By Morissa Lindsay
Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) President, Conde Riley, has expressed his disappointment that defending champions Barbados will not be hosting any of the upcoming regional matches being put on by Cricket West Indies (CWI).
Riley who also serves as a CWI director said that he brought this matter to the regional board previously and nothing was done about it. However, the BCA boss did not indicate whether his board intends on taking action in terms of writing a letter to CWI or addressing the situation further.
“They sent it out and we have no matches. I am disappointed, it is what it is but we will still win. My guys played well already and what we will be focusing on is preparing them with the Legends Cup and so on. They will be okay, they will be ready. As I said I am very disappointed but I let it run because I spoke already on that and as I said I am disappointed but it is what it is,” Riley told Barbados TODAY.
“Post COVID we have started back at the Centre of Excellence and that would prepare our younger players, Under-19, Under-17, and the Under-15s who are the defending champions as well, along with the ladies,” he added.
Riley earlier dismissed an explanation by CWI Manager of Operations Roland Holder that challenges related to intra-regional travel was the main factor in the selection of venues.
“You don’t get from any part of the Caribbean without air transport. I don’t know if the guys are going to swim to those other places or travel by boat but I know that if you want to get to Barbados, the same way that you get to Antigua or Grenada or St Vincent, you get to Barbados. We have thousands of people all over the world in Barbados as we speak,” Riley said.
Commenting on the same issue on the Mason and Guest radio show this week, former Barbados captain and West Indies opener Philo Wallace suggested Barbados was being ostracized. The BCA, under Riley, has had previous run-ins with CWI under its present leadership.
“I think it is a clear indication from Cricket West Indies that Barbados is being ostracized. You cannot have Barbados as a leading nation in the region not …. host meaningful matches…. I would like to know from Cricket West Indies who sets out the fixtures and who decides where these games are being played,” Wallace said.
He added: “The decision-makers are not making good decisions and when you don’t make decisions you pay the price and our price is going to be very, very hefty.”
While President Riley is unhappy that Barbados was not given any home games for 2023, it is also noted that out of the 15 First Class Championship matches played in February 2022, BCA hosted two and Trinidad and Tobago had the others.
While Barbados had the luxury of hosting matches at home in 2022, other territories such as Jamaica, Guyana and a few others did not have the privilege of hosting any, placing them in a similar situation as Riley and the BCA.
Riley let his position be known after CWI sent out its plans for the 2023 season and Chief Executive Officer Johnny Grave unveiled the Headley Weekes Series named after the former legendary West Indies cricketers.
“We are delighted to unveil the Headley Weekes Series, which is a new idea that will extend the four-day season, create more opportunities for our players to showcase their skills and will be a huge incentive for them to strive towards selection into our ‘A’ Team, and ultimately our Test Team. It will also provide some strong competitive red-ball cricket for our new West Indies Academy Players as we continue to try to ensure that the next generation of players are being prepared along the pathway to international cricket.
“Whilst the West Indies Championship is once again going to be played on a one round, five-match basis, with the plans we have for our ‘A’ Team and Academy to go on overseas tours after the Headley Weekes Series, we expect our best players in the region will still play at least ten four-day games in the first half of next year,” Grave explained.
Among its 2023 plans, CWI also announced a triangular red-ball tournament to start at the end of the West Indies Championship in April.
The West Indies Championship commences in February and the first two rounds will be played from February 1st to 11th in Grenada and in Antigua at the Coolidge Cricket Ground at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
After a break, the tournament will resume on March 15th to April 1st for the final three rounds which will determine the champions who will receive the inaugural Headley Weekes trophy with matches to be played in Trinidad at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, the Diego Martin Sports Complex and Queens Park Oval.
morissalindsay@barbadostoday.bb
