WI Pro League talks next week

FORMER West Indies wicketkeeper Deryck Murray will deliver the feature address at a symposium to discuss the introduction of a  Professional Cricket League in the West Indies. The two-day affair, organised by University of the West Indies lecturer Dr Trevor Alleyne takes place on January 28 and 29 at the Dr Jao Havelange Centre of Excellence at Macoya. “Everything is in place for the sysmposium and we expect wide participation from all those who are interested in regional cricket,” said Dr Alleyne, who is also the deputy Dean at the Faculty of Medical Sciences at Mount Hope. He said that he expects an important and significant contribution from Murray, one of the heroes of the all-conquering West Indies teams of the 1970s which went on to rule the game for more than two decades.

“Deryck Murray has experience in all directions on this issue as a Test player, a professional in England and now at a management level in the financial services sector,” said Dr Alleyne. “He was also among the first players who got involved with the Kerry Packer World Series Cricket  and has valuable know-how and can give guidance on how to successfully set up the league in the Caribbean,” said Dr Alleyne. And among the other regional cricket stalwarts already indicating their participation, according to Dr Alleyne are former Barbados and West Indies fast bowlers Joel “Big Bird” Garner and Franklyn Stephenson. Dr Alleyne said that he recently spoke to Andy Roberts, another great Test fast bowler who is also interested in attending the symposium and wants to make a contribution to the debate.

Heading the list of administrators lending their weight  to the cricket talk-shop are Dinanath Ramnarine, president of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) and the presidents of the Windward and Leewards cricket associations. Dr Alleyne said he has also been assured of the participation of former Trinidad and Tobago fast bowler Anthony Gray, ex-West Indies allrounder Bernard Julien and journalist Tony Fraser. The Barbadian professor in chemistry and physics who professes a passion for the regional game expects Alloy Lequay, erstwhile Chief Executive Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board to lead his delegation. Lequay was one of the first regional administrators to welcome Dr Alleyne’s initiative to set up the professional league and has been in full support of the effort.

Also expected to attend the symposium is Jeffrey Nott, coach of the Empire Club in Barbados. Dr Alleyne said he envisages the  start-up of the professional league involving the region’s leading cricketers by November and is hoping to have the co-operation and involvement of the respective cricket boards. He said the basis for the plan, a document which he has produced and widely circulated,  had received positive feedback from several persons who would not be able to attend including former West Indies opening batsman Desmond Haynes who is the chairman of the Barbados Sports Council and Bryan Davis, manager of the Queen’s Park Cricket Club.

Dr Alleyne said the meeting next Friday and Saturday will attempt to provide an opportunity for all who are interested in West Indies cricket to air their views and examine in a critical fashion the plan to set up the league and to make recommendations. He also hopes that representatives of the West Indies Cricket Board will make a significant input in the symposium which is being facilitated by Jack Warner, a FIFA vice-president  and benefactor of two leading cricket clubs in Trinidad. Dr Alleyne said the precedent has already been set by Australian businessman Kerry Packer who set up his WSC caravan without the support of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He said that he has already been assured of the financial backing necessary to launch the professional league which he estimates will initially cost US $1.5 million. “All that we really need is for the cricketers to participate,” Dr Alleyne said.