The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Perry blames territorial boards for WI's decline in recent years

Thu, Jun 3, '21

 

Media Watch

Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will continue to offer development opportunities to some of the best young West Indians in the ninth edition of the CPL, which takes place in St Kitts later this year. Since 2019, and for the third consecutive season, twelve (12) players have been drafted, retained or signed into the two mandatory Emerging Player positions in each of the six CPL franchises.

Last month the International Cricket Council (ICC) released rankings that indicated the Caribbean side had moved two places up to sixth — its best position in nearly a decade.

“It is a very encouraging sign, [but] the thing about this now is the sustainability of it. We all have to do it from the territorial board level and from the school level and at the top level,” Perry told the Jamaica Observer in a telephone interview.

“The local territorial boards believe that Cricket West Indies (CWI), formerly West Indies Cricket Board, must do all of the development and work. That is the cause of West Indies cricket's demise over the years,” the former Jamaica and West Indies off-spinner said.

Though CWI is responsible for governing the game in the region, West Indies cricket comprises six territorial boards. These boards — Barbados Cricket Association, Guyana Cricket Board, Jamaica Cricket Association, Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board, Leeward Islands Cricket Board and Windward Islands Cricket Board — are expected to foster development within their respective territories by promoting the game in schools, communities and clubs.

Read more at Jamaica Observer