Dear Editor,
The re-emergence of West Indies’ dominance as well as regional cricket’s rebirth lies intimately in their reconnection with grass-roots viability. The current position of only using the National Stadium to host regional matches has set back the genuine capability of emerging cricketers from the rural areas in Guyana. First-Class matches were previously and consistently played at Albion in Berbice and Hampton Court in Essequibo and the crowd responses and enthusiasm were always heartening to see. Can the same be attributed to Georgetown?
I therefore believe that significant emphasis now has to be placed on securing standardized grounds within the rural districts that have the capacity to host national matches. Imam Bacchus Sports Complex of Essequibo is one such alternative given that the Hampton Court facility is no longer viable. Even inter-county tournaments at all levels are now permanently grounded in Georgetown. The potential to unearth more cricket talents from the rural areas I believe will be enormous.
President Granger would have also strongly supported the need for rural districts to have access to modernized facilities in order to produce more sportsmen, instead of having to depend on travelling to the City for exposure and prominence.
The time has therefore come for cricket to be more prudently managed in order to maximize the true potential of our cricketers. The Berbice Cricket Board has continued to lead the way in administration yet they have been starved from viewing first-class matches for the past eight years. What is the basis for excluding the county from such development since I am convinced that more young players will emerge if they are just given the opportunity to view some of these matches, since it will be too costly for them to do otherwise?
The spectacular rise of West Indies cricket at the moment after their triple World Cup glory will instantly heighten and even safeguard the future of the sport within the region. Notwithstanding such triumphalism though is the persistent threat of the game being dominated by poor policies including selection and administration as well as the players’ lack of confidence in the West Indies Players Association (WIPA). The game therefore should never be separated from the interest of the players and as such the GCB should decentralize the hosting of matches to other parts of Guyana as a prerequisite of inclusivity and advancing the appeal to the abundance of talent within the rural districts.
Yours faithfully,
Elroy Stephney
