By Neto Baptiste
Former West Indies captain, Sir Vivian Richards, has predicted that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic will make it extremely difficult for the game and its players on return to local competition.
In an interview with Observer, the iconic batsman believes the ongoing pandemic would have stymied any progress already made by the local association and that there will be “huge differences” in the way the sport is administered on return.
“It’s a huge challenge ahead in my opinion, for all the sporting establishments on exactly the way forward because let’s not forget that moving forward is going to be some huge differences because of the experiences we would have had,” he said.
The Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association cancelled its domestic season in April after the country’s sports ministry halted all competitions as part of the twin-island state’s fight against the coronavirus.
One of the most successful Test captains in West Indies history, Sir Viv believes that having to cancel its competitions was a major blow to any progress.
“I personally feel now we are at a stagnant time where, with this whole Covid business that all the stuff [competitions] we would have seen as well. Take, for instance, one of the most famous T20 competitions to be played around the region, the Cool & Smooth T20, we are not going to see that and that also is a platform for them to move forward and we are not going to see none of that,” he said.
President of the cricket association, Leon Rodney, has revealed that the body has written to the sports minister, Daryll Matthew, seeking permission to host the annual Cool & Smooth T20 Explosion starting in October and climaxing on the day of the Independence Food Fair.