Beaten without a ball being bowled.
That is the downfall of the Guyana National T20 cricket team known as the Amazon Conquerors.
Despite their best efforts, the team which would have been led by all rounder Christopher Barnwell, has been conquered by the stand-off that has affected Guyana’s cricket.
The team was due to leave Guyana this weekend to participate in the 10-team Regional T20 competition which commences Monday in Antigua but yesterday, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) the entity recognized by the West Indies Cricket Board as being responsible for all aspects of cricket in Guyana, wrote their parent body stating that they would be unable to field a team to participate in the upcoming tournament.
This follows the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, dissolving the GCB and replacing it with an Interim Management Committee headed by the legendary and respected International Cricket Council official Clive Lloyd.
“The GCB has not gotten the capacity to send a team,” was how one of the GCB officials, who asked to remain anonymous, told Stabroek Sport.
“I must regretfully inform you that the Guyana Cricket Board cannot provide a team to participate in the captioned tournament because the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports has placed locks on the doors of our Offices and storage bond since the 24th December 2011.
“We have tried our utmost to get the Government to acquiesce to the wishes of the players and the Guyana Cricket Board but to no avail,” the letter from secretary Anand Sanasie stated.“Despite our best endeavours these locks remain in place at the time of this communication.
“This action by the Guyana government has caused
tremendous administrative and logistical difficulty in the preparation and outfitting of our team.
“The Guyana Cricket Board will continue to pursue a solution and advise the WICB as we progress.
Guyana winners of the inaugural Stanford twnty20 tournament also won the regional competition in 2009, a victory which qualified them to participate in the 2010 Airtel Champions League tournament in South Africa.
The GCB official said that the WICB had given the GCB up to 4pm yesterday to inform them whether they would be able to send a team or not.
The members of the Guyana T20 team had also made a personal appeal to President Donald Ramotar seeking his intervention since the players claimed that their livelihood were at stake.
Ramotar had reportedly said that he was seeking the advice of the Attorney General on the matter. ( See statement below)
Statement on GCB’s participation in the WICB T20 tournament
4th January 2012
Dr. the Hon. Julian Hunte
President
West Indies Cricket Board
Mongiraud House
Mongiraud, Gros Islet
St. Lucia.
Sir,
RE: PARTICIPATION IN THE WICB T20 2012
I refer to item three (3) of your correspondence of 30th December 2012, requesting that the Guyana Cricket Board indicate whether it can provide a team to participate in the captioned tournament and, if not, the reasons why.
I also refer to an email from the WICB Cricket Operations Officer Mr. Roland Holder requesting that a response be sent to the WICB by close of business on the 4th January 2012.
We have tried our utmost to get the Government to acquiesce to the wishes of the players and the Guyana Cricket Board but to no avail. I must regretfully inform you that the Guyana Cricket Board cannot provide a team to participate in the captioned tournament because the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports has placed locks on the doors of our Offices and storage bond since the 24th December 2011. Despite our best endeavours these locks remain in place at the time of this communication.
This action by the Guyana government has caused tremendous administrative and logistical difficulty in the preparation and outfitting of our team.
The Guyana Cricket Board will continue to pursue a solution and advise the WICB as we progress.
I take this opportunity to ask that the WICB notes:
1. Our participation in the Regional Four Days Tournament would require usage of the state owned Guyana National Stadium for all home fixtures. If the present impasse continues this facility may not be available to the GCB.
2. The local WICB/ DIGICEL grass root cricket programme has been placed on hold.
Yours Sincerely,
Not signed as electronically sent
Anand Sanasie
Hon. Secretary
Guyana Cricket Board.
CC: Dr. Ernest Hilaire—Chief Executive Officer WICB
Roland Holder — Cricket Operations Officer WICB
Mr. Robin Singh – Cricket Operations Officer GCB
