielding session. The main practice was conducted last night.

"With many of the players involved in games over the holiday period a number of players took the opportunity to have a rest."