A Huge Step Backwards
The election of T&T businessman Ken Gordon as president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) in mid-year gave many of us hope that at the very least we could look to a more no-nonsense approach to doing business from regional cricket administrators.
Alas! The last minute decision to scramble plans for the Carib Beer four-day regional tournament and slash it in half, doing away with the home and away format, has left us with no choice, but to have second thoughts.
The Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) had firmed up arrangements for venues, booked hotels and was in the process of dotting 'Is' and crossing 'Ts' in expectation of the November 11 start of the tournament, when word came earlier this week to 'haul and pull up'.
Lack of money is apparently the source of the problems and we have no doubt that in that regard, the WICB is in a bad way. But what has happened here is disgraceful.
From where I sit, the WICB needed to have done whatever they had to do to ensure the format promised to the regional cricket fraternity went ahead as planned. Where there is a will, there is a way and heaven knows West Indies cricket needs will.
If nothing else, the "vibes" at the end of last season's tournament should have left regional administrators with the certain knowledge that chopping the competition is a bad idea.
Many of us felt that at long last, even with the problems, the regional first-class tournament was headed in the right direction. That feeling was strengthened just recently with the news that the way had been cleared for cricketers to move across borders to represent regional teams other than their native country.
The next step, even if tentative, should involve a move towards 'professionalisation' of the regional game. The long-term aim being to return the regional team to the very top of the world stage. At least, that's how I felt.
Instead, our regional administrators have taken a huge step backwards.
What a let down!
Perhaps they should all throw in the towel and hand over the game - lock stock and barrel - to the likes of Antigua-based entrepreneur Allen Stanford.
* In partnership with Jamaica Observer.