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Support for Dr. Frank Anthony’s view on ICC Twenty20

Jul 22, 2009 Sports

Dear Editor,

We feel compelled to express publicly both our support for Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony and our utter disappointment and disgust with respect to the significantly unfair reduction of the quantity and quality of matches Guyana has been allocated for next year’s ICC World Cup Twenty 20 tournament to be hosted in the Caribbean.

The Minister, justifiably upset with the West Indies Cricket Board Twenty20 Organising Committee’s maneuverings, has outlined Guyana’s case for hosting the original 10 matches promised, most convincingly. There are guarantees on our capacity to provide a stadium with a pitch and outfield that dry speedily after any rain, adequate practice venues, hotel accommodation and parking facilities, official security tried and tested during the 2007 World Cup Super Eight Matches held here and flights in and out of Timehri with relative ease.

We are so confident enough about Guyana’s ability to host these matches that we won’t repeat our capacities as outlined by the Minister. We choose to address, however, certain red herrings brought to our attention.

It is now being suggested that the Princess (Buddy’s) International Hotel is not suitable for accommodating the players or officials next year. How incredulous! This is the same facility that accommodated persons for the World Cup 2007, other cricket teams since – and has just hosted Caribbean Heads of state and their delegations. The new management is also in the process of upgrading the facility even further.

Those West Indian gentlemen with apparent self interest have to come much better where Georgetown’s accommodation capacity is concerned – even if Buddy’s is ruled out for some strange reason. Actually, we feel that that one is merely a lame trumped-up excuse.

We hope that no one still dares to “accuse” Guyana of experiencing rain when it is time for international cricket. Whether that was a local superstition, perception or reality, just look at what is happening around the cricketing world. Just days ago in beautiful, “dry” St Lucia! Who can control “seasons” in the face of global warming and climate change? At least we can boast of the quickest drying Caribbean ground at Providence.

We think we’ve made our point. We hope there is a review of last Saturday’s non transparent, unreasonable and lop-sided allocations of 2010. That schedule was released at the Beausejour Stadium in St. Lucia.

We are hoping that it is merely coincidence that both West Indies Cricket Board Chairman Julian Hunte and Tournament Director of the 2010 Twenty20 Organising Committee, Ernest Hillaire are native to St. Lucia which always gets the best matches during any tournament, along with Barbados the traditional “big – ground” host.

Co­incidence has nothing to do with last Saturday’s allocations, because Guyana is an equal member of the WICB, a top Caribbean cricketing nation and simply now capable as a qualified host

We await anxiously a reasonable review and just re-allocation. Thanks in advance to the members of that Tournament Organising Committee.

Kirt Isaacs and Basheer Khan

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