BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – President of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) and Director of Cricket West Indies (CWI) Conde Riley has expressed his disappointment that the island will not host any matches in the West Indies Championship for the second consecutive year, despite being the home of the reigning champions.
He suggested that the decision shows a lack of vision.
Former opening Test batsman Philo Wallace went further, suggesting that Barbados were “getting fired”.
Last month, the CWI announced that matches in this year’s first-class championship will be played in Antigua, Grenada and Trinidad.
Speaking on the Mason and Guest radio show here on Tuesday, Riley said it was “disappointing” that the venue was not chosen to host any games, especially given Barbados Pride are the defending champions and the crowds that usually turn up for games here.
“Barbados has a lot to offer and when things like this happen I understand why Cricket West Indies is where it is…. It tells a story – that they’re not thinking,” he said.
“Sometimes I watch cricket in other countries and I don’t see anyone in cricket. The only thing I can assure the people of the Caribbean is that because of our heritage, we will always have people watching cricket… but it is what it is…. Where there is no vision, people will die.” Prodded by host Andrew Mason to say who lacked vision, the cricket administrator replied:
“Whoever decides where cricket is played and the defending champions can’t have one game, two games, I leave it to them.”
Wallace, who was also a guest on the show, said he was also surprised by Barbados’ inaction.
“I think it’s a clear indication from Cricket West Indies that Barbados is being excluded,” the Barbadian said. “You cannot have Barbados as a leading nation in the region and not…. expect meaningful matches…. I would like to know from Cricket West Indies who decides the matches and who decides where these games will be played.”
“The decision makers are not making good decisions and when you don’t make decisions, you pay the price and our price is going to be very, very heavy,” Simmons added.
Despite the disappointment, Riley said it would not stop the Pride from successfully defending their title.
“We will prepare our boys and wherever they play we will win it. Last year we played most of the matches in Trinidad and won…. I have no doubt that we will repeat as champions”, he said.
The first two rounds of the West Indies Championship with the six territorial franchise teams – Barbados Pride, Guyana Harpy Eagles, Jamaica Scorpions, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Windward Islands Volcanoes – will be contested from February 1 to February 11 . at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada and the CCG and Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.
The final three rounds will be played from March 15 to April 1 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Queen’s Park Oval and the Diego Martin Sports Complex in Trinidad.
Riley did not accept CWI Operations Manager Roland Holder’s explanation that the challenges associated with intra-regional travel were the main factor in selecting the sites.
“You can’t get to any part of the Caribbean without air travel,” he said. “I don’t know if the guys are going to swim in those other countries or travel by boat, but I do know that if you want to get to Barbados, the same way you get to Antigua or Grenada or St. Vincent, you can go to Barbados. We have thousands of people all over the world in Barbados as we speak.”
However, Riley said the BCA has not raised any objections to the CWI regarding the release of Barbados from the selected countries and had no intention of doing so.
“It doesn’t make sense,” he asserted. “If they say travel is the problem, how can they land on these other islands but not Barbados?”
