Harper says politics affecting Guyana’s cricket

Jun 13, 2011 Sports

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By Sean Devers
A former Vice-Captain of the West Indies team, 48-year-old Roger Harper played 25 Tests and 105 ODIs between 1983 and 1996 before being appointed West Indies Coach in February 2000.
Harper, who was also the Head Coach of the Shell Academy in Grenada, is now the President of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) and Saturday said that the politics and infighting among many of Guyana’s cricket Administrators is badly affecting Guyana’s performances on the field.

President of the Guyana Cricket Board Chetram Singh has called elections for July 10 after the Guyana Cricket Board was on June 8 deemed to be illegally registered as a member of the Friendly Societies Act which falls under the jurisdiction of Guyana’s Labour Ministry.
Harper, who scored 10 First-Class centuries and took 567 wickets with his off-spin at that level, is supporting Bissoon Singh for the Presidency of the GCB and on Saturday was present at a press conference held by Seven of the 13 GCB executives to protest what they deemed the unauthorized advertising of the GCB elections and other problems in the GCB.
Harper took charge of West Indies between 2000 and 2003 during a period of transition before being appointed as the Under-19 coach in December 2005.
The former Guyana Captain quit his youth team’s position in January 2006 to take charge of the Kenyan national side where he rebuilt a squad that was close to a shambles when he arrived. He stood down from that role in September 2007 to become more actively involved in cricket administration in Guyana.
“A lot has been going on off the field and it is no secret that the performances of the Guyana teams have not been what we expect. Not enough attention is being given to putting things in place for our players to improve,” Harper said.
Guyana finished last for the third successive year in this year’s regional First-Class tournament while the country’s under-19 team, which won an unprecedented six consecutive three-day titles from 1992, has won a regional three day in five years while the last time Guyana won an under-15 title was in 1999.
“There is a lack of a proper developmental programmes and that is the reason we are no longer seeing the results we have been accustomed to seeing in the past. What is happening off the field is causing the poor results on the field and if those who are elected to positions don’t start to put the cricket first and stop their quest for power, our cricket will continue to suffer,” Harper said.
The politics seemed to have also been a reason why Ravindra Seeram was selected Coach instead of Harper, Guyana’s highest qualified and most experienced Coach, when the South Americans qualified to represent the West Indies in last year’s Champions League T20 tournament in South Africa.
Harper is the Vice-Chairman of the GCB Cricket Development Committee but the former all-rounder explained that many of the committee’s recommendations to the GCB executive have not been given the opportunity to be recognised.
“Not enough is being done to raise the skill level of our players. We have had t20 success but nothing much at other levels and I don’t think that the lack of talent is the main reason for that,” Harper opined.
“Cricket is now a huge industry with lots of money and career opportunities and our players are suffering because people are not interested enough in implementing a structure to develop their ability and improve them as not only cricketers but individuals,” Harper lamented.
“We have to prepare our players to grasp the opportunities that cricket can offer them but teach them to value what it means to be playing for your country and the importance of team work and winning. Administration is about focusing on cricket development and player development.
“But for this to happen we have to set up a structured system where everyone is committed and singing from the same hymn book and not just looking for positions for their own agendas,” Harper stressed.
The Court in Guyana has barred both feuding factions of the Demerara Cricket Board from organising any cricket in Guyana’s most populated county.
Some cricket officials are claiming that Government interference has also stalled the GCB elections with some GCB executives being accused of high-handedness and financial misappropriation.
Harper says what it is important to have strong regional boards if West Indies cricket is to improve.
“We hear lots of noise about what is happening at the West Indies level but if you don’t have a strong foundation at the regional and domestic levels West Indies cricket will also continue to languish at the bottom of the International level. Good Administrators who understand cricket and what it means to West Indians is very important if West Indies cricket is ever to return to the glory days we once knew,” Harper concluded.

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