Neil Kumar is on the ball

Apr 25, 2010 Sports

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Government must also support a National Cricket League

By Sean Devers

Guyana’s Director of Sports and Parliamentarian Neil Kumar last Sunday called for the formation of a National 20/20 Cricket League and said that the Guyana Cricket Board along with corporate citizens must take our cricket seriously and in a business way move it to a higher level.
I fully endorse Kumar’s call although the Government should also be involved in a meaningful way by making the Stadium available for night games for a percentage of the gates and giving tax rebates to Companies that support the venture as sponsors.
West Indies cricket is at the bottom of World cricket and Guyana’s cricket is at the bottom of West Indies cricket so none can deny that something is very wrong.
Too many of our cricket Administrators (although maybe well-meaning) do not seem to understand that times have changed and money and the popularity are bigger motivators for our young cricketers than pride in performance and patriotism, which were common place when these officials were young.

Cricket is now a business and if the GCB do not start running it as such and stop fighting like little children, they could lose control over the players.
Many players will soon be more inclined to play in professional tournaments for huge pay days at the expense of representing their country.
The production of Guyanese cricketers will soon be for personal glory with many of them using the club and county system to improve their game to a level that gives them an opportunity to earn a proper living from their trade without having to be restricted to playing for Guyana.
While ideally, one should be proud of their nation and fight as sporting ambassadors to bring pride for their people, playing for free in a sub-standard local club season will not guarantee food on the table for their families or improve their cricket.
While Kumar’s Government has been accused of not doing enough for sports, the construction of the Guyana National Stadium, one of the best drying International grounds in the world, equipped with excellent lights, could play a major role in the development of local sport and the Government must be commended.

That is why as an influential political figure Kumar must not only convince the GCB but also the Government that a 20/20 Professional League can be of tremendous benefits to the players, the GCB and the country.
Regular matches at the Stadium for a percentage of the gates will ensure that Government receives funds to maintain the Stadium, while once no set fee for the Stadium is charged the organisers will not lose if a match fails to attract a large crowd.
The GCB, in partnership with sponsors will be forced to do more to advertise and promote the League since larger crowds will mean more money for them.
As Kumar rightly said, sponsors will get plenty of mileage and once the standard of play is high (teams can invest in overseas players once the prize money is right) the league could be given regional and even International exposure.
This will give the good players an opportunity to be recognised outside of Guyana while the prospects of TV coverage outside of Guyana could also give the organisers more avenues to make a profit.
Minister of Sports Dr Frank Anthony seems genuinely interested in the development of local sports and his medical background gives him a real understanding of the benefits of keeping fit. He recently charged the GCB executives to behave as gentlemen as they control a gentleman’s game which he reminded is more than just a game to Guyanese.
Dr Anthony says he has many plans for the improvement of sports in Guyana but admits that lack of funding is a problem.
Government’s involvement in a professional league here will provide them with additional funds to supplement what they get from the National lottery while the league could benefit from the support of the Government and the use of the Stadium.
While Government must not be allowed to interfere with the ‘cricketing matters’ they must have a right to ensure the transparency and accountably of the league by having some amount of control over the contracts and the players.
The GCB and Government could work in partnership with big companies providing the funds for the team’s preparation and players’ fees as sponsors.
“The future of our cricket depends on our professionalism. Guyana won the first-ever Twenty20 real big money game when they won the inaugural Stanford Tournament. Guyana narrowly lost the second tournament and humbled Trinidad and Tobago at Queen’s Park Oval in the ‘Haiti’ Fundraising Twenty20 match.
It is interesting to note the Trinidadians came and practiced in Guyana before they went to compete successfully in the ICC Champions’ League. Our facility at Providence is most attractive and conducive to professionalism,” Kumar said.
Kumar is right. I can still remember the euphoria and outpouring of national unity when Guyana beat Trinidad and Tobago in the inaugural Stanford 20/20 final in 2006 in Antigua. Everywhere the radio and TVs were on and mothers and daughters, husbands and sons were following Guyana’s fortunes.
Guyana’s image was lifted, the hopes of a nation were uplifted, the players were handsomely paid and the GCB got millions of ‘free’ Stanford dollars for their cricket development. Everyone won.
As Kumar pointed out, “We have highly talented players with tremendous potential. Our player’s work ethics is indeed encouraging. However, our inter-county games are not productive. Hence, a professional League with a minimum of four teams or six teams will give rise to a competition that will be interesting and highly competitive.
Our top one hundred cricketers in Guyana should be put together and in a competitive bidding process we can emerge with at least four or six teams,”
“These teams will have their own coaches and managers. The teams will play cricket in a professional manner. The training and preparation of the teams will lead to more physically fit and fully focused cricketers.
Where the county matches lack competitiveness, the professional league will help our players at home and quickly attract young players. The level of coaching will also develop and our players will be more ready to compete at the highest level,” he added.
Indeed inspiring words from a politician who never played national cricket at any level or who is not a cricket board official. One hope these words do not fall on deaf ears and that Kumar can help to provide qualified coaches for the programme through the National Sports Commission.
The Professional Cricket League will enable our players to earn a living at home.
The professional League teams will be leased to corporate sponsors. The teams will be managed by the sponsors. Hence, the team will be highly competitive and market-oriented. The teams will have the spirit to win and play competitively.
New GCB Technical analyst Robin Singh is pushing for such a league but the disunity among the GCB officials and the lack of the ‘modern vision’ for cricket by some of them could mean his proposals end up in some waste paper basket and our young cricketers continue to leave these shores for a better life from the sport they love and do well.
Robin Singh sometimes comes over as a loose-cannon who does things his way once he feels it will work.
But he can be among the new generation of GCB members who can take the game forward by making the Board a profit-orientated organization with players who are motivated to working hard with the knowledge that if they are successful they can live a comfortable life from just playing cricket without having to leave Guyana.
Kumar has bowled a very good delivery. It is hoped that Chetram Singh and the GCB do not decide to leave it alone.
If they do then more New Line Cavaliers teams (which could be the future of Guyana’s cricket) and more DJ Stress tournaments will prop up and very soon the GCB will have very few players available for their outdated tournaments like the senior Inter-County competition.

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