How Cricket can be revitalized

09.NOV.07

EDITOR: The performance of West Indian cricketers has been on the decline for some time now, and if it has to rise back up, measures need to be put in place to develop the young cricketers’ game.{{more}}

I, for one, think that there should be a youth academy here, where the youths will get coaching from the top coaches right here in St. Vincent, and a facility which they can use and in which they can get the training all year round. The administrators then have to make sure to get the really talented youngsters into it. I know of a young lad currently who has real pace but doesn’t play competitively anymore. Providing some incentives would be ideal here.

We also need to get the youngsters to play more cricket matches, and one way to do that is to make sure we have a lengthy cricket season. We need more school games so the kids will have to practice more. I remember in my case, when my school side got knocked out of the competition, I stopped getting practice because the team didn’t practice anymore. I had no other means of getting practice, and my form and class dipped considerably.

Also, I think we need more club cricket games. There are 8 teams a piece currently in the Premier and First Division cricket back here. I think the planners can allow next season for 2 rounds of games so that each team will have 14 games. The season could start early February, and cricket was played up to September this season, so that is more than enough time for 14 two-day games and the annual 20/20 competition. There is money from Stanford to develop cricket, and I would like to see this become a reality.

As an avid cricket fan, and I know there are many in St. Vincent, I really want to see West Indies cricket back on the rise, and I think many would appreciate it if the administrators back here could provide an academy and more matches for our cricketers back here, especially for the youths. If West Indies cricket is to be revived, it has to be done through up-coming cricketers, and if the small Islands cricket is strong, West Indies cricket WILL be strong!

“Spin Wizard”