The Barbados Cricket League (BCL) may need the intervention of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) if it stands any chance of surviving, says former Barbados and West Indies opener the Most Honourable Desmond Haynes.
Following the drastic deterioration from over one hundred teams to a mere 26 as of 2022, Haynes and a few others who passed through the BCL think that its primary means of survival is a partnership with the BCA.
During an interview with Barbados TODAY, Haynes explained that the BCL has outlived that which it was designed to do because now cricketers gravitate towards the BCA’s competitions which for them are far more attractive.
“For the BCL to survive, I believe it has to be a leg which is supported by the BCA and it runs some competitions in the communities under the guidance of the BCA, BCL scenario. The BCL cannot survive on its own at the moment with so many of the clubs gravitating towards the BCA.
“What must also be taken into consideration, is the BCA has a very good deal with a company here that provides balls and clothing and if you play BCL cricket you (the clubs) have to provide all of those things. So, nobody is going to want to play BCL cricket when there are so many handouts from playing in the BCA competition,” Haynes said.
He added: “The clubs are more eager to play in the BCA competition as well because they or their parliamentary representatives are given pavilions by the NSC to utilize. There are also several community centres around that make it far more attractive for the clubs to play BCA cricket because they have a place to call home.”
As a product of the BCL which was formed in 1937, Haynes expressed that he is saddened to see the state and direction in which the league has gone but also not surprised.
“I am a product of the BCL and I am saddened that it could get to this low but for me, it is no surprise, I expected it. When I look and see the reasons why the BCL was formed and what is happening now, it has outlived its usefulness. When you look at it you can easily say that the guys from the districts now want to play BCA cricket. So, the only way that organisation (BCL) can survive is if it is working as a leg of the BCA,” Haynes explained.
While the iconic opener has some fond memories of playing in the BCL, he is of the view that politics may have had something to do with the downfall of the BCL.
Those clubs that are playing in the BCL this season have been very appreciative of the assistance given by the National Sports Council where they have cut many of the fields, helped with the preparation of pitches and even repaired rollers for the groundsmen.
“When the BCL was formed there was no such thing as a pavilion. I remember changing under a tree or the back of a truck or someplace where you find a wall or something like that and you would change. You had to go off the field to get to the nearest standpipe to get some water.
“But as the island evolved and things started getting better for the community where you get pavilions being done by the National Sports Council, it then makes the district and the teams from that district want to gravitate towards the BCA to play intermediate or second division cricket.
“The BCL would never be able to continue with the way that it started because it is very easy now for a guy from Holders Hill or from any of the districts to go play First Division Cricket for any team. When the BCL was up and running it was because we didn’t have these opportunities but now the opportunities are there and as we can see even from the schools, we are getting cricketers moving into First Division cricket,” Haynes shared.
According to Haynes and others who played in the BCL, it was once very difficult to get into a First Division (BCA) team, but now that has changed. Today’s players jump from school cricket into the BCA intermediate or First Division set-up once they are good enough.
Former President of the BCL and the now-defunct Christ Church Football League, Alston Williams, noted that the BCL has fallen to a level of possibly no return. He thinks that the issue might be the lack of sponsorship.
“BCL cricket was in nearly every village and I don’t know what is the problem now with the cricket. When I look at it the youngsters are no longer interested. The cricket now is on the low and I am sorry to see where the BCL is going because the BCL used to have over a hundred teams and now the BCL I saw in the paper has 26 teams.
“I think sponsorship might be one of the problems too because a lot of the fellows are working but they don’t want to pay fees to help carry on the club. So, the BCL will soon be over at the rate it is going now. I can’t see it continuing much longer,” Williams explained.
Meanwhile, former national youth player who played for BET and at present is at the Barbados National Oil Company (BNOC), Anthony Morris, believes that the BCL can be revived with some necessary changes.
“I think the BCL can be revived because it is a community-based sport. However, some changes are needed. For instance, the BCA pays for umpires, balls are provided for by the BCA to the clubs whereas with the BCL that is an expense.
“With the reduction of teams now in the BCL, it should be a lot easier because there are not that many clubs like before. But the BCL needs to sit down as a team and see how the BCA can assist, especially with paying the umpires for the clubs and providing balls,” Morris said.
morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb
