Lloyd calls for Disaster Relief Fund

LONDON: Former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, reacting to last weekend’s massive earthquake disaster in Asia, is making a fresh appeal to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to set up a disaster relief fund, to enable the sport to contribute in the event of future catastrophes striking their member nations, the Cricinfo web site reported on Monday. Lloyd, who lost two close friends in the South Asia disaster, is currently in Durban where he is acting as match referee for England’s Test against South Africa.

On Monday, both teams took the field wearing black armbands as a mark of respect for the dead.  “It is an idea that the ICC might like to take on board,” said Lloyd, who had discussed the plan with Colin Cowdrey during his stint as chairman in the early 1990s. “Through television rights, sponsorship and advertising revenue, there is a lot of money in the game of cricket, and as sportspeople we should make a concerted effort to contribute,” added Lloyd. Two days after the biggest earthquake in 40 years struck the seabed off Indonesia’s Sumatra island, triggering waves up to 10 metres high, officials found more death the further they ventured into outlying areas.

Reuters reported yesterday that it is feared the final toll could rise above 55,000.  Sri Lanka, where Lloyd’s friends were staying before their hotel was demolished by the tsunami, said their final death toll could reach 25,000. As a West Indian, Lloyd has been only too well aware of the power of nature this year.  Four months ago, Hurricane Ivan devastated several Caribbean islands, including worst-hit Grenada, where more than 30 people were killed and thousands of buildings were wrecked, including the national cricket stadium.

“You never know when these disasters will strike,” added Lloyd, “but the cricket community should be able to help. These people are destitute.”  Lloyd’s plan would involve a small donation every year, perhaps two percent or three percent of advertising revenue from around the world, and he hoped that a proportion of the gate receipts from the current Boxing Day matches would be given to help the relief effort, Cricinfo reported. “If we could dedicate one or two matches a year to raising money for the cause, it could help a hell of a lot,” said the 60-year-old Guyanese, who guided his West Indies team during the mid 1970s to becoming the world’s best cricket team. The ICC have already indicated they are willing to give assistance to the devastated communities.