Official warns of cricket collapse

A TOP Trinidad and Tobago cricket official is warning of the collapse of club cricket should player migration go unchecked. Baldath Mahabir, second vice-president of the Cricket Board rang the alarm bells yesterday in a telephone interview, ahead of the start of the local cricket season next weekend. He said urgent steps must be taken to regulate the transfer of players from club to club each season warning that the development of the game is at risk. “It is a problem recognised by the National League and the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board,” he said yesterday. The issue was recently raised by Colin Murray, Sponsorship and Events Manager of Carib Beer, the major sponsors of local cricket for the past decade.

Murray, speaking at the launch of the National League two weeks ago at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain urged action by the Cricket Board noting he found it difficult to track some players from year to year. Yesterday Mahabir highlighted the growing infusion of money into the National League by club owners, a trend which he said was filtering down to the minor leagues with resultant negative effects for the long-term development of the players and the game. “The clubs are buying the talented young players who are products of the youth development programme of the Cricket Board. At this stage they acquire a low satisfaction threshold and lose their passion and commitment for the game,” observed Mahabir. And while the club will be happy to show off their new talent, the player will be at a grave disadvantage most likely sacrificing their chances of selection for the national and regional teams.

Mahabir said while he acknowledged that we live in a free society, the major clubs must understand their role in the National League, which groups the top clubs. And he decried the behaviour of some who are hell bent on winning the national competitions at all costs while questioning the loyalty of the players who are party to the current migration crisis. Mahabir said history has proven that the players who remain with one club for a number of years usually attain the top of their game and invariably graduate to Test status. He named West Indies captain Brian Lara, allrounder Dwayne Bravo, the Jan brothers —  Imran and Asif — Mukesh Persad, Dinanath Ramnarine, Ravi Rampaul and Dinesh Ramdin as players who remained committed to their clubs and excelled.

“They are all remarkable players who stayed with the clubs that nurtured their game and have  progressed to better things,” Mahabir said. On his own initiative Mahabir said he has prepared a report on the issue which he expects to present to the Cricket Board next month for their attention and action. “It proposes a radical shift in the format on how the National League is conducted with the focus on club cricket and the measures that must be taken to maximise the quality of the game from the youth level,” said Mahabir. He warned that if nothing is done now the situation will grow worse and the gap between the clubs who have money at their disposal to buy top players will grow wider with those who are less endowed. Mahabir, who is also president of the First Citizens Bank Clarke Road United Cricket Club pointed out that more than one and a half million dollars are spent each season in paying the salaries of top players in the National League.

“But this investment is misdirected and should be used for the overall development programmes. The game will be better served this way,” he said. Mahabir said he is worried that the player migration crisis has also filtered down to the minor  leagues which could signal the death knell for some clubs at that level. On his club’s preparations for the upcoming local season, Mahabir said he was confident that the defending National League champions Clarke Road will give another outstanding performance. “We have a cadre of good players and depending on the number of players who will be called up for national duty, we should give another consistent performance,” he said. Clarke Road were runners-up last year and went one better earlier this season claiming the top prize in local cricket. Mahabir said he expects great things under coach Roland Sampath who will be with the club full-time this year. Among the top players in the team are spinners Mukesh Persad, Mahadeo Bodoe, Tishan Maraj, Earnest Thompson, Sean Siloch, Aaron Mahabir, wicketkeeper Shirvon Sankar, and allrounder Kerwin Mohammed.