By Neto Baptiste
The Cool & Smooth T20 Explosion could be contested between October and November this year.
This is according to President of the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA), Leon Rodney, who said the body has written to the proper authorities.
“A competition can take place between October [and November] with the finals happening on the day of the [Independence] food fair. As far as we understand, the food fair will take place on the 2nd [November] and the Independence parade would take place in the evening instead of the morning as per the norm, and we’re saying that — once they can give us the okay to have the tournament, which would start in October,” he said.
According to the former player, the cricket association is still awaiting responses from the country’s sports and health authorities on the matter before mobilising clubs to prepare for the annual tournament.
“We are just waiting to get some reply from the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Health to make sure that a competition could take place, because as it is at the present moment, the sports ministry is saying that people can practice but they have not allowed any competition as yet. Once they agree the competition can take place, then we will have a meeting with the clubs and we have already spoken to the T20 people so we will see what happens,” Rodney said.
As for whether or not players will be imported as customary for this year’s event given the coronavirus pandemic, Rodney said that is a decision for the owners of the competition.
“That would not be for us [cricket association] because we have never been the ones ti import players but as far as I am aware and I can only say what I am aware, I don’t think they would be looking at that for this year,” the cricket boss said The cricket association cancelled its season in April after the sports ministry had stopped all sporting activities as part of measures in the fight against the coronavirus. At the time, Jennings led the association’s Two Day competition.