Local cricket is in the doldrums

May 08, 2023 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Peeping tom…

Kaieteur News – Guyana’s success at the recent regional senior championship, and the selection of 4 local cricketers for the West Indies A Team to tour Bangladesh is no cause for elation. These developments conceal the deep malaise which is afflicting the organization of local cricket.

Historically, the weather has always been the greatest enemy to cricket in Guyana. It once used to be said that if you wanted rain, all you had to do was to organize an international cricket match in Guyana. But with the construction of what used to be a well-drained national cricket stadium at Providence that superstition died a natural death.

Since February, the coastland has enjoyed fair weather. This present weather – knock on wood – is ideal for hosting cricket matches. Yet, little club cricket is being played in the two main counties: Demerara and Berbice.  Why is this so?

The Guyana Cricket Board recently hosted Inter-county cricket tournaments at the senior Under 19 and Under 15 levels. National teams were selected with minimal practice matches. Fortunately, the investment by the previous cricket board paid off and Guyana was able to cart off the Regional Four Day Championships after a dramatic final day, final round match.  But the national team faltered at the other levels, a development which points to the neglect of club cricket.

The nursery for the development of local cricket has always been at the club level. In the past, clubs competed in Georgetown at three levels, Case Cup for first division teams; Northcote for second division teams and the White Cup for third division teams. Before that, there used to be the Parker Cup.  These were three-days or more tournaments. Those tournaments no longer exist and have not been replaced.

Berbice had its own tournament organized under the Davson Cup. The Berbicians were able to pit their skills against their nemesis, Demerara in the inter-county Jones Cup and, at the club level, in the 50-over Bristol Cup.

Recently, there has been a drought of one-day club cricket in Guyana. The East Coast Cricket Association did launch a fifty-over tournament this year but not much is being heard from other sporting associations.   In the distant past, the Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO) used to sponsor one-day cricket under the Bristol and Rothman brands.

The pandemic obviously affected local cricket since 2020. But most other sports have resumed and club cricket is still being left in the doldrums. The Guyana Table Tennis association recently hosted three back-to-back championships. Amateur boxing is making a comeback and hockey tournaments are being played.

The various cricket associations need to answer as to this state of affairs. One letter writer recently decried the absence of first division, Under-19 and Under 17 cricket in Berbice for this year, and this despite the Berbice team winning the Inter-county tournaments at the senior and Under-19 levels.

The government has done what it never did before. It co-sponsored a recent tournament. It was unknown for government to have had to sponsor a cricket tournament. This shows the decline in sponsorship and organization at all levels of the game, and raises concerns as to what the various cricket associations are doing to ensure that cricketers at the club level are being given opportunities.

I am not sure what is happening in Essequibo where the Guyana Cricket Board recently announced the establishment of three cricket academies. But what is the use of academies when there is limited club cricket for the youngsters to play? Even school cricket is not being hosted.

What is the use of establishing academies when the infrastructure for training the young people is not developed? Academies require not only coaches but excellent indoor and outdoor training infrastructure.  Where is this infrastructure?  Someone bemoaned the poor state of the indoor facility which was established at LBI.

The focus has to be on the development of club cricket. It is from club cricket that will emerge the players for the Under 19 and senior inter-county and national teams. If there is limited club cricket being played, cricket will end up deeper in the doldrums. No amount of investment in Under 13 and Under 15 and Under 19 cricket will help, because it is from the club system that the top players emerge.

One of the factors hindering club cricket is the poor state of most of the grounds. Most of the grounds on which cricket is played are owned and/or operated by the clubs. As such the state of clubs administrations will impact on the state of local cricket. Apart from the Everest Cricket Club and the Rosehall Town Youth and Sports Club, there is not much to get excited about when it comes to the health of local cricket clubs.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has been going around the country and making investments in upgrading grounds. But what will happen after all the millions are spent in upgrading grounds? Who will maintain the grounds? Unless the club structure is addressed, the upgraded grounds will return quickly to their former poor state.

Politics has played a major role in the present state of cricket in the country. It was the PPPC which launched a vicious assault on local cricket administration. The PPPC was bent on replacing the old executive of the Guyana Cricket Board and installing a new Board. The PPPC bigwigs have their plans to control and dominate local cricket and, judging from their performance so far, they are doing a good job at destroying the strong foundation which was built over the past 70 years.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Kaieteur News.

 

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• Demerara, DEMTOCO, Essequibo, established, This present weather, Tournaments, Under-19 and Under 17 cricket

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