BVI Cricket at a ‘crossroads’ association officials says

BY DEAN GREENAWAY

Who could have ever imagined that Cricket—one of the territory’s foundation sports—

would find itself in a position where the St. Thomas Cricket Association had to invite its players there to play a league match, because they have no playing field on Tortola? That is the current position that BVI Cricket Association officials find themselves in, saying the sports is at a ‘crossroads’ in the territory.

Instead of the usual eight teams battling for the league title and players trying to impress selectors as they vie for spots on the Combined Virgin Islands team to play in the Leeward Island Cricket Association tournament, the only cricket being played in the territory is between expatriate associations on weekends at the Cruise Ship Dock, adjacent to the Government’s Central Administration Complex.

For the first time in it history, the BVI Cricket Association elected an executive body at the end of January, but doesn’t have a designated playing field, as the A. O. Shirley Recreation Grounds has been target for the territory’s first synthetic 400 meter track. Cricket, which shares the grounds with track and field, soccer and rugby, are all at a stand still and have had their seasons interrupted, but to date, no work on the facility has begun. During a Monday press conference, Sports Minister Lloyd Black was clueless to when preparatory work is slated to begin for the construction of the synthetic facility. Organizations that use the A. O. Shirley Recreation Grounds are unable to plan for their league, as state the BVI Football Association finds itself in with its league scheduled to begin in September.

With BVI Cricket Association officials saying the sport in the territory is in a state of flux—though there might be a remote chance for a league because of all the delays with construction plans—the St. Thomas Cricket Association has invited its players to participate in their league, secretary/treasurer Daniel Singh said on the Sports Beat Magazine program. The association Singh said is canvassing its players to see who are interested in joining teams in St. Thomas.

Despite the sport being in a flux, Singh and association vice president Charles Jackson said the association has been hammering out a comprehensive long term development plan.

Immediate plans to field a team in the Leeward Islands Youth Tournament are full speed ahead Singh said. “A lot of attention was given to the senior team alone and it never gave the younger players a chance to develop themselves. I’m pleased to say that the association has in a sense shifted—not that we will neglect the senior tournament—but there’s a significant shift right now in focusing more, at least more than we have ever done before on the youth team, particularly on the Under 15 and Under 19 teams” Singh revealed. “We believe strategically, that will give us a chance to graduate players into the senior tournament. By focusing on the youth, we will be able to perform well at the Leeward Islands tournament. It’s also a criteria for staying in the LICA tournament. The U.S. Virgin Islands having recognized that too, and is now making strides and have an Under 19 team that will play in their league.”

Singh said the hope is to have inter-territorial matches between the U.S. and British Virgin Islands as a part of preparations for the Leeward Islands tournament at all levels. Officials have rescheduled the LICA tournament from May to September, which will give Virgin Islands teams more time to prepare their players, Singh stated.