BCA going strictly T20 cricket

The Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) has decided to stage three Twenty20 competitions this season instead of regular three-day cricket because the coronavirus is still a problem in the island, says chief executive officer of the BCA Dr Roland Toppin. This season clubs and schools will take part in the Twenty20 Cup, the Twenty20 Shield and the Twenty20 Plate.

“We are playing T20 cricket only, the reason why we chose T20 as opposed to the long regular day of cricket is primary because we are still in the midst of the pandemic. Barbados has not been declared coronavirus-free. People want to play cricket, you want to play and finish in a reasonable amount of time, as far as safety is concerned. This is why we chose the T20 format of cricket which is basically a three-hour game. In three and a half hours, the game is over,” Toppin told a press conference at Kensington Oval on Thursday afternoon.

The CEO said the BCA would supply thermometers and hand sanitizers to the clubs to ensure that the Covid-19 protocols were met by the cricketers and spectators who are desirous of entering the clubhouse or pavilion. 

Toppin revealed that the sponsorship deal between the BCA and the Pakistan-based maker of cricket gear Stonehill which was announced in 2016 was now a reality. The three-year sponsorship deal is worth one million dollars.

“We have a three-year deal with Stonehill Sports out of Pakistan. They have outfitted all of our teams, all of the clubs and schools playing in our competitions. They have sponsored us with white and colored clothes for all of our clubs and national teams both male and female. It really is a fantastic sponsorship deal that we have secured with Stonehill for three years,” Toppin said.

Director of cricket at the BCA Steven Leslie said a hundred teams would participate in the tournaments. Twenty Elite and First Division teams will compete in the Twenty20 Cup, 36 Intermediate teams are playing in the T20 Shield and 44 Second Division teams take part in the Plate.

“A hundred teams in this environment is really a tremendous response, bearing the fact that we knew pre Covid-19 there were some financial and economic challenges throughout the island. We had a good response in terms of who wanted to play T20 cricket. This year, we are going to allow two Barbados Youth teams and two UWI teams to participate in the T20 Cup. The tournament will commence on Saturday August 15, and will run for a three-month period ending November 14.  What we are hoping to achieve is not just a compact period of cricket, but one that will allow everyone to feel that they are getting value for their time,” Leslie said.

He explained that the tournament in the past cost over a quarter million dollars.