Guyana President expresses dismay at WICB decision to host T20s in Florida – Cricket News Update
President of Guyana, Donald Ramotar, has spoken out against the West Indies Cricket Board’s decision to move two T20s from New Zealand’s tour of the Windies to Florida, claiming that it was unjust to the regional governments in the Caribbean, who have invested
heavily in the construction of stadiums and the promotion of the sport.
"Governments invested millions of dollars in building facilities to enhance the game and to promote the growth of the sport," Ramotar said. "However, today we face the abomination - key matches are now being taken out of the region while some of our territories
are deliberately deprived. This must be of great concern to us.”
New Zealand’s tour of the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 did not kick off, as expected, in the Caribbean, but surprisingly in Florida, for the purpose of promoting the sport in the United States. The series saw the Windies, long deprived of a series win at the international
level, going on to claim a 2-0 victory.
With hard-hitter http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CH-Gayle-c1221 back in the national squad after a 15-month hiatus, the Windies went on to claim a comprehensive 56-run win in the first match, followed by a 61-run victory in the second, as the hapless Kiwis struggled on the low, slow Florida
pitches which closely resembled Caribbean surfaces.
Prior to the commencement of the series, WICB president http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Julian-Robert-Hunte-c69628 had supported the board’s decision, claiming it was “long overdue,” and going on to add that the board was excited at the prospect of bringing the game to Florida for the enjoyment of West
Indies cricket fans in North America.
However, Ramotar slammed the board for acting purely on grounds of self-interest, rather than out of any desire to see the game flourish.
"West Indies Cricket is not the private property of some administrators but it is a regional public good," Ramotar pointed out. "Some administrators of the sport seem not to care about the importance of this institution but more about perpetuating themselves
at any cost."
With the T20 leg having drawn to a close, the teams have shifted to the West Indies for the remainder of the bilateral tour, which involves a 5-match ODI series, and 2 Tests.
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