Benjamin says association should have only dealt with Two Day competition

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President of the Liberta Sports Club, Kenneth “Flipper” Benjamin
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By Neto Baptiste

President of the Liberta Sports Club Kenneth Benjamin, although crediting the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA) for having finally made a decision regarding its stalled season, is disappointed the body has opted to cancel the entire schedule of competitions for 2020.

“We [Liberta Sports Club] were a little shocked that they cancelled all and we don’t know on what basis they cancelled all. I thought it would have been the Two Day they were cancelling and then have a look as we go down, because you have to remember there is no Carnival so you could even stretch all the way down to the end of August. I believe there was enough time to wait and see and if you wait and see and nothing can happen, then fine,” he said.

The body, via a press statement this week, announced the decision to end competitions for this season but added that consideration would be given to hosting a T20 Tournament later in the year, hopefully during the country’s Independence celebration in November.

The cricket association announced that “given the rules and regulations governing the ABCA Two Day Cricket Tournament, we cannot announce any winners for the ABCA Two Day 2020 Competition.”

Benjamin said he was hoping for a more inclusive approach.

“The fact that cricket really isn’t a contact sport and you’re hearing talks of stopping people from putting saliva on the ball and so forth, I just think a little bit more consideration and a little bit more dialogue with the clubs could have been had. So, based on that aspect, I believe that the cricket association could have just consulted a little more in terms of getting feedback from some of the clubs and one or two individuals,” he said.

Jennings led the Two Day competition when all sporting activities was halted by the sports ministry in March after the country recorded its first case of the coronavirus.

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