More women needed in WI cricket

WOMEN have made significant contributions to cricket in the West Indies. This was the opinion voiced by West Indies Cricket Board chief development officer Dr Michael Seepersaud, when he launched his board’s Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket workshop at the Dwight Yorke Stadium, Bacolet, Tobago, yesterday. And he denounced what he described as an ingrained attitude in a male-dominated society, that cricket was a man’s sport. He said, “I bet you didn’t know the overhead bowling was invented by a woman.”

Dr Seepersaud said, “We need more female participation in cricket; women are interested in cricket too.” He expressed a desire to see a significant balance between the male and female in cricket. But Dr Seepersaud expressed astonishment that students were unaware who (Courtney) Walsh, (Curtly) Ambrose and even Lincoln Roberts were. He pointed out it was just as important to educate students about players involved as it was to teach them to play the sport. Dr Seepersaud expressed further surprise when students appeared bewildered when asked about Clarence The Crab, the Kiddy Cricket mascot.

He said, “We have failed Tobago in the past and we have taken too long to bring Kiddy Cricket to Tobago, but better late than never. “One Test cricketer (Roberts) from Tobago is not enough.” All ten participating primary schools in the two-day workshop received Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket equipment and manuals, which are designed by other WICB development units to introduce different aspects of cricket into core subject areas such as language arts, mathematics, geography, history and art and design, among others. Although Kiddy Cricket has been in existence since 1999, this was the first time it was introduced to the sister island, Tobago.